Rough and smooth green snakes are closely related, and while there are some differences between them, their care in captivity is essentially the same. These are both small, thin-bodied snakes native to North America. In the wild, there is concern about declining populations of these snakes, possibly due to habitat loss and use of pesticides. In fact, in some states one or both of these species is considered threatened or endangered.
Ten Facts about Smooth Green Snake
- These snakes tend to range in lengths of 36-51 cm (14-20 in.), record 66 cm (26 in).
- There are usually 3 to 13 eggs in a clutch. They may hatch in as little as 4 days.
- They are almost entirely insectivorous eating mainly crickets, grasshoppers, and smooth caterpillars.
- These snakes are sometimes called by a variety of other names, such as grass snakes, green whip snakes, garden snakes, vine snakes.
- Up to 15 years reported (for rough green snakes), though most don't survive that long; 6-8 years is a more likely expectation.
- The Smooth Green Snake (Opheodrys vernalis, sometimes Liochlorophis vernalis) is a non-venomous North American snake, found in Ontario, Eastern Canada, and almost every northern state in the U.S.
- Predators includes cats, bats, owls, birds, hawks, foxes.
- Attain sexual maturity at the age of 2 years.
- Mating occurs from May to August.
- Clutch size ranges from three to thirteen but averages between four and six.
