Statewide

Tennessee Reptiles and Amphibians by Month

Every reptile and amphibian with enough records anywhere in Tennessee, counted from observations inside the state line. Seasons can differ a lot across the state, so for a closer match, pick your ecoregion on the Tennessee page.

87 species3 venomous

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.

Species out in Tennessee, by group and month

Group
Snakes	4	13	19	22	21	20	18	19	19	18	13	5
Lizards	1	5	7	7	8	7	6	7	5	5	5	3
Turtles	2	6	9	11	11	11	10	9	8	7	3	2
Frogs and Toads	10	11	13	13	12	12	12	12	12	11	10	9
Salamanders	16	19	26	29	23	21	18	15	19	23	21	14

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

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63 species at peak or shoulder in September

peak

Frogs and ToadsAmerican BullfrogLithobates catesbeianus

peak

Frogs and ToadsAmerican ToadAnaxyrus americanus

peak

SalamandersBlue Ridge Blackbelly SalamanderDesmognathus mavrokoilius

peak

SalamandersBlue Ridge Dusky SalamanderDesmognathus orestes

peak

SalamandersBlue Ridge Two-lined SalamanderEurycea wilderae

peak

SnakesCentral RatsnakePantherophis alleghaniensis

peak

SalamandersCherokee Blackbelly SalamanderDesmognathus gvnigeusgwotli

peak

LizardsCommon Five-lined SkinkPlestiodon fasciatus

peak

SnakesCommon Garter SnakeThamnophis sirtalis

peak

SnakesCommon WatersnakeNerodia sipedon

peak

Frogs and ToadsCope's Gray Tree FrogDryophytes chrysoscelis

peak

SnakesDeKay's BrownsnakeStoreria dekayi

peak

SnakesEastern CopperheadAgkistrodon contortrix

venomous

peak

LizardsEastern Fence LizardSceloporus undulatus

peak

SnakesEastern Hognose SnakeHeterodon platirhinos

peak

TurtlesEastern Musk TurtleSternotherus odoratus

peak

Frogs and ToadsEastern Narrow-mouthed ToadGastrophryne carolinensis

peak

SalamandersEastern NewtNotophthalmus viridescens

peak

Frogs and ToadsEastern SpadefootScaphiopus holbrookii

peak

Frogs and ToadsGreen FrogLithobates clamitans

peak

Frogs and ToadsGreen TreefrogDryophytes cinereus

peak

LizardsLittle Brown SkinkScincella lateralis

peak

SalamandersLong-tailed SalamanderEurycea longicauda

peak

LizardsMediterranean House GeckoHemidactylus turcicus

introduced

peak

SnakesNorth American RacerColuber constrictor

peak

SnakesNorthern CottonmouthAgkistrodon piscivorus

venomous

peak

Frogs and ToadsNorthern Cricket FrogAcris crepitans

peak

TurtlesOuachita Map TurtleGraptemys ouachitensis

peak

Frogs and ToadsPickerel FrogLithobates palustris

peak

SnakesPlain-bellied WatersnakeNerodia erythrogaster

peak

SnakesQueensnakeRegina septemvittata

peak

SnakesRed CornsnakePantherophis guttatus

peak

SnakesRed-bellied SnakeStoreria occipitomaculata

peak

SnakesRing-necked SnakeDiadophis punctatus

peak

TurtlesRiver CooterPseudemys concinna

peak

SnakesRough GreensnakeOpheodrys aestivus

peak

SalamandersSeal SalamanderDesmognathus monticola

peak

Frogs and ToadsSouthern Leopard FrogLithobates sphenocephalus

peak

TurtlesSpiny SoftshellApalone spinifera

peak

SnakesTimber RattlesnakeCrotalus horridus

venomous

peak

SalamandersWhite-spotted Slimy SalamanderPlethodon cylindraceus

shoulder

SnakesBlack KingsnakeLampropeltis nigra

shoulder

SalamandersCave SalamanderEurycea lucifuga

shoulder

TurtlesCommon Snapping TurtleChelydra serpentina

shoulder

SnakesCommon WormsnakeCarphophis amoenus

shoulder

SnakesEastern MilksnakeLampropeltis triangulum

shoulder

SalamandersEastern Red-backed SalamanderPlethodon cinereus

shoulder

Frogs and ToadsFowler's ToadAnaxyrus fowleri

shoulder

LizardsGreen AnoleAnolis carolinensis

shoulder

SalamandersImitator SalamanderDesmognathus imitator

shoulder

SalamandersMarbled SalamanderAmbystoma opacum

shoulder

SalamandersMole SalamanderAmbystoma talpoideum

shoulder

TurtlesNorthern Map TurtleGraptemys geographica

shoulder

SalamandersNorthern Slimy SalamanderPlethodon glutinosus

shoulder

TurtlesPainted TurtleChrysemys picta

shoulder

TurtlesPond SliderTrachemys scripta

shoulder

SalamandersRed SalamanderPseudotriton ruber

shoulder

SalamandersRed-cheeked SalamanderPlethodon jordani

shoulder

SnakesSmooth EarthsnakeVirginia valeriae

shoulder

SalamandersSouthern Two-lined SalamanderEurycea cirrigera

shoulder

SalamandersSpotted Dusky SalamanderDesmognathus conanti

shoulder

Frogs and ToadsSpring PeeperPseudacris crucifer

shoulder

SalamandersSpring SalamanderGyrinophilus porphyriticus

About Tennessee

When are reptiles and amphibians most active in Tennessee?

May is the busiest month in Tennessee, with 66 species at peak activity. At least half of the area's species are active from February through November.

What reptiles and amphibians live in Tennessee?

87 species have enough iNaturalist records to show here: 32 salamanders, 22 snakes, 14 frogs and toads, 11 turtles, and 8 lizards. The most-reported are the Pond Slider, Central Ratsnake, and Common Watersnake.

Are there venomous snakes in Tennessee?

Yes. The Eastern Copperhead, Timber Rattlesnake, and Northern Cottonmouth live here. Don't handle them.

Which reptiles and amphibians in Tennessee are introduced?

The Mediterranean House Gecko is not native here.

Where does this data come from?

Activity calendars are built from iNaturalist research-grade observations (downloaded through GBIF, September 2026), corrected for how many people are out observing each month. Rare and protected species are left off on purpose.