Reptiles
Northern Brown Snake
(Storeria dekayi)
Size: Up to 13"
Seasons: Spring-Fall.
Habitat: Vacant lots, gardens, other un-mowed green spaces.
Brown with rows of small spots down the back and sides, forming a checker pattern. Sometimes, there is a light stripe on the back.
Eastern Garter Snake
(Thamnophis sirtalis)
Size: Up to 36"
Seasons: Spring-Fall
Habitat: Generally near water, but sometimes away from water in larger greenspaces and immediate neighborhoods.
Northern Water Snake
(Nerodia sipedon)
Size: Up to 36", Chunky
Seasons: Spring-Fall
Habitat: Bodies of water throughout Philadelphia
Description: Thick snake with brick-red blotches on a gray background; the pattern fades to a solid brown color.
Five-Lined Skink
(Plestiodon fasciatus)
Size: About 6"
Seasons: Spring-Fall
Habitat: Open terrain along the Delaware River
Description: Length-wise yellow stripes on a darker background. Youngsters and females have bright blue tails. Pattern fades in big males.
Common Snapping Turtle
(Chelydra serpentina)
Size: shell to 18"
Seasons: Spring-Fall
Habitat: Bodies of water throughout Philadelphia
Description: Big, gnarly tank of a turtle with a large head, giant claws, and a long, serrated tail.
Red-Eared Slider
(Trachemys scripta)
Size: Shell to 10"
Seasons: Spring-Fall
Habitat: Bodies of water throughout Philadelphia.
Description: A very basic turtle with a red stripe along the side of the head, though it can fade in old turtles.
Painted Turtle
(Chrysemys picta)
Size: Shell to 8"
Seasons: Spring-Fall
Habitat: Slow bodies of water throughout Philadelphia
Description: Flat, dark turtle with bright red and yellow markings along the edge of the shell and on the skin. A committed basker.
Red-Bellied Turtle (Cooter)
(Pseudemys rubriventris)
Size: Shell to 12"
Seasons: Spring-Fall
Habitat: Bodies of water throughout Philadelphia.
Description: Dark, almost-black turtles. A network of yellow lines on the skin fades in older turtles. The red plastron (lower shell) is sometimes visible when basking.
Box Turtle
(Terrapene carolina)
Size: 5"-8"
Seasons: Spring-Fall
Habitat: Scarce in Philadelphia forests and meadows
Description: Round, domed carapace (upper shell) and a hinged plastron (lower shell). Usually dark brown with orange or yellow markings.
One video, ALL THE SNAKES. Sandi and Billy talk about our legless neighbors and how to welcome them.