The juvenile eastern ratsnake is the most common snake that is mistaken for a copperhead. The eastern ratsnake has a gray or brown pattern on its body. This pattern is often mistaken for copperheads, but it is actually the result of a genetic mutation that causes the rat snake to have a black spot on the back of its head. Ratsnake is one of the most venomous snakes in North America.
It has been known to kill people in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Central and South America, as well as in Europe and Asia. The venom of this snake is extremely potent and can cause severe pain and even death if it enters the body through a puncture wound. In addition to the venom, the ratsnakes can also inject a neurotoxin into the central nervous system, which can lead to paralysis and death.
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How can you tell a rat snake from a copperhead?
Copperheads have large, triangular shaped heads and stocky bodies with thin tails, while Rat Snakes have large, triangular shaped heads and stocky bodies with thin tails. Their eyes have vertical pupils that are very thin. Rat snakes are not pit vipers. They have long, slender tails that are tipped with sharp spines.
Snakes can grow up to 3 feet in length and weigh as much as 1,000 pounds. The average rat snake has a body length of about 4 feet and a tail that is about 2 feet long.
How poisonous is a copperhead?
The eastern and central United States have a common species of venomous snake called the North American copperhead.
Children, the elderly, and people with compromised immune systems are at the greatest risk of being bitten. below)
- The most common symptoms of a snakebite are nausea
- Vomiting
- Headache
- Muscle aches
- Fever
- Chills
- Dizziness
- Weakness
- Numbness
- Tingling
loss of appetite
or weakness in one or both arms or legs.
Most people recover within a few days, but some people may require hospitalization for a week or more.
What to do if you see a copperhead in your yard?
If you see a copperhead or any poisonous snake in your yard, gather up the kids and pets and retreat to the house immediately!. Do not attempt to kill it on your own. The local fire department or animal control may be able to remove the snake from your property.
What to do if you see a copperhead?
If you do see a copperhead, leave it alone or call a professional to relocate the snake to a safer place. You increase your chance of getting bitten by the venomous snake if you try to kill it.
What time of day are copperheads most active?
They are active during the cooler evening hours during the summer. During their most active months, Southern copperheads eat one single meal every three weeks. During this time, copperheads sometimes nest with other snake species.
They have the largest venom glands of any snake, and can inject up to 1,000 milligrams of venom into a human being in a single bite. Their venom is highly neurotoxic, which means that it is capable of causing brain damage and death in humans.
The venom of the southern copperhead is also highly toxic to other animals, such as birds, fish, amphibians, reptiles and mammals.
Do copperheads come out at night?
During the day in the spring and fall, copperheads are usually out and about, but during the summer they become nocturnal. They enjoy being out on warm nights. (ODNR) lists copperhead as one of the most dangerous snakes in Ohio.
It is listed as a “threatened species” under the state’s Endangered Species Act (ESA) and is considered a species of special concern by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). Copperheads can be found in all of Ohio’s counties, except for Cuyahoga County, which does not have a population of this species.
Copperhead are also found throughout the Great Lakes region, including Lake Erie, Lake Michigan, and Lake Huron.
How do you keep copperheads away?
Remove piles of leaf debris, rocks, and trash from around the home to eliminate harborage areas of both the copperhead snakes and/or their food source. Tall grasses and vegetation should be removed from the home. Keep bushes clear of debris by trimming them.
Keep the snakes away from your pets by using snake repellants around the house and in the yard. If you have a snake problem, you may want to contact a professional snake control company.
What happens when you are bitten by a copperhead?
Redness, swelling, bruising, bleeding or blistering around the bite. It can be nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea. In extreme cases, breathing may stop because of labored breathing. If you think you may have been bitten by a venomous snake, call your doctor or poison control center right away.
Where do copperheads live?
The habitats of copperheads include rocky, forested hillsides and wetlands. They are known to occupy abandoned and rotting wood piles, construction sites and industrial sites. The copperhead is one of the most venomous snakes in North America. Copperheads have a venom that can cause severe pain, swelling, paralysis, and death within minutes of being bitten.
What animal kills copperheads?
The copperhead’s main predators are the owls and hawks. The snakes may also be preyed on by animals. In the wild, copperheads have been known to attack humans, but in captivity, they are rarely seen attacking humans. In fact, the only known attack on a human in the U.S. was by a man who was bitten while trying to catch a rattlesnake.
