A lizard rests on a warm rock by the park path. It does not move at all.
"Is it asleep?" whispers Rocket. Raven shakes her head. "I think it is warming up."
Nova hovers back so her shadow does not fall on it. "Reptiles borrow heat from the sun," she says.
The lizard turns its head. Then it is gone into the grass.
Rocket sighs. "Three seconds. But I saw the scales!"
Reptiles have dry skin covered in scales. Lizards, snakes, turtles and alligators are reptiles.
Most reptiles lay eggs with tough shells, often in sand or soil.
A reptile body does not make much heat of its own.
Its temperature changes with the air around it. That is why reptiles bask in the sun.
A cold reptile moves slowly. A warm one moves fast.
Reptiles grow, but their scaly skin does not. So they shed the old skin.
A snake sheds its skin in one long piece. A lizard sheds in patches.
| Structure | How it helps |
|---|---|
| scales | protect the skin and keep water in |
| a hard shell (turtles) | a shield to hide inside |
| long tongue (snakes) | picks up smells from the air |
| claws (lizards) | grip rocks and bark |
| a long bendy body (snakes) | slides into narrow spaces |
A shed snake skin is one of the best reptile signs. Look, but do not touch.
Snakes leave wavy marks in dust or sand. Lizards leave tiny tracks with a tail line.
Turtles leave round tracks near water. In spring you might spot a dug up nest spot.
Warm rocks, sunny logs and sunny walls are good places to look for basking reptiles.
These are the reptiles people record most in your region.
Notice how the months column leans toward warm weather.
| # | Name | Science name | Seen most |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Western Fence Lizard | Sceloporus occidentalis | Mar to Jun |
| 2 | Pond Slider | Trachemys scripta | Mar to Jun |
| 3 | Green Anole | Anolis carolinensis | Mar to May, Sep |
| 4 | Common Garter Snake | Thamnophis sirtalis | Apr to Sep |
| 5 | Brown Anole | Anolis sagrei | Mar to Oct |
| 6 | Painted Turtle | Chrysemys picta | Apr to Jun |
| 7 | Common Box Turtle | Terrapene carolina | May to Jul |
| 8 | American Alligator | Alligator mississippiensis | Feb to May |
| 9 | Common Snapping Turtle | Chelydra serpentina | Apr to Jun |
| 10 | Side-blotched Lizard | Uta stansburiana | Mar to Jun |
Whole United States. Names and months come from records people shared on GBIF.org. Your yard may have different neighbors.
| Statement | True or false? |
|---|---|
| Reptiles have dry scaly skin. | ? |
| A reptile body stays warm on its own in cold weather. | ? |
| Most reptiles lay eggs. | ? |
| A shed snake skin is a sign a snake was there. | ? |
Cool work on warm rocks! Tomorrow we listen for frogs at the water's edge.