Slimy or scaly we have them both. Look below for some reptile or amphibian residents on Tennessee National Wildlife Refuge.
One of the most well-known reptiles, the eastern box turtle can be easily identified by their dome shaped shell with its black/brown and orange/yellow pattern. They are a terrestrial turtle, meaning they live on land and can be found in moist fields and forest.
The Red Milk Snake is a small tri-colored snake with redish, black, and yellow/white stripes. They can be found under logs or piles of leaves during the day. They are mostly nocturnal, or night-time hunters. Milk snakes are often mistaken for a young copperhead snake, but can be distinguished by the tip of its tail. Young copperheads have a sulfur yellow tip on their tail.
A slender bright green snake with a white or yellow belly, the rough green snake is well camouflaged and uses that to its advantage when hunting insects. They are most commonly found in forested habitat, or on vegetation that overhangs water. In colder weather they can be found curled beneath logs or rocks.
This dark salamander has a varying number of scattered white flecks on its back. They like to hide in dark moist areas. The slimy salamander is so named, because when they feel threatened or are handled roughly, they excrete a gooey-white substance from their skin.
The call of the spring peeper marks the beginning of spring. They can be heard calling as early as February. These frogs can be tan to darker brown in color, but they are easily identified by the “X” marking on their back.
This amazing frog can change colors, so it can be anything from a blotchy grayish green or solid green/gray or even a creamy color. While these frogs like wet forest habitats, they can often be found in residential areas where they can be seen on windows or sides of building. They are feeding on insects attracted to lights.