Reptile Reproduction: From Egg

to Adult

REPTILES

Written by: Dr. Margaret Wissman

Last Modified: September 28, 2015

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Read by: 11,145 pet lovers
How familiar are you with the "birds and the bees" of reptile reproduction? As reptiles
increase in popularity, interest in breeding is growing. Other reptile owners are doing
such a good job of caring for their pets that the herps are growing and reaching sexually
maturity. For example, we're seeing an unprecedented number of adult green female
iguanas presented to veterinary clinics for problems related to egg laying.
Most reptiles lay eggs and are called oviparous. The act of laying eggs is called
oviposition. Some reptiles bear live young and the term for this is viviparous.
Technically, a female that lays eggs is said to be gravid when she's holding eggs inside
of her. She may also correctly be called pregnant. Below is a list of some of the more
common species of reptiles and the method of reproduction they employ:

Reptiles That Lay Eggs

All turtles
All tortoises
All crocodilians
Some lizards
Iguanas
Water dragons
Geckos
Veiled chameleons
Panther chameleons
Monitors
Snakes including: all pythons, kingsnakes, milksnakes, rat snakes and corn snakes

Reptiles That Bear Live Young

Some chameleons
Jackson's chameleon
Some snakes including: all boas; all vipers; garter snakes
Some lizards including Solomon Island skink; blue-tongue skink; shingle-backed
skink
Male and female reptiles don't have external genitalia to help owners determine the sex
of a herp. However, males and females do possess different reproductive organs. The
male possesses two testicles, which are housed inside the body. He also has a
copulatory organ, either a single penis (turtles and tortoises, crocodilians) or a pair of
hemipenes (lizards, snakes) that can often be seen as two bulges behind the cloaca
(the passage for the urinary and reproductive discharge) at the base of the tail.
The penis or hemipenis isn't connected to the urinary tract and is strictly an organ of
reproduction. Lizards and snakes can be sexed by the use of a probe that's inserted into
the cloaca, directed toward the tail, off of the midline. The probe will travel farther in the
male than in the female.

Secondary Sex Characteristics

There are also secondary sexual characteristics that can help differentiate males from
females. Often, in male chelonians (turtles and tortoises), the plastron (bottom shell) is

somewhat concave and the tail is proportionally longer. Often, the head and general
body size are proportionally larger in male reptiles. The male Jackson's chameleon has
three prominent horns on the head, which are lacking in the female.
Many male iguanids and geckos possess femoral or pre-anal pores that secrete a waxy
substance making them more prominent than those found in females. Many boas and
pythons possess spurs located on either side of the vent and, in many males, these
spurs are larger.
In general, the tail of male reptiles is proportionally longer than the female's. There are
other ways to differentiate the sexes of reptiles, including ultrasound, surgical sexing
and radiographs.
It would seem that reproduction is a natural event but, without correct circumstances,
such as a balanced diet and a suitable environment for egg-laying, eggs may not
develop normally or be laid in a timely manner. Owners are often surprised to find that
their single pet female lizard has developed eggs. A healthy adult female does NOT
need the presence of a male to become gravid.

Fertilization
For fertilization, a male reptile inserts either the single penis or one of his two
hemipenes into the female's cloaca. Before actual copulation, the pair usually engages
in some type of ritualized courtship. After copulation, sperm can be stored for up to 6
years. This stored sperm can fertilize subsequent clutches (groups of eggs) without
additional contact by a male.
In the green iguana, for example, a healthy adult female may begin developing eggs
even without a male present to fertilize eggs. The process begins with the ovaries,
located inside the body, where eggs are stored. Most female green iguanas become
mature when they're between two and four years of age. At that time, follicles begin
developing in the ovaries. Each follicle is composed of a tiny egg and a sac filled with
yolk. The follicles then detach and move into the oviducts where the egg white is added,
and then a shell is placed around the yolk and white.

The gravid female usually won't eat for 3 to 6 weeks prior to laying her eggs. It makes
sense since her abdomen will be full of eggs in the oviducts and her stomach is quite
compressed, so there is little space for food in the stomach.

Reptiles Growth & Development

Reptiles undergo a cycle of development that is like many other animals.

They never stop growing throughout their lives, even as their growth slows
when they get older. However, they also generally have everything they
need at birth and rarely go through large transformational changes.
Life Cycle

Reptiles have very similar life cycles to fish, birds and to a lesser
degree mammals. The life cycle consists of three major stages that transition
slowly into the next: before birth; immature young; and mature adult. This
last stage is usually the longest of a reptile's life.
Amniotes

According to the website Biology Online, the amniotic sac is a

distinctive sac in which an embryo develops. It first evolved in reptiles when
they descended from early amphibians approximately 300 million years ago.
The amnion is the membrane of the amniotic sac.
Before Birth

Sexual reproduction produces a single-celled organism when egg and

sperm unite. The egg develops a hard casing inside the female reptile, which
will lay the eggs when they are big enough. This is called oviposition. On the
other hand, there are some reptiles like the viper or Solomon Island skink
that will give birth to young instead, which is called viviparous. The mother
may guard the eggs until they hatch. In most cases, the eggs are deposited
in a hole to later hatch there.
Young

Baby reptiles hatch by cutting through the eggshell with an egg tooth,
also called a caruncle. It will remain in the egg 12 to 48 hours after hatching
and absorb the remaining yolk, which provided nutrients. Immediately a
reptile can begin fending for itself. The immature reptile is usually just a
smaller version of the adult.
Adult

It usually takes several years for a reptile to reach sexual maturity. In

the case of some giant tortoises, it can take 20 to 30 years for them to
mature. Once a reptile matures, it can begin reproducing. Some reptiles may
live for decades. The aforementioned giant tortoise may live for 150 years or
longer.