Why would it be pointless for reptiles to sit on their eggs incubate them as birds do?

Unlike birds, reptiles do not need to incubate their eggs by sitting on them. Reptiles are ectothermic, meaning they rely on external sources of heat to regulate their body temperature. Birds, on the other hand, are endothermic, meaning they can generate their own body heat. By sitting on their eggs, birds can maintain a consistent temperature that is optimal for embryonic development.

Reptiles, including snakes, lizards, turtles, and crocodiles, lay their eggs and leave them to develop on their own. The eggshells of reptile eggs are typically hard and leathery, providing protection and preventing water loss. The embryos inside the eggs rely on the ambient temperature and humidity of the environment for proper development.

While some reptile species, such as pythons, exhibit brooding behavior where they coil around their eggs to provide some protection and warmth, this behavior does not involve the same level of incubation as seen in birds. The primary role of reptile parents in egg care is to choose suitable nesting sites that offer favorable environmental conditions for egg development and survival.