5. They lay eggs. Along with the platypus, the echidna is the only other living egg-laying mammal species. Almost a month after mating, the female deposits a single, soft-shelled, leathery egg into her pouch.

Do echidna lay eggs or give live birth?

Echidnas and the platypus are the only egg-laying mammals, known as monotremes. ... Male echidnas have non-venomous spurs on the hind feet.

How many echidna lay eggs?

She may wake up pregnant and not even know how she got that way, according to National Geographic. A female usually lays one egg at a time. The egg goes into a pouch on her stomach to incubate. After seven to 10 days, the egg is ready to hatch, according to the Animal Diversity Web.