I have an objection to dragon eggs on the basis that dragons are almost too physiologically too complex to realistically develop in an egg. The problem is, eggs are restrictive; they are limited in size by physics, which restricts how much space the embryo can develop in as well as the amount of energy and nutrients the yolk can hold. An ostrich egg holds 2000 calories, but large placental mammals burn through WAAY more than this. Reptiles or not, dragons are too complex to hatch from eggs.
Part 2 of my last ask: egg-laying animals in reality always have a tradeoff. They trade brain for limb complexity, or vice-versa. Birds have simplifications all over their skeleton to allow complex hind limbs and a somewhat well developed brain. Point is, reptile or not, an animal equivalent to or greater than the complexity of eutherian mammals would need to be viviparous to achieve that complexity. Egg-laying or tiny wing membranes, dragons still troll the laws of the universe.
Part 3: If a dragon were to be plausible and lay eggs, it would have to realistically abide by the restrictions. A sapient hexapod with horns and advanced limbs is not happening without a limitless prenatal development field. A komodo dragon is pretty intelligent, trading off limb complexity. Dinosaurs had advanced limbs but tiny brains. Birds are middle ground but lack a tail, teeth, and fingers. I think a dragon that lays eggs should be modeled after those evolutionary grades.
I don’t mind dragon eggs being used in a pure fantasy/cartoonish fashion, but if someone wants realistic dragons, they should either simplify the dragon or ditch the eggs like real animals.
these are some fabulous points about eggs, thank you for the info- I’d never rly taken any of this into account before!
-Mod Spiral