Red against black, safe for Mack. Red against yellow, can kill a fellow.
Generations of children have been taught some version of this rhyme to help them remember the difference between a potentially deadly, venomous snake and other colorful but non-venomous snakes like Corn Snakes.
Corn Snakes have red and orange bands of color with dark spots on the ridge of their spines. These dark spots dont extend down their sides.
Copperheads have pinkish-colored scales and spots on their spines.
Distinguishing Copperheads from harmless corn snakes depends on your ability to recognize patterns, not just color.
Before I go into detail about the differences between a copperhead and corn snake, there is something you should know:
Corn snakes are non-venomous but copperhead snakes are venomous. The venom from the copperhead snake is not fatal, but it is more potent.
There Are Differences Between Copperheads, Corn Snakes And Copperheads
For those rare occasions decisive action is necessary, here are five ways to distinguish potentially deadly Copperheads from friendly Corn Snakes.
Length
Corn Snakes grow longer than Copperheads.
Corn Snakes can be found 24 to 183cm (60 to 180cm) in length, while Copperheads are between 30 and 135cm (76 to 135cm).
Weight
Corn Snakes weigh more than Copperheads.
An adult Corn Snake weighs 936 grams (935g). An adult Copperhead weighs 4 to 198 grams (112 to 196 grams).
Longevity
Both Corn Snakes and Copperheads live long enough that you may see the same snake in your backyard or along the trail again and again over a period of years.
Copperheads, on the other hand, can live up to 15 to 29 years if they are able to survive adulthood. Corn Snakes can live to 23 years if they survive.
Reproduction
Corn Snakes can be oviparous. They lay eggs.
If you find snake eggs, they arent Copperheads, because Copperheads are viviparous. They give birth to live baby snakes.
Danger To People
Corn snakes arent venomous, but they will defend themselves when they feel threatened.
They can strike a person or animal as far as half their body length away in a swift, painful bite.
Corn snake bites are most common when you approach their nest at dawn or dusk. Corn Snake bites need to be treated to prevent infection, but they do not require anti-venom.
To determine if it was a Corn Snake, however, you must go through the steps below for Copperhead identification.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, approximately 4,500 Americans are bitten each year by Copperheads in America.
More people in the United States are bitten by Copperheads than by any other poisonous snake, even Rattlesnakes.
Copper heads are poisonous, but their venom is not very potent and wont be fatal.
Most bites happen when someone accidentally steps on them, or like my three-year old brother, picks them up.
Copperheads bite most commonly on the arms, hands, and feet. Victims are usually young children or inebriated adults who pick up the copperheads.
A full-grown Copperhead can cause severe pain, swelling, nausea and vomiting.
These effects are worse in people who have consumed alcohol before being bitten by the snake.
Copperhead bites can be very painful but only 1 in 10,000 Copperheads will cause death.
Only infants, the elderly, and people who already have other serious health conditions are at risk of death from a copperhead bite.
Children, teens, and young adults may need anti-venom to limit pain and tissue damage.
A bite from an adult Copperhead is a different matter. Adults who are bitten by Copperheads typically miss two to six weeks of work.
If the bite is not treated with anti-venom in an ER, the affected limb may be swollen for months or years.
It is not difficult to distinguish between an adult Copperhead and a Corn Snake.
Corn Snakes can grow to be larger and more long. If you are bitten by a snake that is 4 or 1.5 m long it wasnt a Copperhead. It can be difficult to identify baby Copperheads.
How Do You Identify Baby Copperheads?
The only thing that makes Baby Copperheads useful in the wild is their ability to bite.
This makes them especially aggressive when they are disturbed or threatened.
Newborn Copperheads do not, as some myths in circulation suggest, have more venom than adults. They have less.
But they have the ability to meter their venom to inject more into larger targets.
Your family members and you are more likely to be targeted than your pets and cats.
These are seven ways you can tell the difference between Copperheads and other snakes.
Look For An Hourglass Pattern
Baby Copperheads have pale, pinkish skin and a copper-colored head, which is how they get their name.
Baby Copperhead Snake
They also have dark, brown markings that look like hourglasses. These markings are kept by them throughout their lives.
The hourglass pattern on a Copperhead is thin at the ridge of its spine and widens around the sides of its body.
This pattern looks almost like a pair of hourglasses when you look down at a Copperhead. It looks almost like a row Hershey’s kisses when you look at it from the side.
Look For A Bright Yellow Or Green Tip On The Tail
Young Copperheads have brightly colored yellow or green tips on their tails.
They expose just the tip of their tails to easy view while keeping the rest of their bodies hidden, ready to strike.
Their tails serve as a lure to the animals they eat.
When a Copperhead is about a year old, the tip of its tail will turn black or dark brown.
Look For Pits On The Sides Of The Copperheads Face
Like other pit vipers and copperheads, they have sensors on both their faces, between their nostrils and their eyes.
These facial pits help them detect food animals by their heat signature.
Copperheads and other snakes are blind. They can’t see their prey by looking at motion.
They detect other animals-including humans-by infrared detection.
To see the pits on a baby Copperhead’s face, you must get close enough to it. You are not safe if you can see the pits from the baby Copperhead’s side.
Look For Slitted Pupils
Copperheads dont have round pupils. Their pupils look like slits running up and down their eyes that look something like the pupils in the eyes of a cat.
The majority of non-venomous snakes are characterized by round pupils.
Most Copperheads have golden eyes with a thin, black vertical slit. You are better off observing them in a photograph than in person.
Look For A Short But Thick Body Type
Although they may only be 18 cm (17-18 cm) long when they are born, Copperhead babies grow thicker as they find prey and become longer.
