“The very common Rough Green Snake is very hard to see as they blend in very well with the greenery they hunt within. The Rough Green Snake is very docile and often allows close approach by humans, seldom ever biting."
ScientificName - Opheodrys aestivus RANGE - Northeastern Mexico up to Kansas east to New Jersey and south to Florida. LIFESPAN - 5+ years
DIET - Variety of insects, frogs & snails. WEIGHT - up to 1.5 pounds
LENGTH- up to 40 inches STATUS - Doing Well
PROTECTION - None
The Rough Green Snake is a non-venomous North American snake. It is sometimes called a Grass Snake or Green Grass Snake, but these names are more commonly applied to the Smooth Green Snake. The Rough Green Snake is very docile and often allows close approach by humans, seldom ever biting. This snake is bright green on the top and sides and has a yellowish belly, affording it excellent camouflage while hunting & hiding in green vegetation. It grows up to 40 inches long and is thin. The Rough Green Snake ranges from Kansas and Texas east to New Jersey and south to Florida. It is absent from the higher elevations of mountains. It is also found in northeastern Mexico. Its preferred habitat is meadows and woodlands near water. It is arboreal, frequently found in low vegetation. The Rough Green Snake is also a good swimmer. This snake is not a constrictor so its prey is grabbed and swallowed alive. Its diet consists mostly of insects, frogs and snails. Predators of the Rough Green Snake include birds, spiders and other snakes. The Rough Green Snake breeds in spring, and sometimes again in fall. Females lay 3-12 eggs. Occasionally a communal nest shared by more than one female may have up to 75 eggs in it. The nest site varies from under boards, under bark in rotting stumps, in deep mulch and under a rocks. Hatchlings from spring breeding typically emerge in August or September, and are about 20 cm in length. The Rough Green Snake is doing well and is not of generally a conservation concern. However urban development and the reduction of vegetation near waterways, could reduce their numbers.
