Abrams said that she hopes the eggs have not been fertilized. Some species, such as female snapping turtles, can store sperm for five years before fertilization occurs, she said. There is a lot we do not know about eggs. For example, outside temperature determines the sex of alligator eggs. Some turtle eggs, on the other hand, will not hatch until a certain temperature is reached and can remain unhatched for a year.
Some snakes lay eggs, and other snakes give live birth to their offspring.
Some species eat their eggs and their young, while others, such as alligators, are protective of their nests. Sharing freezer space in White's lab are eggs from a tuatara, an ancient species in New Zealand, that is almost a living fossil, White said. White and Abrams are excited about these newest additions to their egg collection, but White said what he really would like are some duckbill platypus eggs. Some were available, but they were improperly cared for before delivery.