Welcome to our Licking River Adventure Paddle Series.
Throughout this series we will introduce you to things you may encounter along your journey.
Note: you can only access these caches by boat, canoe or kayak.
Copperhead
We didn't see no copperheads but they are through out all of Kentucky. Hopefully and most likely you will not see one of these on your journey
Copperhead Snakes belong to the group of snakes called pit-vipers; Venom from the Copperhead is not as poisonous as people believe, and most bites are not treated with antivenom; Copperhead Snakes are found in 20 states in the US; The Copperhead Snake is viviparous meaning that females give live birth and do not lay eggs; Most venomous snake bites in the USA are from the Copperhead Snake.
The Copperhead Snake (Agkistrodon spp.) was originally named for the copper-like coloration on the dorsal side of its head. The copperhead snake is chestnut colored and has bands that are either almost black or brown. The size of an adult copperhead usually grow to a total length of 50–95 cm (20–37 in), although some may exceed 1 m (3.3 ft). Males are usually larger than females. Juvenile copperhead snakes can be recognized by the yellowish or greenish tip on their tails, and they are more grayish than adults. There is some variability between sub-species. Within its range it occupies a variety of different habitats. In most of North America it favors deciduous forest and mixed woodlands. It is often associated with rock outcroppings and ledges, but is also found in low-lying swampy regions
Young copperheads prey on small reptiles and amphibians such as lizards and frogs. During the first years invertebrates are eaten as a protein rich supplement to the diet. The tail may serve as an attractor to e.g. frogs while the snake is still young; frogs probably believe that the colored tail is an invertebrate. Small mice are also welcomed in the diet of a juvenile copperhead snake.
As they grow older a larger and larger fraction of their diet is small rodents. Especially mice are an important feed source of adult copperheads.
Like most North American viperids, these snakes prefer to avoid humans and, given the opportunity, will leave the area without biting. However, unlike other viperids they will often "freeze" instead of slithering away, and as a result many bites occur from people unknowingly stepping on or near them. This tendency to freeze likely evolved because of the extreme effectiveness of their camouflage. When lying on dead leaves or red clay they can be almost impossible to notice. They will frequently stay still even when approached closely, and will generally strike only if physical contact is made.
Female copperhead snakes are reaches sexual maturity when they are about 4 years old. Males probably also reach maturity around the same age. However, the exact age of when sexual maturity is reached in males remains to be investigated in detail4.
When the snakes emerge from their dens in early winter they begin to seek out females they can mate. The mating season is from February to April and the mating itself lasts from 3 to 8 hours and the transfer of sperm happens when the male everts one of its two sex-organs into the female cloaca. In return the female only mates with one male during a season; luckily the sperm can be stored for many months.
The gestation period is approximately 3. However, it has been reported that snakes can mate i autumn and give birth to young i early spring. In those cases the gestation period is longer.
Although venomous, these snakes are generally non-aggressive and bites are almost never fatal. Copperhead venom has an estimated lethal dose of around 100 mg, and tests on mice show its potency is among the lowest of all pit vipers, and slightly weaker than that of its close relative, the cottonmouth. Copperheads often employ a "warning bite" when stepped on or agitated and inject a relatively small amount of venom, if any at all. "Dry bites" involving no venom are particularly common with the copperhead, though all pit vipers are capable of a dry bite.
Bite symptoms include intense pain, tingling, throbbing, swelling, and severe nausea. Damage can occur to muscle and bone tissue, especially when the bite occurs in the outer extremities such as the hands and feet, areas in which there is not a large muscle mass to absorb the venom. A bite from any venomous snake should be taken very seriously and immediate medical attention sought, as allergic reaction and secondary infection are always possible.