Herptiles

Opheodrys aestivus

Rough Greensnake

Opheodrys aestivus (Linnaeus, 1766)

Basic info

Common names
  • Rough Green Snake
  • Rough Greensnake
Species nameOpheodrys aestivus
Scientific nameOpheodrys aestivus Linnaeus, 1766
Taxonomy
Animalia
Chordata
Squamata
Colubridae
Opheodrys aestivus

Further Reading

Temperatures & Season

Day time temperatures

Background summer18 - 32 °F
Background winter10 - 12 °F
Basking spot30 °F

Night time temperatures

Background summer18 - 20 °F
Background winter10 - 12 °F

Season

Winter treatmentcooling
Photoperiod summer13 hours
Photoperiod winter11 hours

Microhabitats

Microhabitats are specific small habitats that an organism inhabits within its broader environment. These can vary greatly depending on the species and can give us insights into the preferred living conditions of each reptile. Understanding these microhabitats can be key to providing the correct care for these animals in captivity.

  • Foliage or shrubs
    Foliage or shrubs
  • Ar
    Arboreal
  • Riparian or wetlands
    Riparian or wetlands

Ferguson Zones

Ferguson Zones are a way to classify the amount of UV light that reptiles are exposed to in their natural habitats. These zones help us understand and replicate their natural light conditions in captivity, promoting the health and wellbeing of the reptiles. Below, we detail the specific Ferguson Zones of the Chinese Water Dragon, along with recommendations for replicating these conditions

The Ferguson Zones in which the Rough Greensnake has been placed has been chosen based upon an assessment of its typical basking behaviour and likely microhabitat in the wild.

1
Crepuscular or share dweller
UVI range avarage: 0-0.7, UVI max recorded: 0.6-1.4
2
Partial sun or occasional basker
UVI range avarage: 0.7-1, UVI max recorded: 1.1-3

Recommended lighting methods in captivity

Shade method

This method provides low-level 'background' UV at levels matching the Ferguson Zone Range, over a large portion of the enclosure. The highlighted area in the table below represents this range for the Rough Greensnake.

1
2
3
4
1
2
3

Sunbeam method (only for large enclosures)

This method uses the 'Max UVI Recorded' value as a guide for the upper limit of the UVB gradient in captivity. This maximum should be the highest level which a Rough Greensnake can obtain at its closest approach to its UVB lamp. The highlighted area in the table below represents this range for the Rough Greensnake.

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9

More in-depth information about Ferguson zones can be found here: https://jzar.org/jzar/article/view/150

Community collected distribution (13653 occurrences)

Biomes

These are the biomes the Rough Greensnake was found in. Click here to learn more about terrestrial ecoregions and biomes.

More species to explore

Common Blue-tongued Skink

Tiliqua scincoides (White, 1790)

Explore Species
Adder

Vipera berus (Linnaeus, 1758)

Lace Monitor

Varanus varius (Shaw, 1790)

Explore all species

References

  1. Baines, F.M., Chattell, J., Dale, J., Garrick, D., Gill, I., Goetz, M., Skelton, T. and Swatman, M. 2016. How much UVB does my reptile need? The UV-Tool, a guide to the selection of UV lighting for reptiles and amphibians in captivity. Journal of Zoo and Aquarium Research. 4, 1 (Jan. 2016), 42–63. DOI:https://doi.org/10.19227/jzar.v4i1.150.
  2. Opheodrys aestivus Linnaeus, 1766 in GBIF Secretariat (2021). GBIF Backbone Taxonomy. Checklist dataset https://doi.org/10.15468/39omei accessed via GBIF.org
  3. Linné, C. Von [= Linnaeus, C.]. Systema naturæ per regna tria naturæ, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. Tomus I. Editio duodecima, reformata.
  4. iNaturalist. Available from https://www.inaturalist.org
This website is created by Jefrim Keijzer | All species