Copperheads

[lightman]

For some reason our neighborhood has become infested with Copperheads. Several neighbors have had them in their garages. I guess I stepped on a small one when I came in last night as my Wife found him dead in our garage this morning. Its a puzzle, as we don't have the typical terrain for Copperheads. They are a pretty snake.

[rking22]

Won't think pretty if one gets his fangs into you! They doing any construction nearby, could be pushing them to new territory. Personally, they are one of 2 snakes I kill on sight, they don't have the manners of a rattler, no warning!

[bob208]

are you shore they are copper heads and not the harmless milk snake ? they do look alike and many are killed for copper heads.

[jcren]

Local guy had a toe amputated after being bit by a 8" baby when he was wearing sandals. If they are crawling they are big enough to hurt ya.

[rondog]

Why God gave us shotguns.

[beemer]

Copperheads come into this world with a bad attitude. We have them around here, I don't walk in the yard after dark without a light.

Some people don't want snakes killed, guess they don't have to look at the doorstep before stepping out in the mourning.

[lightman]

are you shore they are copper heads and not the harmless milk snake ? they do look alike and many are killed for copper heads.

Yeah, he had the elliptical pupil of a pit viper. No, no construction around here. Its all farm land. I have Soy Beans 100 feet from my back door. The only thing different is that the end of Summer going into Fall has been wetter than normal. I've found the Copperhead to be the mildest tempered poisonous snake there is. Now, the Cottonmouth is born with an attitude and it get worse with age!

This is a decent neighborhood where everyone keeps their yard nice. No tall grass or weeds. No junk laying around. A long ways from any standing timber. Who knows? I guess the snake does!

[Preacher Jim]

Copperhead a way of life here I kill one almost every time I mow my valley. You do not want to be bitten by any size copperhead and young one almost worst than adults.

[MrWolf]

Saw my first copperhead since moving here almost two years ago about a month or so ago. Was right at my side door. Never saw him but dog was barking at it. Luckily I wear my duck boots if just going out in yard. We have had a lot of rain and I think that is what is driving them down my mountain.

[LUBEDUDE]

Snakes go where they smell food or are searching for a mate. If they are hanging around I would think that there must be a source of mice or rats around.

[winelover]

Moved from Michigan to rural Arkansas, almost seven years, now. Only came across one copperhead on my 26 acres......that was while I was walking the dog. Coiled up in a area I mow short, where she does her business. I'm constantly looking out for them, as they are the most common venomous snakes, hearabouts. Most of the snakes I come across are the harmless black rat snakes. I did inadvertently dispatch a small rattler, pygmy or timber, while weed wacking.

Winelover

[Lloyd Smale]

im thankful for cold snowy winters!!! About the worse we have here is non poisonus water snakes. We call the water moccasions but there not the same as the ones down south. they are about as ornery though. but even they are rare. I might see one garner snake a year. that's about the extent of the snakes up here. A few rattlers down state but there pretty rare. Wana see and old tough man act like a girl. Put a poisonous snake in front of me. Im in the camp that the only good snake of any kind is a dead one. Even God thought they were evil.

[bedbugbilly]

We don't have 'em in Michigan but I have visited a cousin many times where they do have them. As they say there . . . "the only good 'un is a dead 'un". :-) Where we are here in AZ now for the winter, we do have the rattlers - many species. It's warm out and I'm constantly on the look out for 'em when I walk the dogs - doesn't matter if it is day or after dark - the dogs have had "rattlesnake aversion training" but I still worry. Do they do "Copperhead aversion training" for dogs in areas where the Copperheads are found?

[Lloyd Smale]

;)just have them train you to stay in Michigan. Dogs love snow!:D

[725]

have timber rattlers in western Maryland. couple at our cabin there. late summer maintenance trip we found a skin shed on our steps that must be 6 feet long.

[kbstenberg]

The snow snakes we have around here are the only ones i want to see.

