Reptile &amp; amphibian care sheets

Activity period: 🌙 Nocturnal
Setup: Arboreal
Adult: 2–3 in
Native: Central America — humid lowland rainforest from Mexico to Panama

Axolotl

Ambystoma mexicanum

Also: Mexican Walking Fish

Setup: Aquatic
Adult: 9–12 in
Native: Lake Xochimilco, Valley of Mexico (single wild lake system)

Tiger Salamander

Ambystoma tigrinum

Also: Eastern Tiger Salamander

Activity period: 🌙 Nocturnal
Setup: Fossorial (burrowing)
Adult: 7–13 in
Native: North America — much of the USA, southern Canada, into the Mexican Plateau (near fishless ponds)

Green Anole

Anolis carolinensis

Also: Carolina Anole

Activity period: ☀️ Diurnal
Setup: Arboreal
Adult: 5–8 in
Native: Southeastern United States — woodland edges and shrubs

Children's Python

Antaresia childreni

Also: Spotted Python (complex)

Activity period: 🌙 Nocturnal
Setup: Terrestrial
Adult: 30–42 in
Native: Northern Australia — rocky outcrops, savanna, and caves

Common Boa

Boa imperator

Also: Central American Boa, Colombian Boa

Activity period: 🌆 Crepuscular
Setup: Semi-arboreal
Adult: 60–96 in
Native: Mexico through Central America to NW South America (west of the Andes)

Oriental Fire-bellied Toad

Bombina orientalis

Activity period: ☀️ Diurnal
Setup: Semi-aquatic
Adult: 1.5–2 in
Native: Northeast Asia — Korea, NE China, and adjacent Russia (ponds and streams)

Sulcata Tortoise

Centrochelys sulcata

Also: African Spurred Tortoise

Activity period: ☀️ Diurnal
Setup: Terrestrial
Adult: 24–34 in
Native: Sahel belt of Africa (Senegal and Mauritania east to Sudan and Eritrea)

Cranwell's Horned Frog

Ceratophrys cranwelli

Also: Pacman Frog (Chacoan)

Activity period: 🌙 Nocturnal
Setup: Terrestrial
Adult: 3–5 in
Native: South America — the Gran Chaco of Argentina, Paraguay, Bolivia, Brazil

Pacman Frog

Ceratophrys ornata

Also: Ornate Horned Frog, Argentine Horned Frog

Activity period: 🌙 Nocturnal
Setup: Terrestrial
Adult: 4–6 in
Native: Subtropical South America — Argentina, Uruguay, southern Brazil

Veiled Chameleon

Chamaeleo calyptratus

Also: Yemen Chameleon

Activity period: ☀️ Diurnal
Setup: Arboreal
Adult: 10–24 in
Native: Arabian Peninsula — Yemen and southwestern Saudi Arabia

Red-footed Tortoise

Chelonoidis carbonarius

Activity period: ☀️ Diurnal
Setup: Terrestrial
Adult: 10–14 in
Native: Northern & central South America — humid forest edge and savanna

Painted Turtle

Chrysemys picta

Activity period: ☀️ Diurnal
Setup: Semi-aquatic
Adult: 4–10 in
Native: North America — ponds and slow water across the US and southern Canada

Crested Gecko

Correlophus ciliatus

Also: Eyelash Gecko

Activity period: 🌙 Nocturnal
Setup: Arboreal
Adult: 7–9 in
Native: Southern New Caledonia — humid subtropical forest canopy

Chinese Fire-bellied Newt

Cynops orientalis

Also: Oriental Fire-bellied Newt

Setup: Semi-aquatic
Adult: 2.2–4 in
Native: Eastern China, lower Yangtze River basin (still/slow water, 30-1000 m)

Green and Black Dart Frog

Dendrobates auratus

Also: Green and Black Poison Dart Frog

Activity period: ☀️ Diurnal
Setup: Arboreal
Adult: 1–1.6 in
Native: Central America — Nicaragua to northwestern Colombia; introduced to Hawaii

Dyeing Poison Frog

Dendrobates tinctorius

Also: Tinc

Activity period: ☀️ Diurnal
Setup: Terrestrial
Adult: 1.5–2 in
Native: Northeastern South America — the Guianas and northern Brazil (rainforest floor)

Brazilian Rainbow Boa

Epicrates cenchria

Also: Rainbow Boa

Activity period: 🌙 Nocturnal
Setup: Terrestrial
Adult: 48–72 in
Native: Amazon basin of South America — humid tropical lowland forest