An adult Copperhead that is 61 cm (60 cm) long will be about as thick as the circle made when you touch your thumb and forefinger together.
But do not measure the thickness of an adult Copperheads body with this method.
Look For Keeled Scales
Copperheads, like most poisonous snakes, have keeled scales. These triangular scales form a ridge at the center.
These scales give the snake’s body a rough texture.
You should immediately take evasive steps if you feel the snake’s scales are rough.
Look For The Scutes Behind The Vent
Snakes can also urinate through an opening called a vent.
Their underbelly is covered in long lines of scales called scutes. The scutes of non-venomous snakes split at the vent and look like a zipper.
Copperheads and other venomous snakes have the scutes continue in one straight line behind the vent.
Although this is a sure-fire way to identify a baby Copperhead, you should leave it to the experts.
Other Snakes That Are Easily Confused With Copperheads
Over 130 types of snakes are found in North America. Many snakes are confused with Copperheads.
Here’s a list.
Eastern Hognoses have a distinctive upturned snout. They come in many different colors but not with the uniform hourglass pattern found in Copperheads.
Juvenile Eastern Rat Snakes come in gray or black. They have large spots over their spines, but not in an hourglass pattern like Copperheads.
Juvenile Black Racers are hard to distinguish from Juvenile Eastern Rat Snakes. They have a darker gray base, unlike the pinkish base of a Copperheads scale, and brownish spots, also not in an hourglass formation.
Northern Water Snakes might have broken color bands. Their bands get narrower on the sides instead of wider
Juvenile Mole King Snakes have tan or gray base color with reddish-brown spots on their spines. The adult Mole King Snakes are nearly entirely brown.
Here are some tips to keep Copperheads out of your yard.
How To Safely Remove A Copperhead From Your Yard
Although my mother might disagree, its not always necessary to kill a Copperhead to keep it out of your yard.
If the Copperhead is near the edge of your yard, it most likely will slither away without any need of intervention from you.
You just need to make sure that it doesn’t get to the area where pets or children play, or people gather on the deck.
The Copperhead is likely to be just passing through. Most snakes will just be passing through.
However, if it needs to be moved, or you feel more comfortable knowing the snake isnt near your yard follow the steps below.
But if the Copperhead needs to be moved, or you would just feel more comfortable if it was moved, here is what to do.
Use A Hook
It is a good idea to get a snake hook if you live near Copperheads and other venomous snakes.
Snake hooks must be at least 0.9m (roughly a meter long) in order to avoid getting too close to the snake.
Place the pointed end of the baby Copperhead underneath it to remove it.
Lift the snake quicklyso it is unable to slither away. By gently vibrating the snake, you can get it to grab the hook.
Place the snake in a large container with a lid. Then, move it to a better location.
You may need to grab the snake if it keeps trying to escape the hook.
You May Also Need To Grab (clamp!) A Stick
Grab sticks, also called clamp sticks, can be used to hold snakes.
Grab sticks work the same way trash grabbers work, only they have a more snake-friendly clamp. The handle is attached to a pulley that is attached to the clamp.
To use a grab stick:
- Slide the clamp’s lower arm under the Copperheads body.
- Close the clamp around the snake slowly but firmly.
- To avoid causing injury to the snake’s back or ribs, don’t press the clamp too hard or too fast.
- Once you have secured the Copperhead, you can put in a bucket with a secure lid for safe relocation.
What Do You Do If Your Hook Or Grab Stick Is Broken?
Sometimes you may need to relocate Copperheads when you don’t have a snake hook, grab stick or other tools.
You can also grab the snake using a shovel to get it into a trash can. The lid should be closed quickly and securely.
Then release the snake, protecting yourself with the shovel, until you tip over the garbage can (pointed away from you) to let the Copperhead out.
You can also sweep a Copperhead into a garbage can with an attached flip lid with a broom. Keep 0.9 m (1 meter) distance between you and the snake at all times.
There Are Signs That A Copperhead Is About Bite
Anytime a Copperhead becomes stressed, it may bite.
Here are some signs a Copperhead is feeling threatened:
- Copperhead has wrapped itself in a coil with its head in it.
- The Copperhead tries to slip away repeatedly.
- Copperheads are heard hissing through their mouths.
- Copperheads musk, and release a foul-smelling liquid.
Any or all of these behaviors are warning signs the snake is about to bite. Before you attempt to move the snake, give it some time to calm down.
Copperheads Out Of Your Yard
It is easy to stop Copperheads ever entering your yard.
Keep your grass cut.
Snakes dont like to be seen. They prefer to move through tall grass or underbrush without detection.
You are much less likely to encounter any Copperheads or other snakes if you keep up with your mowing.
To make your yard snake-proof:
- Fill in any holes or cracks in the foundation of your house where snakes could find shelter.
- Rake leaves and shred them for composting. Do not just pile them up.
- Your firewood should be stored at least 0.6m (60 cm) above the ground.
- Avoid allowing underbrush to grow around shrubs. Use mulch, not pine straw or hay for weed control and moisture retention.
You can also surround your yard with snake fencing, but be forewarned that snake fences arent foolproof.
Avoid trapping, as they can be inhumane and cause severe discomfort to the snake.
Copperhead bites usually arent fatal, although they are painful. They can take weeks or months of treatment for recovery.
Simple measures that keep Copperheads in a habitat other than your yard are best.
Those protective measures also keep Corn Snakes out of your yard, of course.
If you are afraid of venomous snakes, it is best to keep them out of your yard.
Let Corn Snakes and Copperheads perform their roles in maintaining the ecological balance in habitats that are safe for them.
