Reptiles · Squamata · Viperidae

Copperhead

Agkistrodon contortrix

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

It is the snake responsible for the greatest number of recorded bites in the United States, largely through its excellent camouflage: rather than flee it prefers to stay still, so people tread on it by accident.

Weight

950 g on average

Size

60 cm – 95 cm

Lifespan

7 years

Diet

Carnivore

Feeds mainly on other animals.

Activity

Irregular activity

Active at irregular times, by day or night depending on circumstances.

Social structure

Solitary

Lives and hunts alone, joining others only to breed.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

Temperate forestCarnivore Variable activity Solitary Reptile Temperate forest

2countries 14parks22same family

Fun facts

It accounts for more recorded bites than any other snake in the United States.
It would rather stay still than flee when threatened.
It is born live and already fully venomous, with no external egg.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (reptile)
Habitat & environment: Mixed woodland, rocky ground and suburbs of the eastern and central United States and northern Mexico
Birth weight: 10.6 grams; 20.6 cm long (born live, ovoviviparous)
Size at birth: 20.6 cm long at birth, already fully functional and venomous
Sexual maturity: 3-4 years
Gestation / incubation: ~83 days
Litter / clutch size: 1 to 21 young per litter (most commonly 4-8)
Lifespan in captivity: Documented record of up to 20-29 years in captivity