Ecoregion

Mojave Desert Reptiles and Amphibians by Month

The Mojave is creosote flats, rocky hills and a lot of heat. Lizards are everywhere here. Common Chuckwallas bask on boulders, and Zebra-tailed Lizards sprint across open sand. May is the busiest month. Several rattlesnakes live here, including the Panamint Rattlesnake and Southwestern Speckled Rattlesnake.

39 species5 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 Mojave Desert, by group and month

Group
Snakes			10	15	15	13	13	11	11	8	3
Lizards	2	6	14	14	16	16	15	15	14	14	7	2
Turtles	1	2	2	2	2	2	2	1	1	2	1	1
Frogs and Toads	1	2	5	6	6	5	5	5	5	5	3

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

Keep Herp Calendar free

Hi, I'm Nick. I built Herp Calendar on my own and I keep it free, with no ads. If it has helped you find a herp this season, a small tip goes straight into the hosting and the data work. Only if you can spare it. Either way, I'm glad you're here.

Leave a tip

31 species at peak or shoulder in September

peak

Frogs and ToadsAmerican BullfrogLithobates catesbeianus

introduced

peak

SnakesCalifornia King SnakeLampropeltis californiae

peak

SnakesCommon CoachwhipMasticophis flagellum

peak

LizardsCommon Side-blotched LizardUta stansburiana

peak

LizardsDesert Collared LizardCrotaphytus bicinctores

peak

LizardsDesert Horned LizardPhrynosoma platyrhinos

peak

LizardsDesert Night LizardXantusia vigilis

peak

SnakesDesert NightsnakeHypsiglena chlorophaea

peak

LizardsDesert Spiny LizardSceloporus magister

peak

SnakesGround SnakeSonora semiannulata

peak

LizardsLong-nosed Leopard LizardGambelia wislizenii

peak

LizardsMediterranean House GeckoHemidactylus turcicus

introduced

peak

LizardsOrnate Tree LizardUrosaurus ornatus

peak

Frogs and ToadsPacific Chorus FrogPseudacris regilla

peak

SnakesPanamint RattlesnakeCrotalus stephensi

venomous

peak

TurtlesPond SliderTrachemys scripta

introduced

peak

Frogs and ToadsRed-spotted ToadAnaxyrus punctatus

peak

SnakesSouthwestern Speckled RattlesnakeCrotalus pyrrhus

venomous

peak

LizardsWestern Banded GeckoColeonyx variegatus

peak

LizardsWestern Fence LizardSceloporus occidentalis

peak

SnakesWestern Glossy SnakeArizona occidentalis

peak

SnakesWestern RattlesnakeCrotalus oreganus

venomous

peak

Frogs and ToadsWestern ToadAnaxyrus boreas

peak

LizardsWestern WhiptailAspidoscelis tigris

peak

Frogs and ToadsWoodhouse's ToadAnaxyrus woodhousii

peak

LizardsZebra-tailed LizardCallisaurus draconoides

shoulder

LizardsBlainville's Horned LizardPhrynosoma blainvillii

shoulder

LizardsCommon ChuckwallaSauromalus ater

shoulder

SnakesGopher SnakePituophis catenifer

shoulder

SnakesLong-nosed SnakeRhinocheilus lecontei

shoulder

SnakesWestern Patch-nosed SnakeSalvadora hexalepis

About Mojave Desert

When are reptiles and amphibians most active in the Mojave Desert?

May is the busiest month in the Mojave Desert, with 34 species at peak activity. At least half of the area's species are active from March through October.

What reptiles and amphibians live in the Mojave Desert?

39 species have enough iNaturalist records to show here: 16 lizards, 15 snakes, 6 frogs and toads, and 2 turtles. The most-reported are the Common Side-blotched Lizard, Desert Spiny Lizard, and Common Chuckwalla.

Are there venomous snakes in the Mojave Desert?

Yes. The Southwestern Speckled Rattlesnake, Panamint Rattlesnake, Western Rattlesnake, Red Diamond Rattlesnake, and Western Diamond-backed Rattlesnake live here. Don't handle them.

Which reptiles and amphibians in the Mojave Desert are introduced?

The Pond Slider, American Bullfrog, Mediterranean House Gecko, and Spiny Softshell are 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.