While it’s blotches can look very similar to the back pattern of a copperhead at first glance, a little bit of a study shows they’re not hourglass in shape at all. Also often referred to as a “red rat snake” in some regions, the corn snake is very brightly colored snake that is redder than the copperhead. Which Snakes Look Like Copperheads?Ĭommon copperhead look-a-like the corn snake.Įspecially for people with minor color blindness, it can be easy to mistake the color of the reddish brown or rust corn snakes for the tan, light brown, copper/rust colored copperheads. The hour glasses tend to be the most solid near the middle of the body, but the sides should always be clearly thicker than the middle – hence the stem or “hour glass” look. The hour glass pattern can look like a Hershey’s Kiss candy from the side, and they don’t always have to connect, the patterns can be broken up. Triangular heads almost always are a give away of a pit viper (although the hog snake has a weird defense mechanism where it can puff up the head that can make it look somewhat similar), and if you see actual fangs, that’s a copperhead…and you’re almost certainly standing way too close to an agitated snake. There are also a few other dead giveaways. Since the classic “hour glass” identification isn’t always 100% perfect (or connected) it’s good to see several examples.Įven early on, that pattern is still very present on young copperhead snakes and will only continue to darken and form as they age and grow. This picture also shows a pretty good “hour glass” that is really thin in the middle and looks a little different but is still easy to identify. Notice the yellow tail on this one – a clear indication that this is a young copperhead that is less than a year old. This is a young venomous copperhead snake, and a lighter shade than what most people think of when it comes to copper, tan, brown, etc. If you see a bright yellow tail, give the snake plenty of space because that’s a major tell-tale sign of a young (under one year old) copperhead.Ī really good picture of this is the one off to the right here. There are some sub-species that can have a more grayish tint, and very young copperheads will often have very bright yellow tails that should act as an immediate red flag. Regional variances occur, but the base look of most copperheads will be the same most of the time: copper, tan, brown, rust – with especially dark hour glass blotches down the body. While this is a solid base of similar colors, they can vary a bit into grays and young baby copperhead snakes often even have yellow or yellowish tails. That can easily cause confusion, especially when there are local variations in shade of color or you have individuals who are mildly color blind – that definitely throws a wrench in identification! True to their name, generally copperheads are a combination of various shades of deep copper and tan, a combination that is insanely good for camouflage but is also copied by many other snakes sharing their habitat. You can see the hour glass and/or Hershey Kisses marks clearly here. So how can you tell actual copperhead pit vipers from non-venomous water snakes that often have similar patterns? Read on to find out! Those bites still require medical treatment and those medical bills (even with insurance) can be five figures or more.Ĭopperheads are known for blending in, and there are several look-alike snakes that are often mistaken for the venomous version because of similar patterns and coloring – which is a beneficial survival mechanism to non-venomous snakes. If you live in an area with copperheads, that means being able to identify them quickly, as well as the multiple non-venomous snakes that often look like copperheads.īites from a copperhead are the least likely venomous snake bites to kill a healthy adult, but they are also the most likely to strike. snakes to bite a human) versus those many copies. ![]() This includes learning how to identify copperheads (the most likely venomous U.S. While the far majority of snakes are perfectly harmless, and even most of the venomous ones would rather be left alone and run away at the first sight of a person, snake bites do happen and you want to make sure you understand potential dangers in your area. ![]() Spring is right around the corner, or if you’re in a state like Iowa you enjoyed two weeks of it before 3rd winter showed up for a week, and that means aside from yourself plenty of wildlife is also making its way back out. This closeup shows how easily copperheads can blend into their natural habitat.
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