Parthenogenesis in Leopard Geckos?

[SamsonizeMe]

Whatever happened with this egg?

 

[fuzzylogix]

sorry, haven't been on much lately due to a crazy new work schedule. the egg didn't make it. after 17 days incubating, it started to cave in and mold. i tried to keep it healthy but in the end looks like it was a dud after all.

 

[Landen]

I had the exact same thing happen this year too. I got a Tremper Enigma female from Bryan end of last year, she was 25 grams or so, she's now just over 40g and about a year old. A few weeks ago I had her out and noticed she had two fully formed eggs and looked to be due any day. A few days later she laid two eggs outside her lay box and felt and looked fertile. Since I got the animal she has never once been in a tub with a male. I candled the eggs and they appeared to be fertile, unfortunately the eggs didn't make it and were tossed out about a week later. She's currently forming another set. Maybe there's something in the water here in DFW!

 

[sunglowleo13]

i have a tangerine carrot tale and it has been having gravid behavior. Its beed digging and stuff and I can see a single egg under the skin. do you think i should put a laying box in her cage? she's only 30 grams or so.

 

[acpart]

It never hurts to put a lay box in there. The box can double as a humid hide and you can kill two birds with one stone (so to speak).

Aliza

 

[acpart]

You know I did have a baby beardie almost make it to term last summer from an egg my beardie (who has not been with a male in the 4 years I've had her) laid.

Aliza

 

[Wolvenspawn]

I believe it is totally possible. Though not something you will see very often at all. I have know of other reptiles in my lifetime (not mine but others) that have given birth/laid fertile eggs without having a male present. There are cases (others then the vast amount of insects and other small invertabrates that do so quite commonly) of amphibians changing sex due to lack of opposite species from what I have read too, (and not just talking about Jurassic Park either lol) I even remember a TV documentary on a snake owner/catcher who had a female rattle snake basically since shortly after it's birth that was kept in her own enclosure with never any contact with a male that gave live birth to several baby rattlers. (Yeah I know she doesn't birth them per say, but carries around the eggs inside of her untill they hatch.)

So in my opinion, (and I am not an expert) any of the species of reptiles/avians/amphibians can be parthenogenetic. It's rather nice in a way that it doesn't happen or hasn't happened for mammals naturally. (Scientists though seem to be able to within a lab environment) Could you imagine if it did... How many would be content with dating someone and never doing anything with them (nor they with anyone else) and they come along and go... "Welp we're having a baby!" lol

 

[brillobee]

Weird, makes me think twice about tossing all those eggs my beardie ( never been with a male) laid last spring.