What Is the Difference Between a Rough Green & Smooth Green Snake?
The rough green snake and the smooth green snake are both species found in North America, known respectively as Opheodrys aestivus and Opheodrys vernalis. They are both fairly docile and non-poisonous, eating insects and similar small creatures. They are both found in wetter, greener climates where there is an abundance of both cover and food. Because of their similarities, it can be difficult for amateurs to tell the two snakes apart.
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Names
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The two snakes differ in colloquial names. The smooth green snake is commonly referred to as the green grass snake, or simply the grass snake. This name is actually more accurately given to a European variety of snake, but in America the terms are interchangeable. The rough grass snake, possibly because of its more arboreal habits, is more rarely called a grass snake and is usually known by its normal "green snake" name.
Feel
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The two snakes derive their names from how their scales feel to the touch. The rough green snake's scales are slightly keeled, so that when petted they have a distinctly rougher feel to the skin. The keeling is much less pronounced in the smooth grass snake, making it feel much smoother to the touch.
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Size
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Generally, the smooth green snake is noticeably shorter than the rough green snake. At full size, the smooth green snake averages around 14 to 15 inches long, while the rough green snake averages half a foot longer at 22 to 23 inches long. While growing, the differences may not be as pronounced.
Feeding Habits
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Both snakes prefer to feed on the same types of insects, and it is unlikely that a rough or smooth green snake would develop eating habits significantly different from the other species. In the wild, they both eat the same small bugs and insects. In captivity, they are both fed crickets or similar insects.
Habitat
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While they both prefer the same climate, the rough and smooth green snakes occupy slightly different parts of it. The rough green snake is found much more often in the low branches of trees and the tops of shrubs or small plants. Its rough scales allow it to climb more easily, and it feeds on insects that inhabit these more arboreal locations. The smooth snake spends much more time on the ground, which is why it earns the appellation "grass snake" more easily than the rough species.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit grass image by Thomas Quinlan from Fotolia.com
