What are reptiles?

Reptiles are animals that have scaly skin, lay eggs, and usually live on land, kind of like your favorite lizard or turtle.

Scaly skin is one of the easiest ways to spot a reptile. Imagine having little, bumpy tiles all over your body, that's what it feels like for them! Snakes, lizards, and even turtles have these scales.

Most reptiles lay eggs, just like chickens do. You might find these eggs in dirt or sand, and soon you'll see a tiny creature come out of them, maybe a baby snake or a little turtle.

Some reptiles are fast and slither around, like snakes. Others walk on legs, like lizards and crocodiles. Some even live partly in the water, like turtles and alligators.

They're not always cold-blooded, that means they can't keep themselves warm by themselves, so they often bask in the sun to get warm, just like how you might feel warm when you sit near a fire.