Copper Head Snake

Common Name:

Australian Copper Head




Closely related to/Family tree:

Kingdom:

Animalia

Phylum:

Chordata

Class:

Reptilia

Order:

Squamata

Family:

Elapidae

Genus:

Austrelaps

Species:

XX




There are 3 species of Austrelaps (Copper Heads), all of which live at least in-part of Victoria.





1. Pygmy Copper Head (A. Labialis)
2. Lowland Copper Head (A. Superbus)
3. Highland Copper Head (A. Ramsayi)







Appearance:

The Australian Copper Heads (despite the name) are quite rarely a copper colour. They can come in a variety of colours and shades, from coppery brown, dark yellow and red to grey and black.

Their jaw width is only slightly larger than the rest of their body, so their head joins almost seamlessly to the body.

The three distinct species come in at quite varied lengths, the smallest of which is only 60cm long and the largest is almost triple that length at 175cm!

A group is called:


A pit, nest or den of snakes!

(Some species of snake have specific collective nouns, but these sadly do not.)




Status:

Range:

Habitat:
Australian Copper Heads love to live close to and in water and as such can be found in a lot of different environments including, but not limited to; Woodlands, sclerophyll forests, grasslands and swamps.
They are quite well adjusted to cooler climates, unlike most snakes, and will be found active long after other snakes have become dormant and wake up much earlier than other snakes after winter.







Feeding style:

Ozzie Copper Heads aren't picky eaters and will eat whatever they can get their mouth around, including; snakes, lizards, small mammals and invertebrates. But frogs and tadpoles are a very common food source for them.
They are so good at catching and eating prey, that other snake species are not often found in the same area, either from being out competed or simply eaten.

Ie: If you've got a lot of frogs, you've got a lot of copper heads and not many other snakes.







Predators:

Domestic and feral cats are major hunters of these guys, but they may also end up as a meal for some owls and hawks.







Mating and Birth:

These boys are ovoviviparous! Meaning they don't lay eggs but also that they don't have a placenta. As a kind of in between method, they allow their eggs to grow inside the mother until they are ready to hatch, then they are given birth as live young. Ozzie copperheads get in "The Mood" in August-October (Ozzie Spring).

The males have to fend off other males once they have found a female. Like most animals, they will have a little tussle to find out who is stronger and therefore more deserving. For snakes, it's a little weirder than you'd think. Snake males will entwine their bodies and use their heads to try and force the others head down. The winner being the one who can keep their head up the highest and longest. Australian copper heads however will only entwine their bodies and use twisting moves to bring their opponents head down. Once there is a winner and the female is accepting, it only takes 3-4 months before she will have around 14 snakelets in February (Late Ozzie summer).

Habits/behaviours:

Being an ectotherm, these guys like to move about and hunt during the day when the suns is out and warm. But when summer comes around, they like to switch it up and hunt at night. This is for several reasons;
1. It's still warm enough for them to have energy.
2. They are a lot harder to spot in the dark with their dark colours, so not only can they sneak up on prey easier, but it is also harder for prey to spot them.

They are not an aggressive species of snake and human bite incidences have been few, and would rather run away and hide than fight but, like all creatures, if it is cornered, hurt or feels threatened, it will attack.

Their venom, according to Australian standards, is only moderately toxic. This being said, is still more than strong enough to kill a healthy adult human if the bite isn't treated.

There isn't a specific antivenom for Copper Heads, but Tiger snake antivenom can be used effectively.







Cool tricks:

The Lowland Copper Head is one of only 3 snake species found in Tasmania. (Compared to around 18 in Victoria)

Common Name:

American Copper Head




Closely related to/Family tree:

Kingdom:

Animalia

Phylum:

Chordata

Class:

Reptilia

Order:

Squamata

Family:

Viperidae

Genus:

Agkistrodon

Species:

XX




There are 8 species of Agkistrodon, only two of which go by the common name 'Copper Head'.




1. Copper Head (A. Contortrix)
2. Broad-banded Copper Head (A. Laticinctus)







Appearance:

The American Copper Head has a tan/light brown colouring that darkens from the belly to the back, covered in patches of light tan/brown patches that get darker towards the edges. Their head broadens at the jaw to make it quite distinguishable from the rest of their body.