[Mr_Sheesh]

No venomous snakes on WA's west side; Western rattlesnakes on the east side. On a search once I was walking up a steep ridge quietly, in scab rock country, to see what was around (and glass the area once I got up top) - Looked up and there was about a 6-7 foot Garter Snake (or similar, I didn't grab it to examine it!) sunning itself there - I let it depart, didn't really want to get gnawed on. Then went on up the ridge. Lots of times we'd just look from road overwatches but this area didn't have enough of those; Rough climb, one of the harder ones I was on - Only carried binoculars and water as I'm not THAT dumb, plus the radio.

[Texas by God]

I've seen around two in 60 years on our farm and about two hundred velvet tail rattlers. I haven't seen a Cottonmouth in 30 years and I'm ok with that.

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[MrWolf]

Was talking with the UPS driver yesterday who commented he has never seen as many snakes as this year. Mostly rattlers and a few copper heads on folks porches and steps.

[nagantguy]

Our Massagia rattle snake is small and rare here in mi and no human has ever died from their bite but to dogs they are deadly, a family friend who had the best pack of rabbit beagles I’ve ever seen lost all of them to snake bite; two had gotten in the dog kennel; in the dog house in said kennel and bit each dog multiple times. My younger brother some years ago got hit by a MI rattler while squirrel hunting in out favorite spot. It barely broke the skin and he said it felt like a hornet sting and mild nausea.

[Thundarstick]

We have cotton mouth, copper heads, and a couple different rattle snakes in this county. We have a varied habitat that runs from dry hills to cypress swamps and farm land. My home is down near the swamps, so naturally we have cotton mouths around. Fortunately they do tend to stay in the swamps near water and avoid human habitation. It seems that the rattlers in this part of the country tend to avoid human habitation as well. Copper heads, on the other hand, are comfortable around habitation, and even farm animals. We never saw a rattler on the hills we ran cattle on, but the next fam over would have them on it, same habitat but no cattle tramping around. We would run across copper heads quite often on these same farms. My Dad had a 4 foot cane break rattler in his yard a few years ago, but there was logging going on near and probably displaced him, but he had a couple of copper heads take up residence under his porch a few years ago. Fortunately he happened to see one's head poking out one morning and gave them a rather loud eviction notice! Having dealt with all three I do find copper heads the least aggressive of the three, not any more aggressive than a gray rat snake. About any snake will bite you if you muck with them or step on them, and the ones with fangs cause more trouble!

[owejia]

Ole cotton mouth will come for you if you get in his territory, we hogged[noodled] in the Middle fork of the Obion river when was in high school and they would come in the water after us, we just let the current take them down stream.

[Omega]

We have cotton mouth, copper heads, and a couple different rattle snakes in this county. We have a varied habitat that runs from dry hills to cypress swamps and farm land. My home is down near the swamps, so naturally we have cotton mouths around. Fortunately they do tend to stay in the swamps near water and avoid human habitation. It seems that the rattlers in this part of the country tend to avoid human habitation as well. Copper heads, on the other hand, are comfortable around habitation, and even farm animals. We never saw a rattler on the hills we ran cattle on, but the next fam over would have them on it, same habitat but no cattle tramping around. We would run across copper heads quite often on these same farms. My Dad had a 4 foot cane break rattler in his yard a few years ago, but there was logging going on near and probably displaced him, but he had a couple of copper heads take up residence under his porch a few years ago. Fortunately he happened to see one's head poking out one morning and gave them a rather loud eviction notice! Having dealt with all three I do find copper heads the least aggressive of the three, not any more aggressive than a gray rat snake. About any snake will bite you if you muck with them or step on them, and the ones with fangs cause more trouble!I knew of the copperheads and cotton mouths but I never thought we had rattlers here but a few years ago they killed a decent sized one on the flight line. On my property where I hunt I've seen the other two but never a rattler, or I'd start looking for a good size rattle, always wanted one of those.