Leopard Gecko

Eublepharis macularius

Activity period: 🌆 Crepuscular
Setup: Terrestrial
Adult: 7–11 in
Native: Afghanistan, Pakistan, northwestern India — arid rocky scrubland

Panther Chameleon

Furcifer pardalis

Activity period: ☀️ Diurnal
Setup: Arboreal
Adult: 10–20 in
Native: Northern and eastern Madagascar (color varies by locale)

Tokay Gecko

Gekko gecko

Activity period: 🌙 Nocturnal
Setup: Arboreal
Adult: 10–15 in
Native: Southeast Asia — forests and increasingly human dwellings

Kenyan Sand Boa

Gongylophis colubrinus

Also: East African Sand Boa, Egyptian Sand Boa

Activity period: 🌆 Crepuscular
Setup: Fossorial (burrowing)
Adult: 15–30 in
Native: East Africa — Kenya, Tanzania, Egypt; semi-arid savanna

African Fat-Tailed Gecko

Hemitheconyx caudicinctus

Also: Fat-Tail Gecko

Activity period: 🌙 Nocturnal
Setup: Terrestrial
Adult: 7–9 in
Native: West Africa — savanna with dry season refugia, humid burrows

Western Hognose

Heterodon nasicus

Also: Plains Hognose

Activity period: ☀️ Diurnal
Setup: Fossorial (burrowing)
Adult: 15–36 in
Native: Great Plains and southern Canada — arid grasslands, sandy soils

Green Iguana

Iguana iguana

Also: Common Iguana

Activity period: ☀️ Diurnal
Setup: Arboreal
Adult: 48–72 in
Native: Mexico, Central and South America, and Caribbean — tropical forest near water

Malaysian Painted Frog

Kaloula pulchra

Also: Chubby Frog, Banded Bullfrog

Activity period: 🌙 Nocturnal
Setup: Terrestrial
Adult: 2.5–3 in
Native: Southeast Asia — lowland forests, gardens, and rice paddies

California Kingsnake

Lampropeltis californiae

Also: Cal King

Activity period: 🌆 Crepuscular
Setup: Terrestrial
Adult: 36–60 in
Native: Western United States and Baja — chaparral, desert, grassland

Common Kingsnake

Lampropeltis getula

Also: Eastern Kingsnake

Activity period: 🌆 Crepuscular
Setup: Terrestrial
Adult: 36–60 in
Native: United States and northern Mexico — wide range across varied habitats

Milk Snake

Lampropeltis triangulum

Also: Eastern Milk Snake

Activity period: 🌙 Nocturnal
Setup: Terrestrial
Adult: 36–48 in
Native: Eastern/central United States and southern Canada (nominate species)

White's Tree Frog

Litoria caerulea

Also: Australian Green Tree Frog, Dumpy Tree Frog

Activity period: 🌙 Nocturnal
Setup: Arboreal
Adult: 3–4.5 in
Native: Northern and eastern Australia; New Guinea

Reeves' Turtle

Mauremys reevesii

Also: Chinese Pond Turtle

Activity period: ☀️ Diurnal
Setup: Semi-aquatic
Adult: 4–9 in
Native: East Asia — China, Korea, Japan (ponds, ditches, slow water)

Chahoua Gecko

Mniarogekko chahoua

Also: Mossy Prehensile-Tailed Gecko, Bavay's Giant Gecko

Activity period: 🌙 Nocturnal
Setup: Arboreal
Adult: 8–11 in
Native: New Caledonia — Grande Terre (Mainland) and Pine Island (Île des Pins). The two populations are tracked separately in the hobby.

Carpet Python

Morelia spilota

Also: Diamond Python

Activity period: 🌙 Nocturnal
Setup: Semi-arboreal
Adult: 60–100 in
Native: Australia, New Guinea, and adjacent Indonesian islands

Green Tree Python

Morelia viridis

Also: GTP

Activity period: 🌙 Nocturnal
Setup: Arboreal
Adult: 48–72 in
Native: New Guinea, eastern Indonesia, and far-northern Australia — rainforest

Corn Snake

Pantherophis guttatus

Also: Red Rat Snake

Activity period: 🌆 Crepuscular
Setup: Terrestrial
Adult: 36–72 in
Native: Southeastern United States — pine forests, fields, barns

