Hey everybody, I have a question about my two-and-a-half foot Western Hognose Snake, who appears to be female as she now has laid three eggs in total. They are severely discolored and I doubt any of them will hatch, but as I'm sure you're well aware, breeding can be a health hazard in excess, especially since the methods in which I care for my snakes is not designed at all for breeding; I dont have the equipment necessary to accomodate for the eggs.

The corn snakes in the cage nearby have done the same thing, but the explanation for that is obvious: one horny male and two females. Both the females have twice laid eggs, and the only one who hasnt is presumably the male. The hognose, however, is not only a completely different species but is also completely separated from every other snake in the collection. She is fed frozen mice once a week, and the temperature is normally about 85 during the day and around 73-74 at night. There is no possible way she could have mated with another snake...

I've had this snake for three or four years, since it was virtually a hatchling. I severely doubt that she copulated with a male that long ago and just now is using the genetic material she stored in her cloaca. Am I witnessing asexual reproduction?

[ Hide Replies ]

• Hognose Snake - Egg-laying without mate? - Kusanagi, Fri Feb 16 15:03:44 2007
• RE: Hognose Snake - Egg-laying without m - Dillybird, Fri Feb 16 18:42:54 2007
• RE: Hognose Snake - Egg-laying without mate? - markg, Fri Feb 16 18:55:01 2007