# copperhead venom



## snakekeeper (Oct 29, 2008)

A friend of mine has got a copperhead and tonight was trying to convince me, or more like himself, that the venom from a copperhead isn't that potent and a bite wouldn't be fatal. Now I know copperheads and I know that their venom is potent enough to do some serious damage. My question here is the following: Are there any other types of copperheads which are less dangerous?


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## SiUK (Feb 15, 2007)

copperheads are not to be underated, deaths are unlikely but do happen, you can loose a finger from a bite, and just because they are not generally considered fatal doesnt mean you wont be in a whole world of pain, its gonna mess up your week, or he could have an Australian copperhead but thats a whole nother story......:lol2:


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## khaostim666 (Apr 29, 2009)

i dont see the atraction in venomus snakes, its like buying a shark insted of a gold fish


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## iXXo (Mar 8, 2009)

Exactly...whats interesting about a goldfish? lol


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## HABU (Mar 21, 2007)

a copperhead will rock your world...


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## khaostim666 (Apr 29, 2009)

hahaha u know what i mean, theres no point in putting your self at risk


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## tengalms (Feb 5, 2008)

khaostim666 said:


> i dont see the atraction in venomus snakes, its like buying a shark insted of a gold fish


Slight difference,you would need one hell of a goldfish bowl !!!.

Roy.


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## wildlifewarrior (Jun 26, 2008)

khaostim666 said:


> i dont see the atraction in venomus snakes, its like buying a shark insted of a gold fish


3 things


1. weather you agree or not about keeping venomous snakes, you should still respect those that do and not disrespect this part of the reptile hobby

2. if your sensiable and know what your doing like majority of the DWA keepers do on here then you arent excalty putting your self at risk.
Its about doing what you love and keeping them correctly while advoid being biten, rather than risk taking.


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## Cheeky-x (Feb 2, 2009)

wildlifewarrior said:


> 3 things
> 
> 
> 1. weather you agree or not about keeping venomous snakes, you should still respect those that do and not disrespect this part of the reptile hobby
> ...


That was 2 things :whistling2::Na_Na_Na_Na: 
But i agree, i wouldnt ever be able to keep them personally (or wouldnt keep them) but i have respect and mainly admiration for the people that do, they are amazing creatures.


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## Owzy (Jan 19, 2009)

khaostim666 said:


> i dont see the atraction in venomus snakes, its like buying a shark insted of a gold fish


???????


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## lizard queen (Jul 8, 2007)

but back to the point....
if your talking about the american copperheads, ie Agkistrodon contortrix there are 4 sub species, but their venoms are pretty similar in their actions. They are considered to be non fatal, but you can have an allergic reaction from them which has been known to kill the odd person  I do know people that have been bitten, and have not gone to the hospital though (i like to call them idiots) and they say its just incredibly painful. 
so are there any copperheads which are less dangerous? there are few venomous snakes which are less dangerous than your average copperhead, so i'd so no!


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## pythondave82 (Nov 14, 2007)

lizard queen said:


> but back to the point....
> if your talking about the american copperheads, ie Agkistrodon contortrix there are 4 sub species, but their venoms are pretty similar in their actions. They are considered to be non fatal, but you can have an allergic reaction from them which has been known to kill the odd person  I do know people that have been bitten, and have not gone to the hospital though (i like to call them idiots) and they say its just incredibly painful.
> so are there any copperheads which are less dangerous? there are few venomous snakes which are less dangerous than your average copperhead, so i'd so no!


 
"They are considered to be non fatal" - Is actually an invalid statement, they are considered to be fatal, due to specimens actually causing human deaths, I know of at least two deaths, one fairly recently killed a fully grown adult (or at least within the last year or two)

This species is only considered to be non-fatal by various individuals who roam the planet using their “smattering of knowledge” to survive.

Never underestimate any venomous snake!


Cheers,

Dave


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## lizard queen (Jul 8, 2007)

lol. i know thats true, people have died but both of the recent cases have been due to anaphylaxis, not envenomation. are you familiar with the religious snake handlers? the amount of times that crazy bunch get bitten.... my smattering of knowledge is actually quite extensive you see  i know many crazy people who don't even go to the hospital if they get bitten. I don't agree with that by the way, but it happens. but i would never underestimate any snake, venomous or not as septicemia can also be fatal.


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## pythondave82 (Nov 14, 2007)

Who said I was talking about you?

Read back over the past years worth of threads, maybe you will see why venomous keepers get sick of reading posts where sad individuals feel they know the last word on a species, when most have never even seen a real life specimen or read a book containing valid information.

Re deaths: It dosnt matter how they died, they wouldnt have died if they hadnt been bitten by a copperhead in the first place, so to me it was the copperhead that killed them.

