Reptiles
Reptiles are cold-blooded vertebrates that have scales layered over their skin. Common reptiles include lizards, snakes, alligators and crocodiles.
So, the American Alligator Can Climb Trees ... How Terrifying
Saltwater Crocodile: Enormous and Dangerously Patient
The Biggest Alligator on Record, by Weight and Length
Saw-scaled Viper: Opportunistic, Fast and Highly Venomous
Inland Taipan: Most Venomous Snake in the World
7 Orange Snake Species You Don't See Every Day
What Do Turtles Eat?
Alligator Snapping Turtles Lure Prey With Wriggling Worm-like Tongue Appendage
What's the Difference Between a Tortoise and a Turtle?
Learn More / Page 5
The green anaconda is the largest of the anaconda species, which makes it arguably the biggest snake in the world.
By Mark Mancini
From its small size to its docile nature and long life span, the spotted python fills the bill as a great family pet. Our writer should know, he's got one.
By Mark Mancini
These modern rat snakes have an affinity for barns (and the rodents that live in them). But the myriad of colors makes them a reptile hobbyist's dream.
By Mark Mancini
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These colorful snakes are found all over the world and are highly venomous, so the best strategy is to avoid them.
Cottonmouth snakes are often called water moccasins and are one of only four venomous snakes found in North America.
Though a copperhead will bite if disturbed, and it is venomous, its bite is rarely fatal.
By John Perritano & Zach Taras
Garter snakes are harmless, very common and beneficially feed on slugs, leeches, large insects and small rodents in North American gardens.
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Snakes and lizards share a common ancestor, and snakes still have the genetic coding for legs and feet. So where did those appendages go?
Eating wild turtles may sound like an easy catch for survival, but it's a bad idea for several reasons.
New fossil analysis illuminates the evolution of the modern American gator species, and why it may prefer freshwater sources - like your local golf course.
Why do turtles have shells is the kind of question a kid would ask. But the answer is surprisingly complicated.
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At night in caves around the world, dangling snakes emerge from hiding ready to scarf up flying bats.
By Sarah Gleim
When you handle deadly snakes for a living, caution is job one. When you handle snakes for God, it is not. Let's meet some folks in both worlds.
By Julia Layton
Just how deceitful a creature is the sharp-toothed, swimming crocodile? Any more so than the other animals inhabiting our waters? They do cry, but it has nothing to do with insincerity.
You may encounter a rattle snake lazing in its natural habitat and want to know how to scare it away. Learn about how to scare away rattlesnakes in this article.
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Learn how to breed ring-neck snakes and start a successful breeding business. Learn about how to breed a ring-neck snake in this article.
Learning how to know if a snake is venomous isn't hard. Learn about how to know if a snake is venomous in this article.
If you are in the Southeastern United States, you should know how to identify a pygmy rattlesnake. Learn about how to identify the pygmy rattlesnake in this article.
You can identify garden snakes, more commonly called garter snakes, by the three stripes on their backs that are reminiscent of garters. Learn about how to identify garden snakes in this article.
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If you are thinking of getting a pet baby turtle, make sure you know how and what to feed it to ensure it lives a long and happy life.
Crocodiles look a lot like dinosaurs, and they have certain similar characteristics. But are they related at all, or are the similarities all coincidence?
Some animals are home hoppers - they'll leave small or damaged shells behind when they find better digs. Are turtles the same, or are they more invested in their keratin coverings?
That slithery, snakelike form that just darted past might not be a snake after all. It could be legless lizard, an animal that evolved from an entirely different line.
By Julia Layton & Zach Taras
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A snake can swallow an animal that's twice as big as its own head -- and swallow it whole. Snakes are amazing creatures with some astonishing capabilities. Did you know that a few of them can even fly? Learn how snakes get around, how they kill and eat their prey, and how they court and reproduce.
By Lacy Perry
Alligators are amazing animals that have been around for millions of years. These fearsome creatures are expert predators at the top of the food chain.