# Eggs with no male



## scoy (Jan 22, 2013)

I'm interested to know if anyone has experienced a female pumilio laying eggs with no male present? A few months ago I lost my male escudo from my trio. Well yesterday I found a second clutch since he died. The first clutch was at the same time several froglets morphed out so I didnt think anything of it. Just assumed they were left over feeder eggs she was unloading. But now with the second clutch I'm confused, because I thought females would only lay for a male. The only thing I can think is both females are crawling into film canisters together while male pumilios are calling throughtout the frogroom. Anyone experienced this or have any thoughts?


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## oddlot (Jun 28, 2010)

Maybe you had two males and one was just a subordinate.


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## scoy (Jan 22, 2013)

I really hope so. I dont want to have to go through the hassle and cost of finding a new one. Another thing to mention is the eggs look different from the fertile ones they've laid. There white with a smal circle at the top.


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## oldlady25715 (Nov 17, 2007)

I've had female rio brancos and Esperanza's lay eggs with no males present.


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## srrrio (May 12, 2007)

Well I hope you get lucky and one of the females ..is a male.

However pumilio can definitely lay eggs without the presence of a male, and can do so without hearing a male call from another tank as well.


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## Azurel (Aug 5, 2010)

srrrio said:


> Well I hope you get lucky and one of the females ..is a male.
> 
> However pumilio can definitely lay eggs without the presence of a male, and can do so without hearing a male call from another tank as well.


Is there any research papers on this? Seems counter productive to use energy and resourses to make eggs and lay them for no purpose.... Be interested to see what the scoop is with that. Unless it was eggs already in production and it is just a dump off.

I know they can still feed tadpoles without a male.


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## srrrio (May 12, 2007)

I don't know of research, just my experience, although I feel I have read things from time to time over the years that validated it. Most memorable, one of my first frogs, a female pumilio "mancreek" laid clutches occasionally for a couple of years until I finally found her a mate. I did not own any other pumilio at the time. She is still with me and raising young,

Think about chickens, the hens can lay eggs without a rooster : )


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## darrensimps (Aug 23, 2009)

Could an early froglet have been missed and has now grown to be of a breeding age?


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## scoy (Jan 22, 2013)

There are three froglets in the tank. But there only 3.5 months old.


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## darrensimps (Aug 23, 2009)

I only mention because I had a trio of R. Uakarii and when I moved them to a new viv there were 4 adults that I had to catch


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## scoy (Jan 22, 2013)

That would certainly be a happy suprise. I do want to redo there viv because theres to many blindspots and I dont get to see them as much as I'd like. When I first got them they were very bold. But since they started rearing tads theyve become shy.


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