Snapping Turtle

Snapping turtles live in ponds, creeks, and rivers. They will eat fish, frogs, worms, and crickets. I've caught several while fishing with worms. They have very sharp claws, and this one cut me with his claws. They have long necks, and if you get too close they will snap at you.

Adult Wood Lizard

These lizards like to live in dry and sunny places. I found this one resting on a log. These lizards eat worms, crickets, spiders, and small beetles. Male wood lizards have dark blue on their chin and on their stomach. The females have light blue that you can barely see.

Tree Frogs

Tree frogs like to come out when it rains. They like to stay in damp places. They will change colors depending on what colors are around them. They have sticky pads on their feet, kind of like suction cups. These frogs will eat ants and other small insects. Amphibians can drink water through their skin.

Wood Lizard

Wood lizards move very quickly. You can find them around logs and dry places. I found this one sitting on a rotting log in the sun. These lizards eat crickets, worms, and other small bugs. You can tell a male from a female because males have dark blue on their bellies and the females have very light blue on their bellies.

Toad

This is a toad. You can tell a toad from a frog by their skin. Toads have bumps on their skin and frogs are smooth. Toads eat insects like crickets, beetles, flies, and ants. They can't hop as far as bullfrogs.

Baby Ring Snake

This ring snake is a little smaller than the one in my previous ring snake post. My 5-year-old little sister was excited to find this one under a rock. One day she might be a good snake hunter, too.

Baby Bullfrog

You can usually find bullfrogs around ponds and creeks and damp places. I found this one in a creek. They eat small insects, and get much bigger than this one. Bullfrogs have webbed feet, which makes it easier for them to move in the water.

Blue-Tailed Lizard

Blue-tailed lizards eat insects such as beetles, small grasshoppers, and ants. This lizard was about four inches long, but they can grow to about eight inches long. If a predator tries to eat this lizard and catches it by the tail, the lizard's tail will fall off. That is how they survive. Then they grow a new tail.

Garden Snake

These snakes are harmless and when they're first born they eat little lizards and frogs and insects. When they get bigger they start eating mice and rats. You can find them under rocks and under dead leaves. I found this one under some dead leaves. It is about 18 inches long. Garden snakes grow to about 5-6 feet long.

Turtle

I found this turtle in the woods by the pond. I took him home for a while then took him back to the pond and let him go.

Ring Snake

Ring snakes are harmless. They grow to about two feet long. They are blackish-grey in color with a yellowish-gold ring around their necks. I found this ring snake while moving bales of hay. I can usually find ring snakes under rocks, in damp places, and by the woods. They like to eat worms, tiny spiders, slugs, and insects such as ladybugs and other small beetles.