Baby copperhead?

cmshoot

Senior Member
Sorry, I don't have a pic.

Was working in the backyard and found a very young snake. Approx 6"-8" long, not much bigger around than a #2 pencil.

It's belly was solid light orange and the rest of it was a solid, very light beige color. No markings, stripes, or anything else. The head was definitely larger than the body.

Thought it might be a copperhead, I've never seen one that young before.

Thanks
 

luv2drum

Senior Member
I'm not sure how accurate it is because I've never seen a baby copperhead. But a guy I met who keeps all kinds of snakes said that baby copperheads have a neon green tip on their tale. There are a lot of guys on here that know lot more than I do. Also there is a good website listed in some other threads, it is a university of GA website.
 

Jeff Raines

Senior Member
I've handled baby copperheads.They look just like their adult counterpart,but have yellowish tail
 

shaggybill

Senior Member
If the snake is 10" long or less, a yellow/green tipped tail is a dead giveaway that the snake is either a copperhead or a cottonmouth. They are also heavily patterned just like the adults, so if your snake was a solid color, it was definitely not venomous.
 

germag

Gone But Not Forgotten
My guess would be a Red-bellied snake (Storeria occipitomaculata). They are very variable in coloration and marking, but typically have an orange or red belly, possibly a Worm Snake (Carphophis amoenus)...definitely not a copperhead.
 
If the snake is 10" long or less, a yellow/green tipped tail is a dead giveaway that the snake is either a copperhead or a cottonmouth. They are also heavily patterned just like the adults, so if your snake was a solid color, it was definitely not venomous.


I was spreading some wood mulch and down in the middle of the dump truck load of chips, we found a baby copperhead, about 3-4 inches long. Classic copperhead pattern, and a bright yellow tail that looked like something on a fishing lure.
 

NCHillbilly

Administrator
Staff member
my guess would be a red-bellied snake (storeria occipitomaculata). They are very variable in coloration and marking, but typically have an orange or red belly, possibly a worm snake (carphophis amoenus)...definitely not a copperhead.

x2.
 

shortround1

Gone But Not Forgotten
I'm not sure how accurate it is because I've never seen a baby copperhead. But a guy I met who keeps all kinds of snakes said that baby copperheads have a neon green tip on their tale. There are a lot of guys on here that know lot more than I do. Also there is a good website listed in some other threads, it is a university of GA website.
good going drum, sometimes its tail has a orange hew to it.even a baby copperhead should have markings, i think most fanged snakes are born live, if that is so you may be near momma.:cool::cheers:
 

jbyrd_1976

Senior Member
I stepped right over the top of a copperhead this morning around 10:15am, in light rain. Jumped back and let the .270 break the silence. I will post pictures tomorrow when I get bach home. They move pretty good withholes all in their body.
He was 4'9" in length and about 5" in diameter. 16" Snake boots didnt make me feel any safer when this thig was 10" from my foot.
 

shaggybill

Senior Member
He was 4'9" in length and about 5" in diameter. 16" Snake boots didnt make me feel any safer when this thig was 10" from my foot.

Looking forward to seeing the pictures. I've never seen or heard of a copperhead that big.
 

jbyrd_1976

Senior Member
Well the pictures of the copperhead were corrupted from switching the SD card to a different camera. I did remeasure the snake and it was 51" long (4ft 3") and it was 5" in circumference not diameter.

Very pretty snake once its head was cut off.
 

troutman34

Senior Member
Sounds like a worm snake with the orange belly. I found one last year in the garage and looked it up. It sounds like the same kind I found. Harmless, but very pretty.
 
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