Coming in at between 0.5 - 1m in length with the males generally larger than the females.

A group is called:

A pit, nest or den of snakes!

(Some species of snake have specific collective nouns, but these sadly do not.)




Status:

Range:

Habitat:


The American Copper Head calls deciduous forests home. With floors well covered in leaf litter and plant debris, it makes it very easy for them to blend in.Preferring places more isolated from humans and with a permanent - semipermanent water source.







Feeding style:

They are ambush predators, hunting in the dark of night. Their mottled pattern is even harder to distinguish in the dark, giving them the perfect cover to lay low and wait for their prey to come to them. 

Being Pit Vipers, they have heat receptors between their eyes and nostrils which can detect living things around them even in pitch black. This makes it very tricky for their prey (Rodents, Reptiles, Birds and Insects) to hide. 

They use their fangs for a quick delivery of lethal venom into their prey.








Predators:

Owls, Hawks, Opossums and Raccoons often make a good meal out of American Copper Heads. This is if they can spot them in their well camouflaged environment.








Mating and Birth:

These gals are ovoviviparous! This means that they don't lay eggs but also that they don't have a placenta. As a kind of in between method, they allow their eggs to grow inside the mother until they are ready to hatch, then they are given birth as live young. Giving birth to around 8 snakelets in late September (or early American Fall)

The snakelets are capable of capturing their own food straight away and will go off on their own great adventure within a few hours of being born. After 3-4 years, both the males and females are considered mature and can have their own offspring. With an expected life span of about 18 years in the wild, their childhood is significant.

The males will track down a female when the time is right by smelling the air with his tongue, hopefully picking up on pheromones from a female. Once the female has finally been found, the male has to defend her honour by fighting off other males. 

Snakes don't know how to sword fight or joust, so their 'fighting' is a little... weirder.

They decide the winner by who can hold their head up the longest. 

Raising the front half of their bodies, the fight begins. They employ many tactics to ensure the other male loses. They will entwine bodies, swing into each other, bite and twirl. Obviously these are all good indicators of a good father.

The loser wriggles away while the victor prepares for round 2: Fighting the female.

Both snakes raise the front half of their bodies again, however this time it's a tickle fight. The male has to try and rub his head over the back of the females head, flicking his tongue as he does. If he is successful, both snakes will relax their upper halves and the female will raise her tail as a good measure of invitation.

Gestation then occurs over the next 3-5 months.







Habits/behaviours:

The American Copper Head is a nocturnal species that relies heavily on its camouflage for both hunting and defence.


Most Viper species tend to quickly slither away under a bush when a noisy human gets too close for comfort, however these girls trust in their camouflage and will freeze still, no matter how close the threat comes.


 They tend to only lash out at a threat if physical contact is made. So if you're walking in a leafy forest in Fall in America, make sure to keep an eye out! 
 Because that 'stick' won't move until you step on it and it bites you.

They are venomous snakes however it is quite rare for them to use their venom for anything but catching prey. When defending themselves, they will often give a 'Dry Bite' where no venom is injected, or give only a small amount of venom.


Their venom is some of the weakest of all snakes in their family (Vipers), so all their brothers and sisters pick on them.

Luckily for humans, this means getting a bite from one isn't usually very serious. If antivenom is needed, there isn't a specific type available, however the antivenom of one of their close relatives (Cottonmouth snakes) works perfectly well.







Cool tricks:

Juvenile American Copper Heads have bright tails that they use for 'Caudal Luring'. Using it to attract prey items for an easy meal.

American Copper Heads know how to shake their booty! They have the fastest tale vibration of any non-rattle snake, up to 40 vibrations per second!

The name Agkistrodon Contortrix translates to Complex hooked tooth, referring both to its intricate patterning and to its fangs.

A compound in their venom stops cancer cell growth and prevents tumours from spreading. This has only been tested in mice and needs further testing to before it is applied to humans.

Opossums and Kingsnakes have been reported to be immune to their venom, leaving them with camouflage as their only defence.

Copper Heads are responsible for the most snake bites given to humans in the USA each year. This is because despite their reluctance to actually bite, they are so widespread that encountering one is a pretty common occurence.