Copperhead snake

Description:

The color pattern of these snakes consists of a pale tan to pinkish tan ground color that becomes darker towards the midline, overlaid with a series of 10–18 (13.4) crossbands. They can grow up to a meter in length (3.3 ft). Like most North American viperids, these snakes prefer to avoid humans and, given the opportunity, will leave the area without biting. However, unlike other viperids they will often "freeze" instead of slithering away, and as a result many bites occur from people unknowingly stepping on or near them. According to NC State University, “North Carolina has the dubious distinction of the most venomous snake bites of any state in the U.S. Many of these bites could be prevented by avoiding the snake instead of trying to kill it or pick it up….Copperheads bite more people in most years than any other U.S. species, but they also have the mildest venom.” [http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/gaston/Pests/reptiles/copperhead.htm] Some of my neighbors kill them on sight; I’m not fond of these snakes, so I just don’t go near them.

Habitat:

Seen on a street in my neighborhood; unfortunately for the snake, it had been driven over by a car.

Notes:

Our neighborhood has many copperheads and my neighbor was bitten by a couple years when he put his arms around a tree to mark it for removal. It was a real surprise as these snakes are usually on the ground. He attested to the fact that the bite is extremely painful (and he was able to get to the hospital quickly, quite fortunately). One of my three cats is an outdoor cat and was bitten for the second time by a copperhead this year. His leg did not swell up completely as it had some years ago; the vet said it was because only one fang had penetrated. Small cats suffer pain from these bites, too, but they tolerate the bites better than humans according to the vet.