I’m not as good with these as I am some of the other wild things I see. But I do know a few, and I hope that my local friends and the iNaturalist folks will help me ID others.
I have to say we’ve really enjoyed the toads that hang out on the porch and the rat snakes that hangs out on the side of the house (conveniently near the rats that burrow under our air conditioning units) and in the chicken coop…except I miss the eggs.
Reptiles
Reptiles verified on iNaturalist as of July 2024.
- Agkistrodon piscivorus Northern Cottonmouth
- Chelydra serpentina Common Snapping Turtle
- Crotalus atrox Western Diamond-backed Rattlesnake
- Emydidae Pond and Box Turtles
- Hemidactylus turcicus Mediterranean Gecko
- Masticophis flagellum Coachwhip
- Masticophis flagellum testaceus Western Coachwhip
- Nerodia erythrogaster Plain-bellied Watersnake
- Nerodia rhombifer Diamondback Watersnake
- Pantherophis obsoletus Western Ratsnake
- Pseudemys concinna River Cooter
- Pseudemys texana Texas Cooter
- Scincella lateralis Little Brown Skink
- Thamnophis proximus Western Ribbon Snake
- Trachemys scripta Pond Slider
- Trachemys scripta elegans Red-eared Slider
Amphibians
Not too many amphibians on the list, but the ones we have make a lot of noise! These are the ones verified on iNaturalist as of July 2024.
- Acris blanchardi Blanchard’s Cricket Frog
- Anaxyrus North American Toads
- Bufonidae True Toads
- Incilius nebulifer Gulf Coast Toad
- Lithobates American Water Frogs
- Lithobates berlandieri Rio Grande Leopard Frog
- Lithobates catesbeianus American Bullfrog
- Lithobates sphenocephalus Southern Leopard Frog
The Hermits' Rest 