# Do they bite???



## tigger_my_T. (Nov 22, 2007)

I heard that rough green snakes dont have teeth . is that true because i am considering getting one


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## pitbulllady (Nov 22, 2007)

tigger_my_T. said:


> I heard that rough green snakes dont have teeth . is that true because i am considering getting one


To the best of my knowledge(and I've caught, kept and bred snakes well over 30 years now), ALL snakes have teeth.  Rough Green Snakes seldom attempt to bite, and on the very rare occasion that they do, their mouths are so small and their teeth so tiny that they cannot penetrate human skin and you can't feel it.  I have had them bite, if you wanna call that a bite, but it was more funny than anything else that this little critter had such a Napoleonic complex!  Most of the time, though, they just "death roll" or get really squirmy.  They're fast, and they're delicate, so careful and vigilant handling is a must if you're going to handle them at all.  Some of these can be tricky to keep alive in captivity, since they tend to be picky eaters, so make sure you have a guarantee that the one you're getting has fed, and fed on something that you can actually obtain, year-round.  Many of them will only eat caterpillars, especially "Looper" caterpillars(what many folks call "inch worms"), though some will also eat earthworms or crickets.  Biting really is not the issue with these so much as non-feeding is.

pitbulllady


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## Ted (Nov 22, 2007)

yes they have teeth!! 
all snakes have teeth..except grandma ad grandpa snakes 

but seriously..yes they do, and yes they often will bite, at least the ones i have collected have., even if only for a while and dont make good pets as they are active, nervous, semi arboreal and need lots of room.

 Green snakes are normally considered to be difficult snakes to keep and those who are new to snake keeping hobby are often recommended to not start out with them. These snakes are not readily bred in captivity so usually what you see available in the pet trade are wild-caught specimens which do not easily adapt to a life in captivity, not to mention a life infested with internal and external parasites. They are also naturally shy animals and quite high-strung, thus making it necessary to restrict handling to the absolute minimum needed to ensure their care and well-being. In other words, these are definitely a "look, but don't touch" type of pet

also they are mildly venomous rear fanged snakes.


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## Jmugleston (Nov 24, 2007)

*Pet store green snakes. Know what you're getting.*

The green vine snakes you find in pet stores typically aren't the rear fanged veneomous green snakes. Sometimes they are. Make sure you know the species you are buying first though. Most are north american snakes that are insect eaters. They have teeth, but don't worry about bites. (harmless). There are also green snakes that look very similar that are rear fanged. So do your research and know what you're buying. 
As a side note, some of the egg eating snakes have very reduced numbers of teeth.


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## tigger_my_T. (Nov 24, 2007)

Thanks sorry that was kinda a dumb question:8o  
I have been researching for awhile and I know what I am getting, but if you have any information about them I would love to hear it.


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## Jmugleston (Nov 24, 2007)

*Some info*

The rough green snake, Opheodrys sp.,  was the first snake I hatched successfully. They are a common choice for mixed species terrariums since they are typically insectivorous. Set up an ESCAPE-PROOF arboreal enclosure. (They are slender snakes so they can fit through very small openings). The rough green snakes are found in the SE United States, so mimic that climate when setting up the cage. I have kept them similar to green anoles and they have done fine and produced eggs. Keep them warm, humid, and drop some insects in there every couple/few days and they can be fun pets. If you set up a planted terrarium you may appreciate them more than if you had a cage set up with a bunch of sticks to climb on. On a side note, their incubation times are quite short. Typically about 35 days. They are more of a display animal than a pet that you should hold. If you need any more info, let me know.
Joey


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## tigger_my_T. (Nov 24, 2007)

Thanks that sounds like exactly what I have read . I dont really plan on holding it, But why dont people handle them? just wondering.


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## Jmugleston (Nov 24, 2007)

I didn't handle mine because they were jumpy and seemed to stress every time they were held. They were adults when I acquired them so they didn't respond well to human interaction. Their typical response was to evacuate (I am not a fan of being pooped on so I didn't mess with them much). I sold the babies so I didn't have a chance to raise one and see if they will calm down in time. Since they didn't respond well to handling, I just kept mine as display animals.
Joey


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## Ted (Nov 24, 2007)

i still think they are not good pets.
there are so many better choices..i cant see getting one.

i've kept lots of them..and they just arent pet worthy. imho


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## Jmugleston (Nov 24, 2007)

If you had a terrarium set up as a natural-type enclosure, possibly wanted multiple species, and did not plan on handling them, then they could be a great choice. If you want a handleable snake, then they aren't the best choice. Just depends on what your expectations are.
Joey


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## tigger_my_T. (Nov 24, 2007)

I think there pretty neat looking snakes and eat crickets (i cant handle feeding snakes mice) big plus for me. I really dont mind not being able to handle it.


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## Mushroom Spore (Nov 24, 2007)

tigger_my_T. said:


> (i cant handle feeding snakes mice)


It's really not that big a deal, if you feed frozen/thawed prey like you should be doing anyway. I got over any squeamishness about four seconds after I opened my first shipment; it's just pet food, just meat, technically no different than an uncooked steak.

Plus the rodents are kept in far better conditions than at the pet store, live good lives, and are humanely and painlessly put to death in the end. Heck, WILD mice don't have it that good!


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## Ewok (Nov 25, 2007)

I saw some rough green snakes at a pet store the other day, they are neat looking snakes. Good thing I read here that they are not all that easy to take care of. I would like to get a snake some time, maybe a sand boa.


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## Choobaine (Nov 25, 2007)

Yeah I seen two before. It's kinda cute they do the mantid thing and go down when there's too little humidity... I think were talking about the same thing. 

Cute things they are. Very adorable. That's the exact reason I don't keep 'em! (cute things terrify me because I'm scared of hurting them so it feels dreamlike and wrong)


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## tigger_my_T. (Nov 26, 2007)

I still would like to keep one as a pet thanks for the help


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## LeilaNami (Nov 28, 2007)

my rule to follow is anything with a mouth will eventually bite you


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## Jmugleston (Nov 28, 2007)

LeilaNami said:


> my rule to follow is anything with a mouth will eventually bite you


Nice. I'm a bit optimistic so my rule is anything with a mouth Can eventually bite you.


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