Baby green snakes make great pets, but they require special care and maintenance to maintain their attractiveness.
Rough green snakes require a variety of prey, such as soft-bodied insects like crickets and mealworms.
Snakes require more frequent feedings than most, about twice or three times a week. Feed them approximately half a dozen prey items at each feeding.
Contents
Feeding
Baby green snakes feed on crickets, caterpillars, grasshoppers, snails, spiders and small frogs. As one of the few breeds of snakes to hunt during daylight hours due to its keen vision and ability to locate prey items, these predators make for excellent pets.
They enjoy hiding under leaves and rocks, so make sure your tank has plenty of greenery for them to hide under during the day. Mist your plants daily to keep them hydrated.
Rough green snakes are generally peaceful creatures that won’t bite humans when handled occasionally. However, they do tend to get anxious if handled too much so make sure you only handle them when they seem calm and relaxed.
Rough green snakes, like many other reptiles, can suffer from mouth rot. This condition causes saliva bubbles in their mouth and may result in tooth loss. Infected reptiles may show signs of head tremors and skin lesions caused by Orthoreovirus – an illness which has the potential to be fatal.
Habitat
Baby green snakes feed on a variety of soft-bodied insects, such as crickets, grasshoppers, caterpillars and spiders. When in the wild they hunt by first spotting their prey with keen vision.
When green snakes spot their prey, they coil into a spring-like position and use lightning speed to straighten out their body. They then use their head to propel the prey forward into their mouths.
These snakes are neither venomous nor poisonous, but they may bite defensively if they feel threatened. Their bites rarely cause harm as they lack fangs or other dangerous teeth.
Omnivores (carnivores that also consume other plants) can be found in a variety of habitats. Generally, they prefer moist areas like old fields, meadows, pastures, fens or along the edges of rivers and lakes.
Care
Baby green snakes should be fed fruit flies and pin head crickets within their first week of hatching. After that, gradually increase their food items as they grow older; additionally, water needs to be changed every other day until they feel settled in their new environment.
Keep a thermometer at both the warmest and coolest points of your enclosure to monitor when they can transition between these temperatures. Additionally, using a hygrometer to check moisture levels in their tank is highly recommended.
Rough green snakes prefer moist, lush vegetation in their tank. A natural substrate like coconut fiber or sphagnum moss should be provided that not only retains moisture, but also inhibits mold and fungal growth.
Both green snake species are susceptible to disease, so it’s essential to monitor their wellbeing. Common ailments include respiratory infections and mouth rot (infectious stomatitis) for these reptiles.
Health
Baby green snakes feed on fish, insects and other small creatures. They prefer to consume worms, caterpillars, spiders and other soft prey such as frogs and toads.
Smooth green snakes are becoming increasingly rare in the wild due to habitat destruction and pesticide use. Although not venomous, these small snakes still possess the potential for biting if provoked.
These insects do not possess jaws, rather, they simply grasp their prey with tiny, recurved teeth. Their diet consists of various insects such as crickets, grasshoppers, ants and small cockroaches.
On occasion, you can offer your snake mealworms or crickets, but only in moderation. These foods may get stuck in its gills or intestines and cause serious digestive issues for them.
If you want to ensure your snake gets adequate vitamin D, keep it in an artificially lit room where it can get direct sunlight for part of the day. Doing this will encourage its body to produce adequate amounts of D.
