EISPIRATEN

We saw this creature today in Chino Hills. I believe that it is a legless lizard. It was about 8 inches long and thinner than a pencil. I think it is a legless lizard, but I am unable to ID on the internet. The red band around the neck should be a tell. Is this a legless lizard?

It does not look like the Southern California Legless Lizard that I saw in my yard. That one looked exactly like this example.

Could you see the underside? Could it have been a San Bernadino Ring-Necked Snake?

I did not see the underside. The creature slithered into a hole in the ground covered by dry leaves. At first, I thought it might be a baby snake, but realized that babies would been seen in spring not fall. It is darker than the legless lizards I saw on the internet.

Slowest_Hiker wrote: It does not look like the Southern California Legless Lizard that I saw in my yard. That one looked exactly like this example.

Could you see the underside? Could it have been a San Bernadino Ring-Necked Snake?

Correct, see: http://www.californiaherps.com/identifi ... ks.id.html

Thanks for the ID. I didn't know snakes came that small.

Beautiful ring-necked picture, Richard! They are relatively common but also relatively secretive.