Dave


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## snakekeeper (Oct 29, 2008)

i'm not an expert on venomous snakes but from what I have read and seen copperheads can be very dangerous and if invenomated the bite would be serious enough to go to a hospital quick smart. I am pretty sure that deaths aren't down to alergic reaction only. Their venom is quite potent. The reason I am curious is because a friend has one and when I said that he shoud be careful he laughed and said it wasn't lethal and the venom isn't that potent as its origin was from the USA. I am pretty sure that I have seen a documentary about them stating how dangerous they were.


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## retri (Mar 5, 2008)

khaostim666 said:


> i dont see the atraction in venomus snakes, its like buying a shark insted of a gold fish


I would love a shark


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## wildlifewarrior (Jun 26, 2008)

Cheeky-x said:


> That was 2 things :whistling2::Na_Na_Na_Na:
> But i agree, i wouldnt ever be able to keep them personally (or wouldnt keep them) but i have respect and mainly admiration for the people that do, they are amazing creatures.



my bad, i removed one of the points as i felt it might have been taken in the wrong way: victory:


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## Corn Boy (May 7, 2009)

Im Not Getting One Of Those I Want all My Fingers


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## khaostim666 (Apr 29, 2009)

wildlifewarrior said:


> 3 things
> 
> 
> 1. weather you agree or not about keeping venomous snakes, you should still respect those that do and not disrespect this part of the reptile hobby
> ...


 
OI! Lol, i wasnt disrespecting no one  i just think that dangerous snakes are well, dangerous, and i wouldnt own one thats all, dont get me wrong anyone who owns a venomus snake i salute you, it just kreeps me out knowing they can harm you alot more than the average sized constricting snake :2thumb:


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## Owzy (Jan 19, 2009)

Corn Boy said:


> Im Not Getting One Of Those I Want all My Fingers


I Have Never Seen Anyone Type A Whole Sentence Starting Every Word With Capitals Before. Is It You Or The Computer Doing It?


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## farnell182 (Jan 26, 2009)

Owzy said:


> I Have Never Seen Anyone Type A Whole Sentence Starting Every Word With Capitals Before. Is It You Or The Computer Doing It?


he didn't start the word all with a capital lol : victory:


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## SiUK (Feb 15, 2007)

lizard queen said:


> lol. i know thats true, people have died but both of the recent cases have been due to anaphylaxis, not envenomation. are you familiar with the religious snake handlers? the amount of times that crazy bunch get bitten.... my smattering of knowledge is actually quite extensive you see  i know many crazy people who don't even go to the hospital if they get bitten. I don't agree with that by the way, but it happens. but i would never underestimate any snake, venomous or not as septicemia can also be fatal.


in fairness though the untreated lethality rate on alot of hots is quite low, recently there was a dendroaspis augusticeps envenomation, which went untreated and the guy survived, although another one not so many years back nearly caused death and the guy had long term after problems from it.

On another note, I believe not 100% sure but Sistrurus species havnt caused fatalities, and also one of the species in the Trimeresurus complex (thats now been split). Anaphylaxis is a weird one because bees and wasps would be classed as "non fatal" I guess, yet people can die with extreme reactions, but then the chances of your average person bitten for the first time showing signs of it, have to be statistically quite low, I would think.


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## vashe (Jun 30, 2009)

Hmm copperheads are native where i live and people around here say if u get bit by one go to the hospital right away so you have a chance to save the area bitten cause u can lose a large chunk of flesh or even the limb course if your allergic to it u will most likely die. But you could take a snake bite kit to it and take your chances lol

People have lost fingers from getting bite by a copperhead u can sometimes see fisherman with a few fingers missing i seen another with a arm gone. But since they are a local species in my area and you are aloud to keep them cause i think people kill them to eat around here or something. you are aloud to posses or kill one a year from what my fish and game books says lol.

Also fisherman have told me in the summer time the place i fish at is crawling with them I will take a photo of it if i ever see one. but i do have the photos of the stream they are around. Enjoy the pics


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## iXXo (Mar 8, 2009)

I want to live there...........(looks out at the dribbleing "waterfall" (2 foot high?) and wet crisp wrappers that is near-and aparently is a "beautiful waterway")


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## pythondave82 (Nov 14, 2007)

Where are you located?


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## vashe (Jun 30, 2009)

pythondave82 said:


> Where are you located?


Pennsylvania US

heres a couple more i just stood in the middle of the stream and took pics of both sides in one spot and here is one of the trails getting to certain fishing holes. As you can see perfect area for snakes,amphibians, and many different bugs and animals such as deer and so on. The 3 main snakes that can be seen in the summer time hanging around the waters edge under things are copperheads,timber rattle snakes and water snakes and a few other endangered species snakes. I usually always bring my camera so if i spot some snakes ill take pics of them.
Enjoy


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