Copper Head Snake
Agkistrodon Contortrix
Geographical Locale
- Eastern Gulf States, Texas, Oklahoma, Illinois, Kansas, Ohio, throughout most of the southeastern United States from north Florida into Massachusetts.
Appearance
- Adults 24 -36 inches long.
- Newly borns 7.8 inches long.
- Chestnut with dark brown / greenish bands.
- Coppery colored head and neck.
- Thick, heavy bodies.
- Newly borns have a bright yellow tip to their tail, approx the last inch.
Venom
- Hemotoxic.
- Almost never deadly to humans.
The Bite
- Generally not aggressive. Prefer to avoid humans and to leave without biting. Tend to "freeze" on the spot instead.
- Many bites occur from people unknowingly stepping on / near them.
- Will not usually bite unless they feel threatened, eg a person steps on them, or becomes close to them. Will vibrate tail rapidly when agitated.
- Seldom fatal but may still produce serious symptoms including intense pain, tingling, throbbing, swelling, and severe nausea.
- Even small baby copperheads can inflict a painful and dangerous bite.
Lifecycle
- Breed from Spring to Fall, but not every year.
- Give birth from late Summer to early Fall.
- Produce typically 4-7 snakes, but can be anything from 1 to 20.
- Hibernates mid Fall, reappears early Spring.
Habits
- Feeding - Small rodents, birds, lizards, snakes, amphibians, and insects.
- Location - rocky areas with thick underbrush, vines, vegetation and/or debris even in heavily populated regions. Can be unnoticed when lying on dead leaves or red clay. In surburban areas they hide in stone walls, compost piles, under decaying stumps, abandoned building debris and flat stones.
- Visibility – Can be seen during the day but in the heat of summer will stay hidden during the day and only be active at night.