[Thundarstick]

I spend quite a bit of time in the Obion river WMA and until it gets cold you had better watch where you put your feet for sure! If you get into those bluff hills you'd be wise to do the same! :wink:

[Blackwater]

Copperheads are fairly rare here. We have many times the number of Canebreak (Timber) rattlers and eastern Diamondacks. We also have a very good quota of Cottomounths, too, mostly in the low lying places and the swamps around the river. And BTW, any of these snakes CAN bite under water. Dad and an old friend were fishing one day here, and catching some outsized bluegill and redbreast sunfish. Louis, Dad's friend, got one, and in the current, those things fight hard! They were running an average of 1 1/4 lb . each! All of a sudden, the "fish" started pulling like crazy, and running all over the water, side to side! Then it finally went limp again, and he reeled in, saying he thought he had some moss on the hook. He got it in, and it was another dark bluegill of about 1 1/4 lbs. But this one had two fang marks, oozing yellowish oily stuff from each hole. They were about 2" or more apart. They realized a cottonmouth had bit the fish and tried to take it away from him. They tossed it in the ice chest, but later threw it out and washed the other fish off very, very well.

Also, my young pup Shelly got bit by a copperhead recently. It seemed to be a grazing sort of bite. She's extremely quick, and nervous and on edge around snakes. She just got too close to this one, and got bit on the left side of the muzzle, half way between the eye and nose. A knot swelled up about like a marble under the skin in about 10 minutes. I thought she'd just gotten bit by a bee or something again, since the symptoms are similar at that stage. The next day, the swelling increased and worked its way down to the jowls/throat area. The next day it went down to the throat near the junction with the shoulders. She moped around for a while, and was obviously stressed, but she made it through it. She's 1/2 Llewellyn setter, and 1/2 fice mix, and weighs about 30 lbs. soaking wet. Now, she won't go out into the back half of our large back yard, which is wooded with flowers and shrubs all through it. She stays on the grass half, and I can't blame her. She got a good scare from a relatively light bite, I believe. A copperhead is a bad dude, and could easily kill her, I believe.

One thing about copperheads I've noted: They seem to be just a mite quicker in striking than rattlers, and I believe they inject a greater percentage of venom than rattlesnakes sometimes do. I think of them as little snakes with a little snake's complex. They have long seemed a little more ready to bite than a rattler. Rattlers seem to desire just being left alone, or a few warning strikes. They're king of the hill and don't seem to need to prove anything.

And the original poster is right. They sure are pretty, especially when they've just shed. The last one we killed here (or grass cutters killed it actually) was the one that bit Shelly. It was probably a little short of 3' long. Even one that small could conceivably kill a full grown adult human, though, if caught out in the swamps and unable to get to a hospital quickly. In my neck of the woods, "snake-proof boots" are standard. I've never worn them. Tried them on and they were so stiff, heavy and uncomfortable, that I just couldn't see lugging them around the woods for up to 20 miles a day of hiking! So .... I had to learn to be VERY careful and CONSISTENT in looking where I put my feet. Even so, I've nearly been bit twice by rattlers. That'll refresh your memory about watching one's step, for SURE!

Y'all be careful out there. Once bitten, there's no do-overs. You just go to the hospital and prepare yourself for some very unpleasant times!

[sharps4590]

Lots of copperheads around here some years, like last year. I killed 5 in my wood pile. Must have been some ol' witch got in there and had her litter because they were all the same size. Evidently she came back this year because I killed 3 in one shotgun blast, all the same size. We have what I assume to be either the timber rattler or eastern diamondback but in 60 years of running the woods I've never seen one.

Copperheads do seem to me to be rather laid back. You can uncover one and walk in the house to get some kind of firearm, come back and it is usually still there....til it gets a dose of lead poisoning. They are rather pretty but not pretty enough to let live at my house or in my woods.

[JoeJames]

My Red Bone coon hound was bitten on the leg by a copperhead. Wife called the vet and he said not much he could do for him; just give him a couple of Benedril every few hours. Took a few days, but he made it ok. More of them around here than rattlers. High brass No 6 shot works good on 'em.

