The back and upper sides of the Maritime Smooth Green Snake varies from grass-green to yellowish-green. Grass-green ones are pale greenish-white underneath. Yellowish-green ones are yellowish-white underneath.The eggs are 2 - 3.7 cm long. Females lay from 3 to 8 eggs each year, in the latter part of July or early August. The largest group nest found contained 30 eggs, probably from 6 to 8 females.
How big do they get? Here are some measurements we made:
Newly hatched young (93 measured) 9.6 - 12.9 cm long In Canada this snake ranges throughout the Maritimes and is widespread in Nova Scotia.
Adult males (50 measured) 30 - 44 cm
Adult females (72 measured) 30 - 45 cm
A particularly good habitat seems to be grassy heath or fern roadsides and old fields. Also very common on lawns and gardens in suburban areas.
Earliest Nova Scotia record for coming out of hibernation in spring: May 3, in 1884, Berwick, Kings County. Latest record for seeing one in the fall: October 23, in 1935, at St. Peter's, Richmond County.
One mild, cloudy June afternoon in 1973, John Gilhen saw over 200 Smooth Green Snakes in just one hour at the side of a gravel road in Shelburne County.
They are great climbers - up shrubs, up tall flowers.
When a Green Snake is foraging for food, its head often sways gently from side to side.