That Reptile Blog – Reptile, Amphibian and Exotic Pet Care and Information

Please see Part 1 of this article for more on the natural history and care of Rough and Smooth Green Snakes (Opheodrys aestivus and O. vernalis).

Heat

An ambient temperature of 70-76 F is ideal.  A basking site of 80-85F should be available as well.

Light

There is some evidence that, in contrast to most snakes, Green Snakes benefit from exposure to UVB light.  A moderate-output bulb, such as the Zoo Med 2.0 should be provided.

As with most diurnal animals, Green Snakes will also benefit from the provision of a UVA-emitting bulb (incandescent UVA bulbs will also provide heat for the basking site). Read More »

Larger rodent-eating snakes, especially those that take well to handling, have long dominated reptile collections.  However, there is another side to snake-keeping – small, insectivorous species that, unlike their larger relatives, thrive in naturalistic terrariums.  Of these, my all-time favorites are the Rough and Smooth Green Snakes (Opheodrys aestivus and O. vernalis).

The captive care information below refers mainly to the Rough Green Snake, which is more commonly kept, but applies to the Smooth Green as well. Read More »