[Lloyd Smale]

I was under the impression a copperheads bite is worse then a rattlers. Is that wrong?
Copperheads are fairly rare here. We have many times the number of Canebreak (Timber) rattlers and eastern Diamondacks. We also have a very good quota of Cottomounths, too, mostly in the low lying places and the swamps around the river. And BTW, any of these snakes CAN bite under water. Dad and an old friend were fishing one day here, and catching some outsized bluegill and redbreast sunfish. Louis, Dad's friend, got one, and in the current, those things fight hard! They were running an average of 1 1/4 lb . each! All of a sudden, the "fish" started pulling like crazy, and running all over the water, side to side! Then it finally went limp again, and he reeled in, saying he thought he had some moss on the hook. He got it in, and it was another dark bluegill of about 1 1/4 lbs. But this one had two fang marks, oozing yellowish oily stuff from each hole. They were about 2" or more apart. They realized a cottonmouth had bit the fish and tried to take it away from him. They tossed it in the ice chest, but later threw it out and washed the other fish off very, very well.

Also, my young pup Shelly got bit by a copperhead recently. It seemed to be a grazing sort of bite. She's extremely quick, and nervous and on edge around snakes. She just got too close to this one, and got bit on the left side of the muzzle, half way between the eye and nose. A knot swelled up about like a marble under the skin in about 10 minutes. I thought she'd just gotten bit by a bee or something again, since the symptoms are similar at that stage. The next day, the swelling increased and worked its way down to the jowls/throat area. The next day it went down to the throat near the junction with the shoulders. She moped around for a while, and was obviously stressed, but she made it through it. She's 1/2 Llewellyn setter, and 1/2 fice mix, and weighs about 30 lbs. soaking wet. Now, she won't go out into the back half of our large back yard, which is wooded with flowers and shrubs all through it. She stays on the grass half, and I can't blame her. She got a good scare from a relatively light bite, I believe. A copperhead is a bad dude, and could easily kill her, I believe.

One thing about copperheads I've noted: They seem to be just a mite quicker in striking than rattlers, and I believe they inject a greater percentage of venom than rattlesnakes sometimes do. I think of them as little snakes with a little snake's complex. They have long seemed a little more ready to bite than a rattler. Rattlers seem to desire just being left alone, or a few warning strikes. They're king of the hill and don't seem to need to prove anything.

And the original poster is right. They sure are pretty, especially when they've just shed. The last one we killed here (or grass cutters killed it actually) was the one that bit Shelly. It was probably a little short of 3' long. Even one that small could conceivably kill a full grown adult human, though, if caught out in the swamps and unable to get to a hospital quickly. In my neck of the woods, "snake-proof boots" are standard. I've never worn them. Tried them on and they were so stiff, heavy and uncomfortable, that I just couldn't see lugging them around the woods for up to 20 miles a day of hiking! So .... I had to learn to be VERY careful and CONSISTENT in looking where I put my feet. Even so, I've nearly been bit twice by rattlers. That'll refresh your memory about watching one's step, for SURE!

Y'all be careful out there. Once bitten, there's no do-overs. You just go to the hospital and prepare yourself for some very unpleasant times!

[jmort]

Rattlesnake bite will kill you left untreated. Your chance of survival without medical attention is slim to none. Copperhead in most cases causes great discomfort, but will rarely kill you even without medical attention. It does happen now and again, it is the opposite, your chance of dying is slim. A few rattlesnake species are neuro-toxic and hemo-toxic. That is a witch's brew.

[Thundarstick]

That's dead on. Copperheads have been known to strike and inject very little to no venom. We get a few copperhead bites at the hospital every year and can't remember any of them getting anti venom, most of the time it's just steroids. The worst bite I've seen around here was some druggie putting a cottonmouth in another druggies mailbox for some sort of payback. That snake was good and pissed off when he got loose and clamped down on dude's arm and probably have him the whole nine yards. He nearly lost the arm! Most of the time a copperhead bite is equivalent to being stung by a dozen red wasp.

[farmerjim]

I have all of them here, plus the coral snake. Red on black is a friend of Jack, red on yellow will kill a fellow.

[jmort]

The Coral snake is uber, kill you dead toxic, but it has tiny fangs so it is not likely to do much damage. Just cannot deliver.

[lightman]

I have all of them here, plus the coral snake. Red on black is a friend of Jack, red on yellow will kill a fellow.

Arkansas also has all 4 of the poisonous snakes known to be in the US. I only remember seeing 1 Coral snake. We have plenty of the other 3 at deer camp. Makes for an interesting Squirrel hunt in the early fall!

