Actinemys marmorata
 
I have never seen a Western Pond Turtle in the wild, but for good reason. They are being out-competed by the invasive Red-Eared Slider, and their numbers are drastically dropping.

It’s not the Red-Eared Slider’s fault. It is 100% human irresponsibility. Sliders are WAY too easy to get as pets. In Downtown Los Angeles, you can buy a baby the size of a half dollar in a little carrying case for a few bucks. But then what? People aren’t prepared to take care of these turtles as they grow. And they will grow. This myth about staying the size of the container you keep them in is exactly that. A myth. There are so many Sliders needing homes, humane societies and rescue centers won’t take them anymore. Out of options, people dump them in the local waterways where Western Pond Turtles are supposed to live. I even found one dumped on the path when I was a docent at Malibu Creek State Park. I’d love to see some restrictions on selling sliders as pets!

Western Pond Turtles aren’t nearly as aggressive as sliders, which is why they are being bullied out of their habitats. They take a long time to mature to breeding age, so they aren’t able to replenish the population very quickly.  They eat vegetation and small aquatic animals.
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I’ve seen a few when I worked in wildlife rehabilitation. I love their checkered coloration! Every time I walk near a California waterway and I see a little turtle face poke out, I keep hoping it will be a Western Pond Turtle. Sadly, it never is. 

Pituophis catenifer
 
Growing up, I was taught to fear of snakes because we were always out hiking and camping, and I’m sure my parents didn’t want me trying to befriend a rattlesnake. I tried this with a bee when I was five and, not surprisingly, ended up being stung. I’m sorry bee. I just loved you too much.

As much as I feared them, the snake Zoobook was my absolute favorite. I loved seeing all the different kinds of snakes there were. I learned more about snakes and began to appreciate them. Once I began working for animal organizations, I often had to hold snakes and learned about how different species have different temperaments. Arizona Rosy Boas are feisty, Garter Snakes are fickle, and Hognose Snakes are rather docile. My favorite snake soon became the Gopher Snake.

Gopher Snakes, sometimes called Bull Snakes, can reach up to nine feet long! They are relatively mellow, calmly moving out of the way if you encounter them on the trail. They have adapted to a number of environments and are found throughout most of North America.

Their primary defense is that they kind of look like rattlesnakes. Gopher Snakes are non-venomous, unlike rattlesnakes, but they have similar markings. When threatened, Gopher Snakes will flatten out their heads to resemble the diamond-shaped head of a rattlesnake and shake their tail in dry leaves to sound like a rattle. Gopher Snakes are preyed upon by raptors, foxes, and coyotes, so some form of defense, even if it is cosplay, is necessary.

Gopher Snakes are great to have around. They eat small rodents, preventing populations from getting out of control. And, as I mentioned before, they are harmless. That doesn’t mean they won’t bite you if you try and pick them up, but if you leave them alone, they will leave you alone. They can be injured by getting stuck in bird netting or trapped on sticky traps. I’ve seen a few come in for care when I worked in wildlife rehabilitation.
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So, if you suffer from Ophidiophobia or a fear of snakes, I highly recommend learning more about snakes and what makes them awesome. Gopher Snakes are a great gateway snake to learning to love these long, low-lying creatures!

​Phrynosoma douglasii

I finally found the answer to why Horned Lizards are often called “horny toads” as they are clearly not amphibians, but reptiles. Turns out the genus name means “toad-bodied,” which I can see.

I ran across one of these cuties while on a walk in Colorado Springs. Our little friend was in the middle of the street, so I gently escorted them across so he/she wouldn’t be in danger. This one was super tiny. Pygmy Short-Horned Lizards only get up to about three inches long. Sadly, I didn’t get a photo because I was busy trying to keep my curious nephews from messing with the Lizard.

Despite being tiny, Horned Lizards are well equipped to fight of potential predators. First of all, they are spiky, as their name suggests. They can inflate their bodies to twice their size, which I know would freak me out if my food did that. Most exciting/disturbing of all is they can shoot blood out of their eyes up to nine times their body length! The blood is full of toxins collected from their food, and their aim is impeccable. They are the Annie Oakleys of blood-shooting animals.

Unfortunately, these incredible animals are in decline. Their diets consist mostly of ants, subsidized by other insects and arthropods. The increased use of pesticides has greatly depleted the Horned Lizard’s food supply.
You can help the Horned Lizard as well as numerous other species by reducing/eliminating your use of pesticides. Consider natural repellents as opposed to super-harmful chemicals. These are better for your health, too and will keep these crazy, blood-shooting Lizards around!

Sceloporus occidentalis
 
For those living in the western United States and northeastern Mexico, now is the time you start seeing a proliferation of Western Fence Lizards. They are so common, especially in California, that I don’t think people even notice them. They definitely don’t think they are special in any way, but they are! Plus, isn’t it exciting to have wildlife in your yard?

For starters, they are quite pretty. The males have blue bellies, so they are often called blue-bellies. The males may also have iridescent, turquoise patches on their backs, too. While the females and juveniles are not quite as colorful, they change color from tan to dark brown to absorb or repel heat.

The males are often seen doing push-ups. This is not because they love working out, but because they are flashing that bright blue belly to show dominance.

Here is where Western Fence Lizards become superheroes. They fight Lyme disease. They have this special protein in their blood which kills the Lyme infection in any tick that might feed on them. The tick is then no longer infected and can’t pass the disease on to other people or animals. Cases of Lyme disease are rarer in areas where Western Fence Lizards live.

As a child, I remember watching the lizards sunning themselves on rocks and concrete walls. Even though they were all over the place, it was still fun to have these wild animals in our yard. Every once in a while, we would startle one while playing, and its tail would drop off and keep twitching. We would scream and be grossed out, not realizing that it is a defense mechanism to protect it from predators.
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While they might be common in your area, and you may have seen them all your life, I hope you can appreciate how special these little lizards are.