Month by month

What Reptiles and Amphibians Are Out in New Mexico in May

67 reptiles and amphibians are active in New Mexico in May, and 53 are at peak. Peak species include the Southwestern Fence Lizard, Common Side-blotched Lizard, Gopher Snake, and Greater Short-horned Lizard.

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

Full 12-month New Mexico calendar Pick your ecoregion

Species out across New Mexico, by group and month

Group
Snakes			5	14	23	25	25	25	22	17	5
Lizards	1	4	13	24	25	25	26	26	24	18	7	1
Turtles	1	2	4	5	6	6	6	6	5	4	1	1
Frogs and Toads		1	1	4	12	13	13	13	10	6	1
Salamanders				1	1	2	2	2	2	1

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

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At peak in May 53

Snakes

peak

SnakesBig Bend Patch-nosed SnakeSalvadora deserticola

peak

SnakesCheckered Garter SnakeThamnophis marcianus

peak

SnakesCommon CoachwhipMasticophis flagellum

peak

SnakesCommon Garter SnakeThamnophis sirtalis

peak

SnakesGlossy SnakeArizona elegans

peak

SnakesGopher SnakePituophis catenifer

peak

SnakesGreat Plains RatsnakePantherophis emoryi

peak

SnakesMountain Patch-nosed SnakeSalvadora grahamiae

peak

SnakesPlains Hognose SnakeHeterodon nasicus

peak

SnakesPrairie RattlesnakeCrotalus viridis

venomous

peak

SnakesRing-necked SnakeDiadophis punctatus

peak

SnakesSmooth GreensnakeOpheodrys vernalis

peak

SnakesStriped WhipsnakeMasticophis taeniatus

peak

SnakesWestern MassasaugaSistrurus tergeminus

venomous

peak

SnakesWestern Terrestrial Garter SnakeThamnophis elegans

Lizards

peak

LizardsArizona Striped WhiptailAspidoscelis arizonae

peak

LizardsChihuahuan Spotted WhiptailAspidoscelis exsanguis

peak

LizardsClark's Spiny LizardSceloporus clarkii

peak

LizardsCommon Checkered WhiptailAspidoscelis tesselatus

peak

LizardsCommon Side-blotched LizardUta stansburiana

peak

LizardsCrevice Spiny LizardSceloporus poinsettii

peak

LizardsDesert Grassland WhiptailAspidoscelis uniparens

peak

LizardsEastern Collared LizardCrotaphytus collaris

peak

LizardsGreat Plains SkinkPlestiodon obsoletus

peak

LizardsGreater Earless LizardCophosaurus texanus

peak

LizardsGreater Short-horned LizardPhrynosoma hernandesi

peak

LizardsLong-nosed Leopard LizardGambelia wislizenii

peak

LizardsMany-lined SkinkPlestiodon multivirgatus

peak

LizardsMarbled WhiptailAspidoscelis marmoratus

peak

LizardsMediterranean House GeckoHemidactylus turcicus

introduced

peak

LizardsNew Mexico WhiptailAspidoscelis neomexicanus

peak

LizardsOrnate Tree LizardUrosaurus ornatus

peak

LizardsPlateau Fence LizardSceloporus tristichus

peak

LizardsPlateau Striped WhiptailAspidoscelis velox

peak

LizardsPrairie LizardSceloporus consobrinus

peak

LizardsRoundtail Horned LizardPhrynosoma modestum

peak

LizardsSouthwestern Fence LizardSceloporus cowlesi

peak

LizardsTexas Horned LizardPhrynosoma cornutum

peak

LizardsTwin-spotted Spiny LizardSceloporus bimaculosus

peak

LizardsWestern Earless LizardHolbrookia maculata

Turtles

peak

TurtlesCommon Snapping TurtleChelydra serpentina

peak

TurtlesOrnate Box TurtleTerrapene ornata

peak

TurtlesPainted TurtleChrysemys picta

peak

TurtlesPond SliderTrachemys scripta

peak

TurtlesSpiny SoftshellApalone spinifera

peak

TurtlesYellow Mud TurtleKinosternon flavescens

Frogs and Toads

peak

Frogs and ToadsAmerican BullfrogLithobates catesbeianus

introduced

peak

Frogs and ToadsBoreal Chorus FrogPseudacris maculata

peak

Frogs and ToadsCanyon Tree FrogDryophytes arenicolor

peak

Frogs and ToadsPlains SpadefootSpea bombifrons

peak

Frogs and ToadsRed-spotted ToadAnaxyrus punctatus

peak

Frogs and ToadsWoodhouse's ToadAnaxyrus woodhousii

Salamanders

peak

SalamandersWestern Tiger SalamanderAmbystoma mavortium

Shoulder season in May 14

Snakes

shoulder

SnakesBlack-necked Garter SnakeThamnophis cyrtopsis

shoulder

SnakesChihuahuan NightsnakeHypsiglena jani

shoulder

SnakesDesert KingsnakeLampropeltis splendida

shoulder

SnakesEastern Black-tailed RattlesnakeCrotalus ornatus

venomous

shoulder

SnakesLong-nosed SnakeRhinocheilus lecontei

shoulder

SnakesPlains Black-headed SnakeTantilla nigriceps

shoulder

SnakesWestern Black-tailed RattlesnakeCrotalus molossus

venomous

shoulder

SnakesWestern Diamond-backed RattlesnakeCrotalus atrox

venomous

Frogs and Toads

shoulder

Frogs and ToadsChihuahuan Green ToadAnaxyrus debilis

shoulder

Frogs and ToadsCouch's SpadefootScaphiopus couchii

shoulder

Frogs and ToadsGreat Plains ToadAnaxyrus cognatus

shoulder

Frogs and ToadsMexican SpadefootSpea multiplicata

shoulder

Frogs and ToadsPlains Leopard FrogLithobates blairi

shoulder

Frogs and ToadsTexas ToadAnaxyrus speciosus

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.

New Mexico in May

What reptiles and amphibians are out in New Mexico in May?

Are venomous snakes active in New Mexico in May?

Yes. The Western Diamond-backed Rattlesnake, Prairie Rattlesnake, Eastern Black-tailed Rattlesnake, Western Black-tailed Rattlesnake, and Western Massasauga can be active in May. Watch where you step and don't handle them.