What Does A Copperhead (snake) Look Like?

Agkistrodon contortrix is a species of venomous snake found in North America, a member of the Crotalinae (pit viper) subfamily. Common names for the species include Copperhead and moccasin.
Adults usually grow to a total length of 50-95 cm, although some may exceed 1 m. Males are usually larger than females. The maximum length reported for this species is 134.6 cm. Brimley 1944 mentions a specimen of A. C. Mokasen from Chapel Hill, North Carolina, that was 137.2 cm, but this may have been an approximation.

The body is relatively stout and the head is broad and distinct from the neck. Because the snout slopes down and back, it appears less blunt than that of the cottonmouth, A. Piscivorus. Consequently, the top of the head extends further forward than the mouth.

The scalation includes 21-25, usually 23, rows of dorsal scales at mid-body, 138-157 ventral scales in both sexes and 38-62/37-57 subcaudal scales in males/females. The subcaudals are usually single, but the percentage decreases from the northeast, where about 80% are undivided, to the southwest of the geographic range where as little as 50% may be undivided. On the head there are usually 9 large symmetrical plates, 6-10 supralabial scales and 8-13 sublabial scales.

The color pattern consists of a pale tan to pinkish tan ground color that becomes darker towards the midline, overlaid with a series of 10-18 crossbands. Characteristically, both the ground color and crossband pattern are pale in A. C. Contortrix. These crossbands are light tan to pinkish tan to pale brown in the center, but darker towards the edges. They are about 2 scales wide or less at the midline of the back, but expand to a width of 6-10 scales on the sides of the body. They do not extend down to the ventral scales. It is common for the crossbands are divided at the midline and alternate on either side of the body, with some individuals even having more half bands than complete ones. A series of dark brown spots is also present on the flanks, next to the belly, and are largest and darkest in the spaces between the crossbands. The belly is the same color as the ground color, but may be a little whitish in part. At the base of the tail there are 1-3 brown crossbands followed by a gray area.

Show a picture of a copperhead snake

Here is a picture of a copperhead snake.

Appearance
The Northern Copperhead Snake has a stocky body that may be copper, orange or pinkish in color. Dark, chestnut-colored bands cross the body, breaking the color pattern into alternating bands of darker and lighter color. Young copperheads are lighter in color than the adults, and they have a yellow-tipped tail that they often flick. WARNING: This snake is venomous.

Here is a picture of a copperhead. Click on it to enlarge the picture.

The spots on its back you can tell because a copperhead has an hourglass figure going from left to right or the opposite

Your wondering what a copper head snake looks like by what ive seen they are a golden yellowey colour on the head and the golden yellowey is a darker bronze or gold.

Often their patterns show a diamond between bands on the back.   Very poisonous, young snakes release more venom and their bites are worse, where adults ration their venom for multiple strikes.  Very painful bite, instant swelling, if you are bitten , go straight to hospital, do not delay.    CoPPer heads are mean snakes.

Copperheads are one of the most poisonous snakes when it bites. They can be identified by the triangle head and copper bands merged with white and brownish color bands. Copperhead's eyes look like cat eyes. Their head is wider as compare to normal snake. Mature snakes can be 2 to 3 feet long. Baby copperheads look like grown up adult snakes but have yellow colored tails. A copperhead den in the winter is in rock ledge where they can crawl into the hill in order to stay warm.

Copperhead snakes are likely found in high grass, trash and vines. They freeze when danger is near so it is easy to step on them. They only attack when they left with no other option. Their bite is very painful and may damage the tissue if not treated on time.

Some common symptoms of copperheads bite include puncture marks, fang marks, swelling and redness near the bite, sweating, vomiting, nausea and pain near the bite. The majority bites are extremely hurting within 5-10 minutes and after that start swelling.

The black snake myth is not a myth, it is a case of mistaken identity. The timber rattlesnake looks as though it is composed of a copperhead's head and forward half, where it begins to fade to almost solid black. If you look closely it is the same pattern as the front half, just as a dark gray on black, but don't look too close! If it doesn't see you and doesn't use its rattle, then you would definitely think it was some kind of freak copperhead. IF IT DOESN'T SEE YOU, BACK UP, TURN AROUND, AND WALK THE OTHER WAY. Startling a rattlesnake could mean death, as it will inject a severe amount of venom. Usually they will watch you approach and shake their rattle if you get close enough for them to bite. This is meant to confuse you. If you hear its rattle then the snake already has the upper hand and the option to strike. Its tail will be pointed towards you, keeping distance between you and it. If there is any brush present, you will not see the body only the tip of the tail with the black acting as camouflage against the dirt. You will stare at this strange survival mechanism thinking "what the hell is that, some kind of locust?" Meanwhile, the snake already knows where on your body it is going to strike if you get any closer, so back up!

Also I would like to note that young copperheads seem to imitate rattlesnake color patterns and older ones shake their tail before they bite (but have no rattle). The young are a lot less poisonous and it was probably a baby that bit the other poster's wife. Babies just lay there all day in lightly shaded areas pretending to be twigs, waiting for something to come near enough to bite with their short, thin, flexible fangs. A gardeners nightmare! They seem to prefer the edge of the forest, probably to ambush little critters on their way in or out. The adults like heavily shaded areas and will come out in the morning to hunt, retreating back to the shade as the day heats up. That is why you often find them in your house before noon.

Bottom line: Unidentified snakes are VERY VERY dangerous. Stay away. Run screaming like a little girl if you have to. Unless of course you want a balloon for a leg (or even worse, a peg!)

Copperheads are calm snakes that do not normally strike unless they feel threatened. Their normal adult size is in the 2-3 foot range, and their venom is very mild compared to the other north american pitvipers.

The best course of action if you happen to encounter one is leave it alone. Most people are bitten while trying to catch them or kill them.

Almost like a Diamond back rattle snake .