Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Today my 10 year old "textbook corn" surprised my wife and I with a clutch of eggs. She has never been bred, and the last time she saw a male snake was 9.8 years ago and she was the size of a swizzle-stick. I don't plan on breeding her, never have. My questions to the group:

Is this normal?
Should I be worried about her habitat or health?
Should I do anything special?

Like I said, it's the first time this has happened. It was actually quite exciting as this snake is a classroom pet so all 30 fifth graders got to see a snake laying eggs. Any sugestions would be welcome. Thanks!

There are two possibilities:

1. The eggs are non-fertile "slugs" that just didn't get reabsorbed by the body. If they're small and yellowish and not firm at all, they're slugs. If they're larger, white, and firm there's a possibility (but not a guarantee) that they're fertile, which brings me to possibility #2.

2. Parthogenesis. This is, to my knowledge, undocumented in cornsnakes. Some lizards are known to reproduce asexually, but not cornsnakes. This is unlikely.

Given your description of her potential 'mates', I'd bet the eggs are infertile slugs. If she HAD been with a male in the last few years, there might've been the possibility of retained sperm, but it doesn't sound like that's the case here.

-Kat
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This Space For Rent

I do believe parthogenesis has occured in colubrids in general though. Would be a pretty profound class project if those eggs were fertile.