A Guide to the Amphibians
and Reptiles of California

Escaped Pet Herps Reported in California

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This page will list names and, if I have them, show pictures of herps common in the pet trade which have been found in the wild in California, but which are not on our list of Non-native Reptiles and Amphibians Established in California. Most of these have been found in residential areas where more herps are kept in captivity. I cannot cover every species of reptile and amphibian commonly kept as pets in California, because nearly any pet herp could be an escapee, but if you think I am missing an important one, let me know. Many of these were reported to me by users of this web site who found an animal in their yard, but some I have read about elsewhere. These herps most likely either escaped or were illegally released by irresponsible owners. The pet trade in herps is booming and unless fewer herps are purchased by more responsible pet owners there will be many more abandoned or escaped herps found in the state. This could lead to more established non-native herp species in the state.. Unfortunately, I do not have pictures of many of these animals, and some of the pictures I have been sent are of animals which were killed by humans or their cats and dogs and I don't want to show their mangled dead bodies, although it would be a good warning to pet owners showing what can happen to pets that escape or are released. If I do not have pictures, I will try to link to another page on the internet where you can see pictures of these herps. I will continue to add more names and pictures as I receive them. If you find a pet herp in the wild in California, even if you identify it here or elsewhere, l'd like to hear about it and add it to this list if it's not already here, so please send me email about it. If you capture an exotic herp in the wild and want to find out what you can do with it, try contacting a local pet organization, herp society or pet rescue organization to find out if they can find someone to adopt it. Some veterinarians who work with exotic pets may also be a good source of information. Anapsid.org maintains a great list of herp societies and rescue organizations.
Frogs and Toads
© Brian Merget	© Brian Merget
Fire-bellied Toad - genus Bombina I have received a few requests from people who have found this Asian toad in their yard to identify the species for them. This toad is commonly sold in pet stores, and is a popular pet.
Salamanders
© Michael Peters	© Michael Peters
Fire-bellied Newt Genus Cynops Common in the pet trade: Cynops orientalis - Chinese Fire-bellied Newt Cynops pyrrhogaster - Japanese Fire-bellied Newt I have heard that this species has been released into the wild in southern California and in the Bay Area and could be established in So Cal, but I have not gotten confirmation yet.
Lizards
© Edith McGee	© Edith McGee	© Leah Beebe
Bearded Dragon - genus Pogona Several species of this lizard, originally from Australia, are common pets. They have been bred in a number of different color variations. I have received reports of them found in yards, usually after they were killed by the family dog. The live one shown here was found in a San Diego County yard after clearing brush. Find more information at The Bearded Dragon.		This dragon was found outside a house in Redondo Beach.

Spiny-tailed Iguana - Ctenosaura sp. A Baja California native sometimes found as an escapee.
Blue-tongued Skink - genus Tiliqua I have received a report that this large Australian lizard sometimes available in pet stores was found in someone's yard.

Wild Bengal Monitor lizard in India	This monitor lizard was found abandoned and tied to a fence in Los Angeles County. © Cassandra
Monitor Lizards - genus Varanus I have received a few requests to identify various species of Monitor Lizards that were found in someone's yard. These are popular pets. Some species can growto a very large size. Popular pet species include: Savanna Monitor - Varanus exanthematicus, Nile Monitor - Varanus niloticus, and Water Monitor - Varanus salvator.
© Charlie Wheeler	© Charlie Wheeler


Brown Anole - Anolis sagrei I have received reports of these lizards seen running wild in yards in Southern California where they might even be breeding. The two photos on the top left are lizards found in California. Brown Anoles are often purchased in pet stores not as pets, but to feed lizard-eating snakes. They are native to Cuba and the Bahamas and are established in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, South Carolina, Texas, and possibly California, in the Palm Springs area. Their appearance can vary considerably between animals, but unlike Green Anoles, they do not have a green phase, they are always some shade of brown. The color of the extended dewlap of males is orange with a yellow border.


Green Anole - Anolis carolinensis These lizards are commonly found in pet stores. They are native to the southeast USA and farther south where they are often called "chameleons because they can change their color from bright green to brown. They are sometimes sold as food for lizard-eating snakes. The color of the extended dewlap of an adult male is pink.


