Video: All About Reptiles

Are reptiles warm- or cold-blooded? How do they move? Do all reptiles lay eggs? How do reptiles breathe? Why do reptiles have to shed their skin? And why do geckos not fall down from the ceiling? Find out more about these animals in our video about reptiles.

Here we offer a transcript of the video:

1. Reptiles are Cold-Blooded Animals

Reptiles depend on the temperature of their surroundings. Therefore they often indulge in sunbathing. The heat provides them with the energy they require to move. When it gets too hot, they withdraw into cool caves. During the winter, reptiles enter a state of torpor.

2. Reptiles Have a Dry Skin With Scales of Horn

Turtles and crocodiles have a tight shell made of scales. They keep growing throughout their entire lives. This is different with snakes: Their skin does not grow as their body grows, so they have to shed their skin now and then if it is getting too tight. Lizards such as the chameleon also shed their skin.

3. Reptiles Move by Crawling

Reptiles are usually crawling along the ground – no matter if they have four legs or no legs at all. Some can also swim, such as sea turtles or crocodiles. Others, like geckos, are very good climbers. On their feet, they have billions of tiny hairs. Each of them is 500 times as thin as a human hair. They help the gecko to easily stick to ceilings and even panes of glass - head first!

4. Reptiles Hatch Eggs

Reptiles lay eggs. As soon as they have put them into their nest, they incubate them. Finally, their little babies hatch. Some species also have their eggs incubated by the sun. Three reptile species are different: The green anaconda gives birth to living babies. Blindworms and chameleons already develop inside the eggs, while they are still in their mothers body.

5. All Reptiles Have a Lung

Reptiles do not have gills. They have a lung like mammals and birds. Therefore, reptiles that are living in the water need to return to the water surface regularly in order to breathe. What do you think: Are reptiles always grey, brown, or green? Many reptiles are grey or brown like alligators, for instance. This is a perfect camouflage. Snakes also use unflashy colors to disguise themselves. But there are also snakes with flashy patterns and extraordinarily brightly colored lizards.

The animalfunfacts Roundup!

Reptiles are cold-blooded, have a dry skin consisting made of scales, move by crawling, lay eggs and have lungs.