Copperhead Snakes

The Agkistron contortrix or the copperhead snake quite logically gets its name from its unmarked, copper colored head. Copperheads have orange, light-brown, or sometimes even pinkish bodies that are well highlighted by darker chestnut brown bands that form a whole series of hourglass shapes across their bodies. The continuity and the thickness of these bands are very important characteristics when it comes to identifying the five different sub-species of copperheads.

The belly markings range from gray to black splotches that are well blended together to form a marbled yet cloudy pattern. Copperheads are usually two to three feet in length although there have been instances where people have come across copperheads that are even four and a half feet long. The female copperheads tend to be longer than their male counterparts, but the males on the other hand generally have proportionally longer tails. Their bodies are stout and tend to taper abruptly towards the bottom, forming a tail that is much smaller in diameter. Baby copperheads have bright yellow tails and sometimes use these tails to attract prey.

The Habitat of the Copperhead Snake
Copperheads can thrive nearly anywhere – you’ll find them in rocky regions, sawdust and wood piles, wooded areas, mountains, abandoned farm buildings, brushy zones along creeks and streams, junk yards, brush piles, swamps, canyons and even desert oases.

Copperheads are generally solitude in nature except for during the mating season. They tend to hibernate in communal dens, not only with other copperheads like themselves, but with other species of snakes as well. In fall and spring, copperheads can also be seen during the day, but in summer they are primarily nocturnal. Warm and humid nights like the ones after it rains are ideal times to catch a glimpse of an active copperhead.

Copperheads are found throughout the Central and Eastern United States right from Kansas to Connecticut and Western Texas to Florida. The five sub-species of copperheads are distributed in the northern and northwestern to the southern and southwestern sub-regions of their geographic range.

What do they Prey on?
Copperheads are pit snakes. Their facial pits are structures that are sensory in nature and are located somewhere between their eyes and nostrils. These facial pits are used to detect a victim and then accurately strike this warm-blooded prey. Copperheads prey on many different species of rodent including mice and chipmunks. Apart from rodents, they also prey on frogs, other snakes, lizards, insects and even small birds. An individual copperhead may only eat anywhere from 10 to 12 meals per year.

Once it locates its prey by heat sensation and olfaction, the copperhead will then strike swiftly and inject its prey with venom. The venom will then break down the blood cells, which quickly leads to circulatory collapse. The snake will then swallow its victim whole and relies entirely on its powerful digestive juices to break down the body parts of the victim.

Mating Season

Male copperheads fight for the right to mate with their females and the males who lose in the mating contest are not very likely to challenge another male copperhead again. Females on the other hand are also capable of fighting their prospective mates and wont mate with a male who backs down in the initial encounter.

The mating season starts somewhere in late spring or early fall. Ovulation and fertilization occurs during the springtime. In fall, the female copperhead will give birth 1 or even 14 young snakes near her hibernation den. Larger females give birth to more numbers of young. Young copperheads range from 8 to 10 inches in length and have fangs and venom.

The Copperhead’s Bite
The copperhead’s bite is very painful but is usually not life threatening for adults. Pets and children may however have some very serious reactions to the venom. Reports show that copperhead snakes bite more people in the US than any other venomous snake in the country, so it is indeed fortunate that their venom is mild.

Unlike most venomous snakes, copperheads strike immediately if they feel threatened or cornered. A copperhead bite is considered to be a serious medical event and immediate medical attention is required by anyone who is bitten by a copperhead.

Facts about Copperhead Snakes

• Copperhead snakes have solenoglyphous fangs that are 0.3 inches in length. The length of the snake’s fangs is directly proportional to the length of the snake. So, the longer the snake, the longer will be its fangs.
• Fangs are periodically replaced, with each copperhead having a series of anywhere between 5 to 7 fang replacements.
• Copperheads cause the most number of snake bites every year but their bites are rarely fatal.
• When touched, the copperhead will strike quickly or will remain absolutely still and try to crawl away. Sometimes when they are touched, they will emit a musky odor that is very similar to the smell of cucumbers.
• Copperheads freeze when they are cornered or threatened. They only strike when there is no other option left.
• They are also known as highland moccasins.

Myths about Copperheads
There are many myths with regards to copperhead snakes. One myth that I very recently heard of is the interbreeding of copperhead snakes and black rat snakes to form a new and very venomous hybrid snake. This however is not biologically possible.

In fact, the chance of these two species of snakes interbreeding is probably as likely as a human mating with a lemur and producing viable offspring! Or a dog mating with a cat! This myth probably took shape because of the observation that black rat snakes and copperheads often share the same hibernation dens. However, there is indeed a very big difference between communal denning, and reproduction!