Giant Day Gecko

Phelsuma grandis

Also: Madagascar Giant Day Gecko

Activity period: ☀️ Diurnal
Setup: Arboreal
Adult: 9–12 in
Native: Northern Madagascar (introduced elsewhere) — tropical forest

Spanish Ribbed Newt

Pleurodeles waltl

Also: Iberian Ribbed Newt

Activity period: 🌙 Nocturnal
Setup: Aquatic
Adult: 6–12 in
Native: Iberian Peninsula and Morocco — ponds and slow water

Bearded Dragon

Pogona vitticeps

Also: Central Bearded Dragon, Inland Bearded Dragon

Activity period: ☀️ Diurnal
Setup: Terrestrial
Adult: 18–24 in
Native: Central and eastern Australia — arid woodland, rocky desert, scrub

Ball Python

Python regius

Also: Royal Python

Activity period: 🌙 Nocturnal
Setup: Terrestrial
Adult: 36–60 in
Native: West and Central Africa — savanna and grassland

African Bullfrog

Pyxicephalus adspersus

Also: Pixie Frog, Giant African Bullfrog

Activity period: 🌙 Nocturnal
Setup: Terrestrial
Adult: 4–9.5 in
Native: Sub-Saharan Africa — savanna grasslands

Gargoyle Gecko

Rhacodactylus auriculatus

Also: Knob-headed Giant Gecko, New Caledonian Bumpy Gecko

Activity period: 🌙 Nocturnal
Setup: Arboreal
Adult: 8–10 in
Native: Southern Grande Terre, New Caledonia — humid subtropical forest and shrubland

Leachianus Gecko

Rhacodactylus leachianus

Also: Leachie, New Caledonian Giant Gecko

Activity period: 🌙 Nocturnal
Setup: Arboreal
Adult: 12–17 in
Native: Southern New Caledonia — Grande Terre and offshore islands (Pine Island, Nuu Ami, Brosse, etc.). Locality types are tracked in the hobby.

Argentine Black-and-White Tegu

Salvator merianae

Also: Argentine Giant Tegu

Activity period: ☀️ Diurnal
Setup: Terrestrial
Adult: 36–54 in
Native: South America — Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, central/eastern Brazil

Common Musk Turtle

Sternotherus odoratus

Also: Eastern Musk Turtle, Stinkpot

Activity period: 🌆 Crepuscular
Setup: Semi-aquatic
Adult: 3–5.5 in
Native: Eastern North America — southern Ontario through the eastern/central USA to the Gulf Coast

Leopard Tortoise

Stigmochelys pardalis

Activity period: ☀️ Diurnal
Setup: Terrestrial
Adult: 12–18 in
Native: Eastern & southern Africa — savanna and semi-arid grassland

Eastern Box Turtle

Terrapene carolina

Also: Common Box Turtle

Activity period: ☀️ Diurnal
Setup: Terrestrial
Adult: 4.5–6.5 in
Native: Eastern United States — woodlands and meadows

Greek Tortoise

Testudo graeca

Also: Spur-thighed Tortoise

Activity period: ☀️ Diurnal
Setup: Terrestrial
Adult: 5–10 in
Native: North Africa, southern Europe, and Middle East — dry scrub and grassland

Hermann's Tortoise

Testudo hermanni

Activity period: ☀️ Diurnal
Setup: Terrestrial
Adult: 5–11 in
Native: Southern Europe / Mediterranean — Spain, France, Italy, the Balkans, Greece, W Turkey

Russian Tortoise

Testudo horsfieldii

Also: Horsfield's Tortoise, Central Asian Tortoise

Activity period: ☀️ Diurnal
Setup: Terrestrial
Adult: 5–8 in
Native: Central Asia — Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Iran, NW China (dry steppe)

Common Garter Snake

Thamnophis sirtalis

Activity period: ☀️ Diurnal
Setup: Terrestrial
Adult: 18–42 in
Native: North America — one of the most widespread snakes, near water and meadows

Blue-Tongued Skink

Tiliqua scincoides

Also: Common Blue-Tongue, Eastern Blue-Tongue

Activity period: ☀️ Diurnal
Setup: Terrestrial
Adult: 18–24 in
Native: Eastern and northern Australia, parts of Indonesia — woodland, grassland, suburbs

Red-eared Slider

Trachemys scripta elegans

Also: Red-eared Terrapin

Activity period: ☀️ Diurnal
Setup: Semi-aquatic
Adult: 6–12 in
Native: South-central & southeastern USA and NE Mexico (widely introduced/invasive elsewhere)