[Lloyd Smale]

that's the one I was thinking about.
I have all of them here, plus the coral snake. Red on black is a friend of Jack, red on yellow will kill a fellow.

[St. Hogustine]

Lightman, I grew up just south of Pine Bluff, so we have covered some of the same territory. I don't think you will have to worry about looking out for copperheads, you will be busy enough looking out for cottonmouths to see anything else that crawls or walks nearby. I agree with you- the only really rare poisonous snake in our parts is the coral snake. Plenty of the rest to go around, and more cottonmouths/water moccasins than you can shake a stick at.

[OldBearHair]

228895 Here in Conroe Texas our Copperhead snakes do seem to be rather timid unless provoked. They do love to eat Cicadas as they are emerging from the ground under our white oak trees. There are no emergent holes under the pine trees that I have found. Last year I learned about that and went out each night about 9:30 pm and looked for them..... Found them . Killed 12 in close to two weeks . After that couldn't find any. This year have not found that many. One got away in my water well house in around the pipes and I didn't shoot. It was the biggest. Yeah the big ones get away., That right fishermen?
list of Copper head bites 2017
Sister in law .... Bit on right knuckle middle finger. Went to hospital. They gave her Benydryll. Sent home next evening.
Duke the Super 30 lb. Rat Terrier ... left lower leg.. found him couldn't move anything but his eyes....Gave Be..ryll OK next day Got bit again on the upper lip. not much swelling and got the Benydryll earlier this time.
2018 Little Lilly 16 lb Rat Terrier Got bit lower lip.. swelling came fast.. Benydryll given ... breathing became labored.. installed a bigger ballpoint pen case in trachea. She relaxed and breathed normal..... this may not be agreed with by everyone, but using a hypodermic needle ( antiseptic) alcohol swab drew out a lot of odd colored fluid from the swelled area then removed the T tube and she could breathe normally.
Last week Lilly was helping as I was restacking some tin neatly and stuck her head under the tin and got bit on the upper lip. Got the Benydryll faster this time. This was about 11 am and we could watch her without being up all night. She got OK. I am worried about her as she is now 58 days pregnant..
KIlled a Coral Snake at the deer lease last week. That tallies up to Seven Coral snakes since the year 2000.
Killed a huge Cottonmouth at another lease last year. .357 boom no head
We have several non venomous snakes, the Texas Rat Snake doing the most damage. Stupid snake get in the quail pen and kills a few and swallows them, then can't get out of the pen. They will eat all the eggs they find. Baby chickens are a top notch meal for them at about six babies at at time and as the chicks get bigger they all get eaten. Fifteen hatched.
One remedy is to go snake fishing. Holes in the egg,, blow out the egg .. refill w/water 5/0 stainless hook w/ 80lb test spider wire tied to something solid. Super Glue a fitted eggshell over the holes. We put golf balls, small light bulbs, or wooden fake eggs that get stuck in the snake and it can't get rid of it. Same with the golf ball. Snake is sick unto death. You can see the golf ball in the snake picture.228900

[mold maker]

We only have copper headed rattle mocacines here. It's a daycare facility and we don't abide them regardless of color or size.

[OldBearHair]

Moldmaker, you reminded me of the hunt four of us went on at Aransas Pass Wildlife Refuge in Texas. We were seeing lots of snakes. A reporter from the Fort Worth Star Telegram was there doing a story for bowhunting deer and pigs. His article mentioned a rattlesnake that he called Copperheaded rattle moccasin. Circa 1966. We saw one and everyone was talking about them having a white mouth and slightly copper on the head. Everyone should know by now how us Texans get to exaggerating at times.
Oh, that rat snake in the upper picture was so sick he only had a few hours of life left until I reduced it to seconds. He was stuck in a fork in a Holly tree about head high and not very active.

[LAH]

Lived with copperheads most my life. They are a very beautiful snake. In fact I named my hide away such.

