Can a corn snake lay eggs without a male?

Can a female corn snake lay eggs without a male?

This is the first year I have put my corns into hibernation. I started cooling early (October), and brought them out in January.

I introduced them after a couple of weeks out, but my "female" has hardly eaten since, so I separated them yesterday to try to get "her" to eat. (Also, my "male" has been eating like crazy since warming them.) "She" ate immediately after being alone. Both of them shed two days ago at the same time.

About an hour after separating them, I noticed the "male" had a single egg in its tank. I cleaned the entire cage just before separating them, so I knew it had just been laid.

Can a female lay infertile eggs without a male, or were both of my corns sexed incorrectly (which would be fine I guess)?

Thanks for any replies to this long post.

Jake Wallace
imgraphics@yahoo.com

yes they can but usually they asorb the eggs back into there system.

I've never had a female lay eggs without a male, but I suppose it's possible. Was it only the one egg?

I would look for a herp vet in your area (call ones that say they deal in exotic animals or ask your local petshop dealing in reptiles who they use) and have the sexes checked.

What concerns me about your post is that you said 'she ate immediately after being alone.' Are you trying to feed the both of them in the same cage at the same time? You should always separate your snakes when feeding to avoid injuries to them.

Thanks, but this post was from 2003. I bought a probe set and sexed them. I fed them in the same tank for a few weeks, but I split them up and fed them at the same time making sure they didn't try to fight over a mouse. I have long since sold all of my corns. All is good.