State herp calendar
Reptiles and Amphibians of Tennessee
Tennessee runs from the Smokies to the Mississippi River. Salamanders are the biggest group, and Eastern Newts are common in the mountains. Pond Sliders and Central Ratsnakes are the most-reported herps. May is the busiest month. The Eastern Copperhead, Timber Rattlesnake and Northern Cottonmouth live here.
87 species7 ecoregions3 venomous
Search entire stateSpecies out across 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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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.
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Tap a region to see what's out
Ecoregions of Tennessee
Seasons shift a lot between Tennessee's ecoregions. Pick the one nearest you for a 12-month calendar of what's out.
Southern Appalachians
46 speciesRidge-and-valley forests with slimy salamanders, anoles and copperheads.
View calendar →Interior Low Plateaus
63 speciesRolling hills, caves and streams with toads, ratsnakes and pond sliders.
View calendar →Blue Ridge Mountains
61 speciesSalamander country: wet coves, cold streams, and more salamanders than anything else.
View calendar →Central Appalachians
54 speciesForested ridges and hollows full of salamanders, with ratsnakes on the rocks.
View calendar →Piney Woods and Loess Hills
61 speciesPine forest and bottomlands with anoles, treefrogs, box turtles and cottonmouths.
View calendar →Southeastern Plains
86 speciesLongleaf pine, swamps and farmland with the biggest species list on the site.
View calendar →Mississippi Alluvial Plain
46 speciesRiver bottoms and bayous with alligators, watersnakes and cottonmouths.
View calendar →Venomous here: Eastern Copperhead, Northern Cottonmouth, Timber Rattlesnake. Don't handle any snake you can't identify.
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.