List of reptiles of California facts for kids

California is a big state with lots of different places, from hot deserts to cool mountains and long coastlines. This means it's home to many amazing reptiles! Reptiles are cold-blooded animals, which means their body temperature changes with their surroundings. They include snakes, lizards, and turtles.

Some reptiles are endemic to California. This means they are found naturally only in California and nowhere else in the world. Others are introduced, meaning they were brought to California by people, sometimes on purpose and sometimes by accident.

Lizards of California

Lizards are a diverse group of reptiles. They come in many shapes and sizes, from tiny geckos to larger iguanas. Most lizards have four legs, a tail, and scales. They are often seen basking in the sun to warm up.

Alligator Lizards (Family Anguidae)

Alligator lizards are common in California. They have long bodies and tails, and their scales can feel a bit rough. They are called "alligator" lizards because their scales look a bit like an alligator's skin.

• The Southern alligator lizard is one you might often see in gardens or parks.
• The Panamint alligator lizard lives in the Panamint Mountains.

Legless Lizards (Family Anniellidae)

Imagine a lizard without legs! California is home to several species of legless lizards. They look a lot like snakes, but they are actually lizards. You can tell them apart from snakes because they have eyelids and external ear openings, which snakes do not.

• The Northern California legless lizard and the Southern California legless lizard are examples of these unique creatures. They spend most of their lives underground.

Collared and Leopard Lizards (Family Crotaphytidae)

These lizards are known for being fast runners. They are often found in open, rocky, or sandy areas where they can chase down insects and other small prey.

• The Great Basin collared lizard has a distinctive dark collar around its neck.
• Long-nosed leopard lizards have spotted patterns that help them blend in with their surroundings.

Geckos (Family Gekkonidae)

Geckos are usually small, often nocturnal lizards with special toe pads that let them climb almost any surface, even smooth walls!

• The Western banded gecko is native to California and has beautiful bands on its body.
• The Mediterranean house gecko is an introduced species that has made its home in some parts of California, often found near buildings.

Gila Monster (Family Helodermatidae)

California is home to one of the only venomous lizards in North America, the Gila monster. These lizards are stout-bodied with bead-like scales and bright patterns. They are slow-moving but have a powerful bite. It's best to observe them from a distance!

Iguanas and Chuckwallas (Family Iguanidae)

These are larger, often herbivorous lizards found in the desert regions of California.

• The Desert iguana is a pale lizard that can withstand very high temperatures.
• The Common chuckwalla is a large, flat-bodied lizard that hides in rock crevices. When threatened, it inflates its body to wedge itself securely.

Spiny and Horned Lizards (Family Phrynosomatidae)

This is a very large family of lizards in California, including many common species.

• The Western fence lizard is one of the most common lizards you'll see. It's often found on fences, rocks, and trees.
• Coast horned lizards are famous for their spiky bodies and flattened shape, which helps them blend into rocky or sandy ground. They are sometimes called "horned toads" but are actually lizards.

Skinks (Family Scincidae)

Skinks are smooth, shiny lizards with small legs and long tails. They often live in leaf litter or under rocks.

• The Western skink is known for its bright blue tail, especially when it's young. This bright tail can distract predators if the skink needs to escape.

Whiptail Lizards (Family Teiidae)

Whiptail lizards are slender, fast-moving lizards with very long tails. They are active hunters, constantly flicking their tongues to find prey.

• The Tiger whiptail is a common species found in many habitats.

Night Lizards (Family Xantusiidae)

Night lizards are small, secretive lizards that are mostly active at night or during twilight hours. They often live under rocks or in crevices.

• The Desert night lizard is a well-known species that lives in desert environments.

Wall Lizards (Family Lacertidae)

• The Southern Italian wall lizard is an introduced species that has established populations in some urban areas of California.

Snakes of California

Snakes are legless reptiles that move by slithering. California has many different kinds of snakes, from harmless garter snakes to venomous rattlesnakes.

Boas (Family Boidae)

California is home to a few species of boas, which are non-venomous snakes that constrict their prey.

• The Northern rubber boa is a unique snake with smooth, rubbery skin. It's one of the most northern-living boas in the world.
• The Rosy boa is a beautiful snake with stripes, often found in rocky desert areas.

Colubrid Snakes (Family Colubridae)

This is the largest family of snakes in California, including many common and harmless species.

• The California kingsnake is famous for its striking black and white bands. It's also known for eating other snakes, including rattlesnakes!
• The Gopher snake is a large, common snake that can hiss loudly and mimic a rattlesnake when threatened, but it is not venomous.
• Common garter snakes are often found near water and are known for eating amphibians and fish.

Threadsnakes (Family Leptotyphlopidae)

• The Western threadsnake is a tiny, worm-like snake that lives underground. It has very small eyes and feeds on ants and termites.

Blind Snakes (Family Typhlopidae)

• The Brahminy blind snake is an introduced species. It's also very small and looks like a worm, living in the soil. What's cool about it is that all individuals are female and reproduce without a male!

Vipers (Family Viperidae)

This family includes the venomous rattlesnakes, which are the only dangerously venomous snakes in California. They are easily recognized by the rattle at the end of their tail, which they shake to warn predators.

• The Western rattlesnake is the most widespread rattlesnake in California.
• The Sidewinder is a desert rattlesnake known for its unique "sidewinding" movement across sand.
• The Red diamond rattlesnake has a reddish-brown color and diamond patterns.

Turtles of California

Turtles are reptiles with a hard shell that protects their body. California has both land turtles (tortoises) and water turtles (freshwater and sea turtles).

Sea Turtles (Family Cheloniidae)

Several species of sea turtles can be found in the waters off California's coast. These magnificent creatures spend almost their entire lives in the ocean.

• The Loggerhead sea turtle and the Green sea turtle are two species that visit California's coastal waters.

Snapping Turtles (Family Chelydridae)

• The Common snapping turtle is a large freshwater turtle with a powerful bite. It's an introduced species in California.

Leatherback Sea Turtle (Family Dermochelyidae)

• The Leatherback sea turtle is the largest living turtle and the only sea turtle without a hard shell. Its shell is made of leathery skin over bony plates. These turtles travel vast distances across oceans.

Pond and Painted Turtles (Family Emydidae)

These are freshwater turtles found in ponds, lakes, and slow-moving rivers.

• The Western pond turtle is the only native freshwater turtle in California.
• The Red-eared slider is a very common introduced species, often released from pet ownership into wild habitats.

Mud Turtles (Family Kinosternidae)

• The Sonoran mud turtle is a small freshwater turtle that lives in muddy bottoms of ponds and streams.

Tortoises (Family Testudinidae)

California is home to one species of land tortoise.

• The Mojave desert tortoise is a protected species that lives in the Mojave Desert. It's known for digging burrows to escape the desert heat.

Softshell Turtles (Family Trionychidae)

• The Spiny softshell is a unique freshwater turtle with a flat, leathery shell and a long, pig-like snout. It's an introduced species in California.