Amphibians and reptiles are vertebrates, like mammals, but unlike mammals, they are cold-blooded. This means that while birds and mammals generate their own heat, reptiles and amphibians rely on external sources of heat, such as the sun, to keep them warm.
There are a few differences between amphibians and reptiles. Amphibians have no scales. Examples of amphibians are frogs, toads and salamanders. They live in damp places where their skin won’t dry out. They start out their lives in water, breathing through gills, and some species stay in the water and breathe through gills their whole lives. Some species of amphibians take care of their young.
Reptiles, on the other hand, have dry, thick skin made of waterproof scales. They live on land, in warm places where they can bask in the sun. Examples of reptiles are snakes, turtles, and crocodiles. As reptiles grow, they occasionally shed their skin to reveal a new skin growing underneath. Reptiles generally do not take care of their young.
