(Reptiles include animals like snakes, lizards, turtles and alligators.
They range in size from just a few inches to over twenty feet long. Though
they may appear very different from each other, they share many of the same traits
to help them survive in almost any environment.
All reptiles have thick, dry skin that is covered with scales for protection.
Most reptiles do not live in water, so thick scaly skin also prevents them from drying out.
As a reptile grows, it must shed its outermost layer of skin. Snakes shed
their skin all in one piece but other reptiles like lizards shed their skin in pieces.
Very few reptiles give birth to live young. Instead, most lay eggs unlike
any other type of eggs. Chicken eggs you see in the supermarket have hard
shells, but reptile eggs have thick, leathery shells to protect them from drying out.
Reptile babies must be ready to face the world when they hatch because most reptiles
don’t make very good parents. After a female lays her eggs she does not stay
with them to protect and feed them. They must be ready to find vegetation or
their prey, and protect themselves from becoming another animal’s dinner.)
