Essential Facts About the Green Snake
If you’re thinking about getting your first snake and want something small, low-maintenance, and gentle, the green snake might be your perfect match. These beautiful, bright green reptiles are often overlooked, but they’re beginner-friendly and surprisingly peaceful — even with other green snakes!
That said, they’re also delicate and need the right setup to truly thrive. Here’s what you really need to know before bringing one home.
Green Snakes 101: What Makes Them Unique
There are two main types: smooth green snakes and rough green snakes. The difference is mostly in the texture of their scales and their length (rough greens grow a bit longer — up to 3 feet). Personality-wise, they’re pretty identical: calm, shy, and not aggressive.
They’re non-venomous, don’t bite much (and if they do, it doesn’t hurt), and are one of the rare snake species that can actually live together peacefully. Yep — you can house a few of them in the same tank, as long as it’s big enough.
Green snakes only live around 6 to 8 years, so they’re a manageable commitment if you’re not ready for a 20-year pet like some other snake breeds.
A Word on Where You Get Yours
Here’s something important: most green snakes in pet stores are wild-caught. That’s a problem — not just for the species, but for you too. Wild snakes don’t handle captivity well and often don’t survive long. If you want a healthy, happy pet (and want to do right by the species), find a breeder who raises them in captivity. It’s worth the effort.
Setting Up Their Home
Green snakes are arboreal, meaning they love to climb and hang out on branches. So while they don’t need a huge tank (20–30 gallons is plenty for one or two), they do need height and climbing structures. Think tall branches, vines, and plants (real or artificial).
Tank tips:
- Use a glass terrarium with a secure lid — they’re escape artists!
- Side-opening doors are best (approaching from above can scare them).
- Ideal temps: 70–80°F (day), 65–75°F (night).
- Humidity: 40–50%. Mist the tank lightly if it gets too dry.
- Provide a humidity hide — a little moist box where they can hang out when shedding or needing extra moisture.
- Include a shallow water bowl they can soak in, but change it often — snakes love to poop in water.
Lighting matters too: a UVA/UVB bulb on a 10–12 hour cycle helps mimic daylight and keeps them healthy.
Feeding Time
Green snakes are insectivores — they eat only bugs. That means their diet should include pesticide-free crickets, flies, worms, moths, spiders, etc. Feed them 1–2 times a week, offering multiple small portions over 20 minutes. They prefer to eat at dawn or dusk when they’re most active.
A few feeding tips from experience:
- Always “gut-load” feeder insects (feed them nutritious food first).
- Dust insects with calcium powder a couple times a week.
- Avoid bugs with tough shells or sharp parts — they can hurt your snake.
- If your snake isn’t eating, check the tank setup — they may not feel safe.
Handling and Care Tips
Green snakes are extremely sensitive. They don’t like being handled often, and too much stress can actually make them sick. When you do handle them, be gentle and slow. Support their body and avoid grabbing from above — that triggers instinctual fear (think predators).
If you have kids, teach them to observe — not touch.
Keep the tank in a quiet, calm spot — not near the TV or a busy hallway. These snakes need peace to feel secure, and constant activity can stress them out.
Also, find a good reptile vet before you need one. Green snakes are prone to respiratory infections, which can escalate quickly. If you notice open-mouth breathing, wheezing, or skin discoloration, get help fast.
Is a Green Snake Right for You?
If you want a low-cost, low-risk, and visually stunning reptile that doesn’t demand too much handling, green snakes are a great choice — especially for beginners. They’re chill, small, and (as long as you get one from a good source) pretty easy to care for once you’ve got their setup dialed in.
Just remember — they’re not a hands-on pet. They’re more of a “watch and admire” type. But if that’s what you’re looking for, they might just be the perfect little companion.