Do Reptiles lay Eggs?

For some reptiles, eggs are laid and fertilized outside of the female’s body. Most commonly, this is performed by just allowing mating to occur. However, for some reptiles such as lizards and turtles, males will mount females and begin copulating with them.

A male lizard or turtle will move away from the female so that she can go into privacy and then they both use their claws to create holes where the mate’s sperm is placed. 

Once this has occurred, the eggs are laid out of these holes one at a time until all of them have been used up.

The time range it takes for this whole process to happen is very variable depending on what kind of reptile it is, but typically it will take less than two hours if everything goes smoothly.  

Reptile eggs tend to be fairly small compared to bird eggs. However, some reptile eggs can also be fairly large depending on their species.

An example of this is an alligator which has an average egg size of 15 cm long! To put that into perspective, one of these eggs could fit into a bread pan. So how many eggs the reptiles lay depends on the specie.

Many reptile parents do not lay or nurture their next young once they are born. Instead, they reproduce with another mate so that their young will have somebody to care for them right after they hatch.

They will generally use their tails to create openings where they place the sperm and then after hours of laying the eggs, it is time to go about with their lives until hatching occurs.

This process takes around an hour or two depending on the temperature of their surroundings.

How do they lay these eggs?

The male’s tail retracts into its body and releases sperm onto a specially designed part of the female’s lower tail which is called a “cloaca”. This area can be found under their tails.

After this has occurred, the male moves away from the female so that she can lay her eggs in privacy. She then typically uses one or two claws too small holes where she will lay her eggs.  

How long do they take to lay these eggs?

It depends on the species, but typically it takes around an hour or two. However, some turtles will spend over 20 hours on this process!

It also varies depending on the temperature of their surroundings; if it is cold, then they will likely take longer than the typical time range.  

Do lizards and turtles lay eggs?

Yes! Lizards and turtles that lay eggs are reptiles, so they can all give live birth if conditions permit it. The egg-laying kind of reptiles just has a really efficient way to produce offspring because they don’t need to worry about gestation as much as the live birthers do.  

How many eggs will a lizard or turtle typically lay?

It varies from species to species, but some species have been known to lay around 9 eggs at a time while others have been known to be up to 100!  

How big are the eggs?

Reptile eggs tend to be fairly small compared to bird eggs. However, some reptile eggs can also be fairly large depending on their species.

An example of this is an alligator which has an average egg size of 15 cm long! To put that into perspective, one of these eggs could fit into a bread pan.   

Do reptiles lay eggs?

Yes, many reptiles lay eggs either outside of their body or inside their own body until they hatch.

The most common type of turtle and lizard both lay eggs instead of retaining them inside their body like some other species such as snakes or lizards. It takes around an hour or more for most reptiles to lay their eggs, but temperature can affect how long this process will take.

What reptiles can live in a 10-gallon tank?

A majority of reptiles, including lizards and snakes, can live in a 10-gallon tank. The most common lizard that will live happily in a ten-gallon tank is an albino leopard gecko.

If you are trying to keep two different species together, it would be best to separate enclosures because some reptiles are very aggressive.

A corn snake or ball python would make great roommates for your albino leopard gecko!

You could also house bearded dragons with your albino leopard gecko but you’d have to make sure there are places for all three of them to hide so they feel safe and secure enough to sleep through the night.

As always, be sure that the temperature of the space they share is regulated carefully. Check out our care sheets for your reptile roommates.

What do reptiles lay?

Reptiles can lay eggs or give live birth depending on their species. Some lizards and all turtles will lay eggs while some lizards, snakes, and crocodilians will give live birth to their young!

How many eggs do geckos lay?

Many geckos are egg-laying reptiles which means they will make an egg within their body until it is time to hatch them out of the egg.

Once this is done, most female geckos will be able to produce multiple clutches in one year. One clutch usually consists of two eggs but there are exceptions to this rule!

Do livebearers like guppies and mollies lay eggs?

Yes! Livebearers like guppies and mollies are egg-laying animals. If you go to a pet store, you’ll likely see pregnant female livebearers which means they will give birth within one or two weeks of that time.

Females can become pregnant almost immediately after giving birth, which means they can produce multiple clutches each month.

Because of this, many aquarium enthusiasts house different species together because it’s difficult for the females to distinguish between their tank mates and their babies if they’re not the same species.

What do reptiles lay eggs on?

Reptiles typically lay eggs in moist soil or sand so that when the baby reptile hatches from its shell, it will be able to dig its way up and out of the egg.

An exception to this rule is a turtle that will lay its eggs on a beach so that when they hatch, it can follow the sunlight into the water.

It’s important for reptiles who lay their eggs in sand or soil to have a good hiding space nearby because predators like birds and raccoons can easily spot mother turtles resting on sunny beaches waiting for their babies to hatch!