[Omega]

Moldmaker, you reminded me of the hunt four of us went on at Aransas Pass Wildlife Refuge in Texas. We were seeing lots of snakes. A reporter from the Fort Worth Star Telegram was there doing a story for bowhunting deer and pigs. His article mentioned a rattlesnake that he called Copperheaded rattle moccasin. Circa 1966. We saw one and everyone was talking about them having a white mouth and slightly copper on the head. Everyone should know by now how us Texans get to exaggerating at times.
Oh, that rat snake in the upper picture was so sick he only had a few hours of life left until I reduced it to seconds. He was stuck in a fork in a Holly tree about head high and not very active.Must be the snake catch, but that triangular head sure makes it look poisonous.

[JoeJames]

Not poisonous, but I have had a Spreading Adder or two make me jump pretty good until the thought finally dawned on me "Nope, not a Copperhead!"

[frankenfab]

Copperheads are dangerous because they will lie still and let you step on them.

I have witnessed them false rattling. One night I went out to the front porch of my shop, which had a lot of leaves on it at the time, to look for something. I didn't turn any lights on. As I dug through things on a work bench, I kept hearing a buzzing sound.

The attic fan was on in the shop, and I thought it was probably just a June bug sucked against the window screen in front of me. I finally pulled the light string right next to me and looked down, and there was a copperhead coiled up, head pointing straight in my direction buzzing his tail in the leaves about 2 feet away.

I picked up a 2 foot section of railroad track anvil that was laying on the bench, and dropped it on him! Didn't kill him, he slithered away. I had to turn on a bunch of lights and move stuff to track him down.

I have never gone walking outside wihout a light since.

[OldBearHair]

Choke wire makes it look like that huh? But he is only a sick Texas rat snake

[Texas by God]

In my youth we floated the Trinity River every weekend during Summer and shot Cottonmouths by the 5 gallon bucketful with our single shot shotguns. I chose my boating partners very carefully. Anyone afraid of snakes need not apply. I've killed several swimming at the john boat. Meanest, most aggressive snakes I ever met!

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[3856imp]

I've only seen 2 real copper heads when i cornered them their top of their heads had an irredessent copper color. Unmistakable for sure. You may be seeing other types of snake.

[Catshooter]

Any poisonous snake is a thing of beauty with their head blown off.


Cat

[lightman]

I'm pretty sure these were Copperheads. The triangle shaped heads and elliptical pupils point to a pit viper.

[frankenfab]

Copperheads are only slightly hard to identify just before they sluff. Their patterns aren't as distinct then.

They don't look anything like rat snakes. It's not like they are rare.

[Blackwater]

My favorite place to fish is the Ogeechee River, a smallish fairly swift running blackwater river (which I assumed my "handle" from) and one of the few left that's basically "pure." The banks are festooned with overhanging limbs, willows, and all manner of leafy and non-leafy vegetation. "Moccasins" love to lay out on top of this vegetation and sun themselves, particularly the big, pregnant females while gestating. At times and in spots, it looks like a snake family reunion!

Thankfully, most of these are harmless red-bellied water snakes, but there ARE some cottonmouths in the mix. It's not really uncommon for a snake to get down into the middle sections of these overhangs, and if you get hung up on a snag, or need to get close to the bank for whatever reason, once in a while, one of those snakes will fall into the boat, or even right on one of the boat's crew! These incidents have led to tons of near legendary campfire stories that are much more fun being heard about than going through! I had a cottonmouth (they have the black stripe through their eyes, like a racoon) drop in my boat once, and was very fortunate to have the paddle right by me and I picked it up on the wide surface and slid it into the water.

And BTW, I do NOT feel slighted in not having an exciting story to share with you about what happened. When it comes to cottonmouths, or other poisonous snakes, I find boredom VERY refreshing! If you don't know much about snakebite, go look up some pictures of those who've been bitten, and the dark, even black colored grossly swollen skin, and cracked open areas where the skin had stretched to the breaking point. It is NOT something anyone wants to go through, EVER! I've come very close to being bitten several times, and I have, for most of my life, made it a near obsessive practice to watch for snakes before I put my feet down ANYWHERE in the woods.

And BTW, someone asked me where to look for rattlesnakes, and all I could think of to reply was, "Right where you don't think you need to look." And the more I've thought about it, the more wisdom I find in that answer. And you only have to not look ONCE, to pay a horrible price for that seemingly minor lapse! Y'all be careful out there!