There is some concern about possible declining populations of these lovely, harmless snakes in the wild, so educate yourself about your state's laws regarding legalities before capturing one. If at all possible, it's always best to obtain healthy snakes from the commercial pet trade.
Things You'll Need
- Live prey insects (crickets, moths, houseflies, grasshoppers and spiders)
- Iguana, turtle or bearded dragon diet
- Powdered reptile calcium supplement
Instructions
Find out what prey items the store or breeder has been successfully feeding the rough green snake that you are considering for purchase. Ask how often the animal has been observed feeding, and when it ate last. A healthy rough green should be eating at least every 3-4 days. If at all possible, find out when the establishment plans to feed the snake again, and arrange to be present to observe the animal's reaction. It should show keen interest in foraging for the insects.
Purchase appropriate prey items for your pet green rough snake. These insectivores should be fed a diet that consists mostly of crickets, but it's important that you vary the diet, as well. Catch live moths, houseflies, grasshoppers and spiders to offer to your pet. It's all right to buy a few mealworms for them, but feed these only occasionally. Their hard exoskeletons can cause impactions in snakes, so select those which have recently molted to reduce the risk. All prey should be no wider than your snake's head.
House your feeder insects in an appropriate container and feed them for several day in preparation for offering to your snake. The purpose for this "gut loading" is to provide the snake's intended food a nutritious diet, which will make them healthier for your pet's diet. Commercial iguana, turtle or beaded dragon diets dusted with a calcium supplement are perfect for this.
Place a small dish of gut-loading food in your rough green snake's cage to encourage the prey insects to continue to feed on a healthy diet until they're consumed by the reptile. Try dusting a few of them with powdered calcium supplement. This is an excellent way to administer extra calcium to your pet, but not all snakes will accept prey that has been dusted. Offer some that you haven't treated, as well.
Release 3 or 4 crickets into your rough green snake's cage, and observe the reptile carefully. Since even domestic individuals can be a bit shy, it's typical for them to conceal themselves much of the time until they're ready to forage for food. The hunting stance is characteristic of an ambush predator. The snake will emerge from hiding, and remain perfectly still with its head slightly elevated and possibly swaying slightly from side to side. This is a good sign that it's hungry and ready to eat.
Free your wild-caught rough green snake back where you caught it if after two weeks all faithful attempts to feed it have failed, or it will die. If you purchased the snake from a breeder or retailer, contact them immediately. This animal may be ill and most are sold with some type of healthy guarantee. It's also possible that your snake isn't adapting well to captivity.