Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I reciently took on a basic green snake and am not real sure how to care for him. I have him in a 10 gal aquarium with a reptile bark substrate, i have some crickets in there for him, but i think their way to big for him to eat, also i have a little basin with small guppies in it for him, he has not eaten anything since i've had him(4 days) and is very inactive, does anyone have any suggestions? thanks

What's the background of the snake? did you get him from someone else or is he WC? How big is he? Do you have a light? I've found green snakes more light sensitive than a lot of other garden varities. They also like to climb.
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I actually got him from a pet store, but i'm sure he's wild caught. I do not have a light for him right now, it's pretty bright in the room I have him in. Do I need a uv? He's about 30" long, and seems to be a smooth snake. I have some monsineta(sp?) in with him to climb on but he seem to just like to burry himself in the bark for now. He may be shy and come out out night. Thanks for response

Which species do you have? This makes a difference in care. Smooth green snakes live on the ground while rough green snakes need the opportunity to climb. Both are diurnal snakes that fare better when provided with UV-B radiation. This wave length of light allows sunbathing reptiles to synthesize vitamin D3 (and several less understood chemicals) which is necessary for calcium and metabolic regulation. Both species feed on small insects. A heat source for thermoregulation is REQUIRED when keeping reptiles. With a rough green snake use a heatlamp over climbing branches; with a smooth green snake use an under-tank heater. All in all, keeping these species is more akin to keeping small, diurnal lizards. They are essentially "dwarfed" racers so check that forum for more tips.
-Cole

Thanks Cole for the info. I must tell you I'm really new to the whole snake thing. This may be a dumb question, but is there any way or certain charcteristics I could use to identify what species it is? do both species need uv light? Thanks

The genus Opheodrys contains two species; vernalis, the smooth green snake and aestivus, the rough green snake. As their names imply, rough greens have keeled scales giving them a "rough" look and feel, while smooth greens have smooth, unkeeled scales. Yes, both need UV-B (you should get enough from a "high UV Reptile Bulb" flourescent).
You are very welcome=)
-Cole

I'm not sure this is a green snake. The snake is described as 30 inches long and smooth. Smooth green snakes don't get to 30 inches. Rough Greens do, but they're, well, rough (keeled scales) and *very* slender.

Might this be an Eastern Yellowbelly Racer? (In any case, it's not a garter/ribbon.) MichaelB

All green snakes (smooth and rough) eat soft bodied insects i.e. spiders, grubs, crickets. I feed my rough green 12 gut loaded crickets (1 1/2 times the width of the snakes head) a week, however a varied diet may prove more successful with a reluctant feeder. They will generally not eat while you are watching. Also they require UV lighting for 10 hours a day, and will not drink from a water bowl, you have to mist the enclosure, and the snake, twice daily. The rough species is extremely arboreal and will spend all of its time in trees and shrubs. Humidity must be kept high > 70%, to avoid shedding issues. They do not take well to handling. Of the 10 snakes that I currently keep this is definately the most difficult. Good Luck!!