Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Does anyone know definitively if rough green snakes need UV lighting?

I know some suggest it.

Also, do they need calcium supplementation on their crickets, or do the crickets just need to be well fed prior to being fed to the greens...thanks.

this is confusing subject, it used to be recommended that UV be used for garter and water snakes for vitamin D synthesis. Today , the majority of hobbyists I know state that UV is not required. Personally, I use zoo-med lights on my garters simply because they enjoy basking in it. I would imagine the same holds true for greens.

This was my suspicion too...I'm just interested in rough greens because dispite their simpler persona, I haven't been able to keep one alive for more than a week or so.

I was just wonder if it was the lighting..

With the garters, someone told me they had heard that Scott Felzer treats his garters just like corns (e.g. no belly heat, no uv lighting).

I've kept corns and boas, but not garters and rough greens...I guess that's why I'm so obsessed with them..I haven't mastered their husbandry skills....it seems silly to most, I'm sure, but I went to the FIRE show this weekend only looking for water snakes and rough greens.

if you're purchasing rough greens at shows that may be your problem. a healthy snake that requires UV would not die from lack of lighting in a weeks time. i have never kept rough greens, but i suppose if you keep the cage dry and provide ample water and food they would thrive.