Sometimes, they even voluntarily go swimming. This coloration fades when they reach about three years of age. You can find these snakes in most of the eastern United States and into the central regions of the country as well. In such a location, copperheads will be wary of the sun and hide under rocks. Cosmonaut snaps amazing photos of Soyuz rocket launch from space, Physicists keep trying to break the rules of gravity but this supermassive black hole just said 'no', Weird venomous caterpillars that look like walking toupées are invading Virginia, How dangerous are copperheads? Like other pit vipers, they have triangular heads. He further described the saddlebags as "wide on sides of body, narrow in center of back — the crossbands typically have darker margins and lighter lateral centers." Copperhead snakes have a distinctive hourglass-shaped pattern. Females are longer than males, but males are heavier and bulkier. They rely on a diet mostly of rodents, though some species have been known to eat large quantities of insects and amphibians. Their pupils are vertical, like cats' eyes, and their irises are usually orange, tan or reddish-brown. According to The Maryland Zoo, after mating in the fall, the female will store sperm and defer fertilization for months, until she has finished hibernating. Do Rattlesnakes Come Out at Night or During the Day. Live Science is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Hi, I'm Lou. Do we live in a simulation? Visit our corporate site. Copperheads can sometimes be found in wood and sawdust piles, abandoned farm buildings, junkyards and old construction areas. This can happen if you happen to disturb its habitat, or hiding place. Receive mail from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors? In one experiment, researchers at the University of Southern California "injected contortrostatin, a protein found in southern copperhead snake venom, directly into the mammary glands of mice where human breast cancer cells had been injected two weeks earlier," said Frank Markland, a biochemistry professor at USC. Mostly, they get their prey by "sit-and-wait ambush"; however, they sometimes do hunt, using their heat-sensing pits to find prey. They especially like being out on humid, warm nights after rain. "Males may engage in ritual combat (body-shoving contests) when two or more meet in the presence of a receptive female," said Beane. The snakes, which reach sexual maturity at four years of age, live for around 18 years. According to Beane, "this color fades in about a year.". After mating in the spring, females will give birth to "from two to 18 live young in late summer or fall," said Beane. That’s why I set up snakesforpets.com – to answer every question that you could ever have about snakes as pets (and how they survive in the wild.) Immature copperheads have unique, yellow-tipped tails, which they wiggle and use as a lure to attract prey. How Do Snakes Communicate (with Other Snakes and Animals)? The reptiles grow to lengths between two and three feet, although there are records of individuals longer than four feet. I’ve always been fascinated by snakes and reptiles. One of the five subspecies of copperhead, the Osage copperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix phaeogaster) at Tulsa Zoo. Copperhead Snakes a beautiful but dangerous creature, be aware they are there where we live. You will never see a copperhead at any time of day or night between October and March. From there, populations live along the east coast to northern Florida. Female Copperhead snakes give birth to live young which measure around 20 centimetres long. Young copperheads are more grayish in color than adults and possess "bright yellow or greenish yellow tail tips." Copperhead snakes are some of the more commonly seen North American snakes. "Young snakes may sit otherwise motionless, flicking their yellow tail tips," he said. When cicadas are out in full force, copperhead snakes will climb trees to eat the large insects as they emerge. Your email address will not be published. The copperhead is the most common venomous snake in the United States, and it uses its coloration to hide its location extremely well. © 1996-2015 National Geographic Society, © 2015- You are more likely to encounter one entirely by accident. Where Do Copperheads Live? Fortunately, copperhead venom is not very potent. Please refresh the page and try again. While they usually hunt alone, they usually hibernate in communal dens and often return to the same den every year. Not only will this protect the snake from predators, but it enables them to ambush prey. Only two northern white rhinos remain. This means that they prefer to dwell in wooded areas and forests. A copperhead is a species of snake that can swim. They "often seek shelter under surface cover such as boards, sheet metal, logs or large flat rocks," said Beane. By It’s too hot to be active while the sun is beating down, even for the cold-blooded animals. Beane pointed out that young copperheads may exhibit different hunting patterns than adults. However, copperheads are the only kind of snakes with hourglass-shaped markings. Children, the elderly and people with compromised immune systems may have strong reactions to the venom, however, and anyone who is bitten by a copperhead should seek medical attention. The young are born with fangs and venom and may even feed before hibernating for the winter. The varieties of Copperhead that you may encounter include: Southern Copperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix). The venom's protein also impaired the spread of the tumor to the lungs, one site where breast cancer spreads effectively. As a rule, a copperhead will follow its food source, namely rodents and small mammals. The same also applies to very hot summers in other territories. Each sub-breed also has other shades and colors to their bodies. Copperhead venom is hemolytic, meaning it breaks down blood cells. Snakes that live in the desert tend to become nocturnal as an act of self-preservation. In the winter, the animals will den underground, commonly returning to the same spot year after year, and often commune there with other snake species, such as rat snakes and rattlesnakes. Save my name and email in this browser for the next time I comment. Copperheads are semi-aquatic, which means they are also found in coastal regions. Habitat. If a Copperhead doesn’t want to be found, it usually won’t be due to its camouflage. Copperhead snakes are very adaptable and can thrive in a variety of locations. NY 10036. New York, Copperheads will hide out during the day in such climates, and hunt by night instead. Copperhead mating season lasts from February to May and from late August to October, and it can be a dramatic affair. According to Penn State, adult copperheads may eat only 10 or 12 meals per year, depending on the size of their dinners. Required fields are marked *. This snake will hide and bask all day, soaking up the sun’s heat. Scientists confirmed recently the female copperhead was the first evidence of virgin birth in a pit viper snake.