Rough Green Snake
ExploreReptiles
Rough Green Snake
Opheodrys aestivus
Rough Green Snakes are slender and bright green! They are excellent at climbing and love to hide in trees.
Habitat: Woodlands and gardens
Appearance
The Rough Green Snake is a slender, vibrant emerald green snake with a bright yellow or cream-colored belly. Its distinguishing feature is its keeled scales, giving it a slightly rough, textured appearance that helps it blend into foliage.
KingdomAnimaliaPhylumChordataClassSquamataOrderSerpentesFamilyColubridaeGenusOpheodrys
Category
ReptilesRarity
Common
Danger
2/5 · Low
Snaps
22
Interesting facts
Despite their 'rough' name, they are gentle and rarely bite!
Rough Green Snakes are so slender, they are sometimes called 'vine snakes'!
They hunt with head raised, scanning for prey like a tiny periscope!
When stressed, their green skin can temporarily dull to brown or black!
Special abilities
Ability
Branch Balancer
Rough Green Snake has a lightweight body and prehensile tail that helps them deftly navigate branches and twigs.
Ability
Insect Magnet
Rough Green Snake can accurately snatch flying and crawling insects because of its quick strikes and specialized vision.
Measurements & details
- Length
- 55-80 cm
- Weight
- 0.01-0.025 kg
- Lifespan
- 5-8 years
- Top Speed
- 3 km/h
- Clutch Size
- 2-14
- Incubation
- 35-70 days
Diet & Feeding
They mainly feast on small insects and arthropods, helping control garden pests!
Primary Foods
- crickets
- grasshoppers
- spiders
- caterpillars
Foraging Method
- Foraging
Ecological connections
eats
Garden Spider
Argiope aurantia
A primary food source in its arboreal habitat.
eaten by
Red-tailed Hawk
Buteo jamaicensis
Vigilant raptors often prey on camouflaged snakes.
eaten by
North American Racer
Coluber constrictor
Larger, faster snakes will occasionally consume them.
eats
Fall Field Cricket
Gryllus pennsylvanicus
A common and abundant insect prey item.
Traits
Wildlife
Wildlife encompasses all undomesticated animal and plant life existing in their natural habitats.
Arboreal
Arboreal animals live primarily in trees, utilizing them for shelter, food, and protection from predators.
Insectivorous
This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates.
Forest
Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life.
Longevous
This trait characterizes organisms with an exceptionally long lifespan compared to others of their kind.
Also known as
Eastern Green SnakeGreen Snake
Collections
Safety
Danger
2/5 · Low
Look but don’t touch. Keep a safe distance and wash hands after exploring.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to identify Rough Green Snake?
The easiest way to identify Rough Green Snake is to use the Snappit nature identifier app.
How long is Rough Green Snake?
55-80 cm
How much does Rough Green Snake weigh?
0.01-0.025 kg
How long does Rough Green Snake live?
5-8 years
How fast can Rough Green Snake move?
3 km/h
What does Rough Green Snake eat?
They mainly feast on small insects and arthropods, helping control garden pests!
Where is Rough Green Snake usually found?
Woodlands and gardens
How does Rough Green Snake hunt?
Foraging
Snap Map
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Recent Snaps
May 28, 2026
Lost Maples State Natural Areai
Photo attribution
(c) Matt D'Agrosa, some rights reserved (CC BY)
License: CC BY 4.0 ↗
Image may be shown cropped inside the card frame.
May 15, 2026
Flint RiverQuariumi
Photo attribution
(c) Lexa, some rights reserved (CC BY)
License: CC BY 4.0 ↗
Image may be shown cropped inside the card frame.
Where to spot
Zoo30 sightings19 species
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Nashville Zoo at Grassmere
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Africatown
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Kentucky, US
Bat Cave and Cascade Caverns State Nature Preserves
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Alabama, US
Battles Wharf Historic District
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New Jersey, US
Belleplain State Forest
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North Carolina, US
Bodie Island Lifesaving and Coast Guard Station
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