Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have read that a healthy female monitor should produce eggs even if she has not bred with a male. I once babysat a large green iguana that was dropping eggs like the easter bunny.

What I am wondering is this. If a healthy female monitor who is in the process of producing and dropping eggs IS bred with a male, what is fertilized?

Are the developed eggs in her fertilized and layed?

Is it those eggs only or is some sperm stored and new eggs are fertilized too?

Also does the act of breeding stimulate the monitor to produce more eggs now that she has sperm or is the rate of production the same, whether breeding has occured or not?

In other words, does she lay a clutch of fertilized eggs or drop them at the same rate as before?

Are they all fertilized after breeding or can there be duds?

Thanks

Whoah....lots of questions.

First, unmated female monitors can drop infertile eggs or resorb the ova and not lay eggs.

I do not think monitors retain sperm and lay later fertile eggs, buy i'm not 100% sure w/ all species.

Very,very, very ,very rarely an unfertilized egg can develop and hatch due to chromosomal division mistakes (komodo and panoptes have been documented to do this). This is called parthenogenesis- a form of it anyway.

The timing of mating determines fertilization or not. Usually the female is only receptive during her "time" and will resist mating otherwise. Yes, the eggs are fertilized within the female and not like fish in a stream or something where it is done externally (if that is what you meant).

Rate of production, i don't believe, has anything to do with males or not - it's a product of females being well-nourished and healthy.

What was the last question? Oh yeah, there can be duds and not all fertilized in a clutch.

Did i answer everything?

Yes, Thanks