Green Iguana - Iguana iguana Native to Central and South America this lizard is a common pet. Adults growup to several feet in length. Juveniles are bright green.


House Gecko *- Hemidactylus* spp.** Various species of House Geckos are often seen for sale in pet stores. Any of them may turn up anywhere. They are typically seen on walls under lights at night eating small invertebrates that are attracted to the light. They are often purchased not as pets, but to feed lizard-eating snakes. Some pet stores are known to have thriving populations of the geckos roaming freely inside and out. There are many species which are not easy to tell apart. The Common House Gecko and the Indo-Pacific House Gecko are both native to South and Southeast Asia and are known to be established in Florida, Texas, and Hawaii. There is also a species that has become established in Baja California, at least in the Cape Region, possibly elsewhere.

Texas Horned Lizard - Phrynosoma cornutum This lizard is very similar in apparance to our native Blainville's (Coast) Horned Lizard. It is occasionally kept as a pet and released when unwanted, probably because they are very difficult to maintain.

*Wall Lizards - Podarcis* ssp.** One species, Podarcis siculus, has been established in southern California, and it is likely that more of these popular pet lizards have escaped or have been released.
© Dave Shaw	© Dave Shaw
Veiled Chameleon - Chamaeleo calyptratus These chameleons are native to the southwestern Arabian Peninsula are are kept as pets. Sometimes they get loose.The one shown above was found in San Diego County, where there may be an established population. We're looking into that.

Jackson's Chameleon - Chamaeleo jacksonii Jackson's are popular pets. There is at least one established population in Morro Bay, and they have been found in La Jolla, but they sometimes escape and are found in other areas.
Snakes
Snakes are master escape artists and excellent climbers that can squeeze into small spaces. Anyone who has kept them will have an escape story. (A snake of mine once escaped into my garage in November. I found it in March after it returned to warm up next to the heating element on top of a lizard cage. Either that or it was trying to figure out how to get in the cage to eat the lizard.) So just about any species of snake kept as a pet could be found outside of its cage. Unfortunately, that includes exotic venomous snakes which are popular with some keepers.


Milk Snake - Lampropeltis triangulum Milk snakes are common pets. I have received several reports of milksnakes found in yards, and one on a hiking trail. Unfortunately, this harmless snake is often mistaken for the venomous coral snake, which does not occur in California, and it is killed for no good reason. Milksnakes are variable in appearance, but most have black, white, and red, or orange, bands. One common pet, the Sinaloan Milk Snake, has very wide orange bands.

Corn Snake - Elaphe guttata Corn snakes have been very common in the pet trade for many years. Only one color phase is shown above, but there are many other variations, including albinos, which are pink or orange. I have received requests to identify normal and albino corn snakes that were found on the loose.
© Thomas Miller
Boa Constrictor (Red-tailed Boa) - Boa constrictor Native to South America north to Mexico, and a very popular pet snake. Sometimes they escape or are released when their owners tire of them. They have been found in backyards and even out in the country where they were released. The snake shown above was found on a driveway in Ventura County.
Ball Python - Python regius A very popular pet.
Burmese Python - Python molurus bivittatus This popuar pet has not become established as it has in south Florida, but escapees have been seen in California. Pictures of the Indian subspecies can be seen here.
Amethystine Python (Scrub Python) - Morelia amethistina Another popular pet python.
Turtles

Box Turtle - Terrapene ornata I received a report of a box turtle on the loose in someone's yard.

Red-eared Sliders - Trachemys scripta elegans These are so common that they are probably the turtle you are most likely to see in California waters. They are established and breeding, but they are also still available in the pet trade, and certainly, more and more of them are released every year when they get too big for their owners to take care of them. I have also received reports of escaped pets wandering in suburban areas. There are many other species of pet turtles that have been released in the state, including a number of Asian species, but turtles are difficult to approach to correctly identify and photograph. I will add more as I discover them.
African Spurred Tortoise - Centrochelys sulcata (also called African Spur Thigh Tortoise or Sulcata Tortoise)
Leopard Tortoise - Geochelone pardalis
Alligator Snapping Turtle - Macrochelys temmincki This species of snapping turtle is different from the Common Snapping Turtle - Chelydra serpentina, which has been established in California.

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