A snake can lay eggs without a male by way of a process that is called parthenogenesis.
Parthenogenesis is a form of asexual reproduction where a snake's female egg develops into an embryo without fertilization by sperm.
The resulting offspring of the snakes are essentially genetic clones of the mother.
And while some snakes can lay unfertilized eggs or slugs, parthenogenesis also results in a viable, developing embryos.
Parthenogenesis is a rare reproductive strategy, in which a female snake can produce offspring without mating with a male snake.
Female snakes can also produce and lay the eggs without a male which are not fertilized, which are also called slugs and the slug eggs or non fertilized eggs won't develop.
And in some species of snakes, female snakes can produce viable eggs through parthenogenesis without a male, which means the eggs can develop into offspring or baby snakes.
A snakes offspring that is produced through parthenogenesis are genetically identical to the mother snake, making the baby snakes essentially clones of the mother snakes.
Although parthenogenesis is rare and not common in most snake species, although it has been observed in some rattlesnakes, pythons and boas.
Parthenogenesis is much more likely to occur in environments in which male snakes are scarce or unavailable, and ensures the continuation of the species.