Month by month

What Reptiles and Amphibians Are Out in California in November

74 reptiles and amphibians are active in California in November, and 28 are at peak. Peak species include the Common Side-blotched Lizard, Pacific Chorus Frog, California Newt, and Southern Alligator Lizard.

Counted from iNaturalist research-grade observations recorded inside California. Seasons shift across the state, so for a closer match, pick your ecoregion.

Full 12-month California calendar Pick your ecoregion

Species out across California, by group and month

Group
Snakes	9	27	33	37	38	38	37	38	36	32	23	8
Lizards	17	27	33	37	38	38	36	36	35	32	22	13
Turtles	2	2	4	4	4	3	3	3	3	2	2	2
Frogs and Toads	7	9	9	9	11	11	11	11	10	9	7	7
Salamanders	20	20	19	18	13	10	7	7	10	18	20	20

Numbers = species active that month (at peak or just starting / winding down).

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At peak in November 28

Snakes

peak

SnakesBrahminy BlindsnakeIndotyphlops braminus

introduced

peak

SnakesCommon Garter SnakeThamnophis sirtalis

Lizards

peak

LizardsCommon Side-blotched LizardUta stansburiana

peak

LizardsIsland Night LizardXantusia riversiana

peak

LizardsMediterranean House GeckoHemidactylus turcicus

introduced

peak

LizardsSouthern Alligator LizardElgaria multicarinata

Turtles

peak

TurtlesPond SliderTrachemys scripta

introduced

Frogs and Toads

peak

Frogs and ToadsCalifornia Tree FrogPseudacris cadaverina

peak

Frogs and ToadsNorthern Red-legged FrogRana aurora

peak

Frogs and ToadsPacific Chorus FrogPseudacris regilla

peak

Frogs and ToadsRed-spotted ToadAnaxyrus punctatus

peak

Frogs and ToadsWestern ToadAnaxyrus boreas

Salamanders

peak

SalamandersArboreal SalamanderAneides lugubris

peak

SalamandersCalifornia Giant SalamanderDicamptodon ensatus

peak

SalamandersCalifornia NewtTaricha torosa

peak

SalamandersCalifornia Slender SalamanderBatrachoseps attenuatus

peak

SalamandersDel Norte SalamanderPlethodon elongatus

peak

SalamandersEnsatinaEnsatina eschscholtzii

peak

SalamandersGabilan Mountains Slender SalamanderBatrachoseps gavilanensis

peak

SalamandersKlamath Black SalamanderAneides klamathensis

peak

SalamandersLong-toed SalamanderAmbystoma macrodactylum

peak

SalamandersNorthwestern SalamanderAmbystoma gracile

peak

SalamandersPacific Giant SalamanderDicamptodon tenebrosus

peak

SalamandersRough-skinned NewtTaricha granulosa

peak

SalamandersSanta Lucia Mountains Slender SalamanderBatrachoseps luciae

peak

SalamandersSouthern Torrent SalamanderRhyacotriton variegatus

peak

SalamandersSpeckled Black SalamanderAneides flavipunctatus

peak

SalamandersWandering SalamanderAneides vagrans

Shoulder season in November 46

Snakes

shoulder

SnakesAquatic Garter SnakeThamnophis atratus

shoulder

SnakesCalifornia King SnakeLampropeltis californiae

shoulder

SnakesCalifornia LyresnakeTrimorphodon lyrophanes

shoulder

SnakesCoast Mountain KingsnakeLampropeltis multifasciata

shoulder

SnakesCoast Night SnakeHypsiglena ochrorhynchus

shoulder

SnakesCoastal Rosy BoaLichanura orcutti

shoulder

SnakesCommon CoachwhipMasticophis flagellum

shoulder

SnakesCommon Sharp-tailed SnakeContia tenuis

shoulder

SnakesForest Sharp-tailed SnakeContia longicauda

shoulder

SnakesGopher SnakePituophis catenifer

shoulder

SnakesMojave RattlesnakeCrotalus scutulatus

venomous

shoulder

SnakesNorth American RacerColuber constrictor

shoulder

SnakesRed Diamond RattlesnakeCrotalus ruber

venomous

shoulder

SnakesRing-necked SnakeDiadophis punctatus

shoulder

SnakesSidewinderCrotalus cerastes

venomous

shoulder

SnakesStriped RacerMasticophis lateralis

shoulder

SnakesTwo-striped Garter SnakeThamnophis hammondii

shoulder

SnakesWestern Glossy SnakeArizona occidentalis

shoulder

SnakesWestern Patch-nosed SnakeSalvadora hexalepis

shoulder

SnakesWestern RattlesnakeCrotalus oreganus

venomous

shoulder

SnakesWestern Terrestrial Garter SnakeThamnophis elegans

Lizards

shoulder

LizardsBanded Rock LizardPetrosaurus mearnsi

shoulder

LizardsBrown AnoleAnolis sagrei

introduced

shoulder

LizardsDesert Horned LizardPhrynosoma platyrhinos

shoulder

LizardsDesert Night LizardXantusia vigilis

shoulder

LizardsDesert Spiny LizardSceloporus magister

shoulder

LizardsGilbert's SkinkPlestiodon gilberti

shoulder

LizardsGranite Spiny LizardSceloporus orcutti

shoulder

LizardsGreen AnoleAnolis carolinensis

introduced

shoulder

LizardsItalian Wall LizardPodarcis siculus

introduced

shoulder

LizardsLong-tailed Brush LizardUrosaurus graciosus

shoulder

LizardsMojave Fringe-toed LizardUma scoparia

shoulder

LizardsNorthern Alligator LizardElgaria coerulea

shoulder

LizardsOrange-throated WhiptailAspidoscelis hyperythrus

shoulder

LizardsSan Diegan Legless LizardAnniella stebbinsi

shoulder

LizardsWestern Banded GeckoColeonyx variegatus

shoulder

LizardsWestern Fence LizardSceloporus occidentalis

shoulder

LizardsWestern SkinkPlestiodon skiltonianus

shoulder

LizardsZebra-tailed LizardCallisaurus draconoides

Turtles

shoulder

TurtlesSpiny SoftshellApalone spinifera

introduced

Frogs and Toads

shoulder

Frogs and ToadsAfrican Clawed FrogXenopus laevis

introduced

shoulder

Frogs and ToadsAmerican BullfrogLithobates catesbeianus

introduced

Salamanders

shoulder

SalamandersBlack-bellied Slender SalamanderBatrachoseps nigriventris

shoulder

SalamandersGregarious Slender SalamanderBatrachoseps gregarius

shoulder

SalamandersSierra NewtTaricha sierrae

shoulder

SalamandersSouthern California Slender SalamanderBatrachoseps major

Peak and shoulder ratings are rough guidance, not a schedule. Weather, elevation and the year can shift any species by weeks.

Rare and protected species are left off on purpose. Look, don't take, and never handle a venomous snake.

California in November

What reptiles and amphibians are out in California in November?

Are venomous snakes active in California in November?

Yes. The Western Rattlesnake, Red Diamond Rattlesnake, Sidewinder, and Mojave Rattlesnake can be active in November. Watch where you step and don't handle them.