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smooth/rough green snake questions

T

themann42

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i am looking for any personal experience in taking care of these snakes. are they pretty similar? also, a main thing i can't seem to find anywhere online is what size their enclosure should be. anybody know? i want to buy a smooth green snake, but can't find any, and from what i know rough green snakes can get larger. how well do they tolerate being held? any information is helpful, thanks!
 
themann42 said:
i am looking for any personal experience in taking care of these snakes. are they pretty similar? also, a main thing i can't seem to find anywhere online is what size their enclosure should be. anybody know? i want to buy a smooth green snake, but can't find any, and from what i know rough green snakes can get larger. how well do they tolerate being held? any information is helpful, thanks!
Click to expand...

I don't keep them but I did a quick search and found several care sheets that mention housing requirements. I don't know how good they are but I will check and ask around for you. Hopefully, a few people keep them on the forum.

Here is another thread on Fauna.
http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/forums/showthread.php?t=71132

http://herphavenreptilerescue.org/RoughGreen.html
Requirements - These snakes are best housed in large tall cages, as they are naturally arboreal; as a
guide, a, 35 in x 17 in x 23 in sized cage would house a 17 in snake. The rough green snake is an
excellent climber and likes an arboreal type setting, so a vertical or semi-vertical tree limb with plant
vines is great. Green Snakes should be kept in a habitat with a temperature range from 75 to 80
degrees Fahrenheit. Be sure you use a thermometer so the terrarium does not become overheated.
These snakes require moderate humidity but cannot stand stagnant air conditions, ventilation is very
important. A light daily misting with a hand sprayer will provide the humidity that is required.
Make sure to provide a hide box or shelter for the snake to hide under, a water bowl large enough
for the snake to fully submerge itself in, and a suitable substrate (paper towels, newspaper, and
reptile carpeting) as the snake may swallow its substrate. The enclosure should be easy to clean and
free of sharp objects. Keep light on in the enclosure for 12 hours then turn off the light source for 12
hours, continuous light will cause stress on the snake. Never use a heat rock, your snake will burn
itself on it!
Click to expand...
 
I haven't personally kept them, but from the what I've read they tend to be nervous and don't tolerate handling well. They also like a densly planted cage. I do have a shovel nosed snake, the only real similarity is that it is also an insectivore. Unlike mice, insects don't tend to be a balanced meal so good gut loading and supplementation are essential. I've seen a lot of snake people neglect this when they get into insect eaters and it usually leads to premature death.

-Alice
 
Supplementation on a moderate level could be beneficial to the snake, I would agree,......as far as insects not being a balanced diet,....well, it wouldn't be for a kingsnake, or ratsnake, and most others for that matter, but greensnakes are "specialty" feeders that dine on insects,.........Eucolyptus leaves wouldn't have any nutritional value whatsoever for most animals, but it's great for Koalas. Most animals are designed to eat specific prey, and Greensnakes (Opheodrys) typically dine on insects in the wild, although some might take a small frog, or lizard from time to time as well...................take care,................D. Mong
 
their enclosure should be about a 10 gal. tank and you should feed it crickets or mealworms.
 
Adam, I have kept wild caught smooth green snakes. They are very shy creatures. Although they don't like being handled, they never bite.

They are rather hard to get feeding. They eat insects. Mealworms are OK, if you can get them to eat them. Their favorite seems to be small spiders, and I have had good luck starting them on spiders, then offering various other appropriate sized insects.

Greensnakes are beautiful, but getting them to feed can be a chore. Good luck.
 
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