This Record-Breaking Copperhead Was Nearly 5 Feet Long

Copperhead snakes are one of the most common venomous snakes in North America. They are found throughout the southeastern and northeastern United States (except for southern Georgia and most of Florida). Copperheads were historically divided into five subspecies, though some modern classifications now recognize them as separate species within the genus Agkistrodon. Most are around 2-3 feet long, about the length of a yardstick. But how big is the largest copperhead ever recorded? Let’s find out!

What are Copperhead Snakes?

Copperhead snakes are among the four main venomous snakes found in the United States. The others are cottonmouths, coral snakes, and a number of rattlesnake species.

Copperheads in North America are broken down into five subspecies with slightly different coloration and markings, but they are all similar in size. You may hear about Australian copperheads and Indian copperheads, but those are unrelated to North American copperheads and refer to the coloration of those snakes.

Copperheads get their name from the copper color of their head, which stands out from their tan to copper base color and dark brown markings. The markings are in an hourglass shape, with the thinnest part of the hourglass along the center of their backs.

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How Big are Copperheads?

Here is the list of the sizes by subspecies:

Northern: 2-3 feet (24-36 inches)

Southern: 2-3 feet (24-36 inches)

Broad Banded: 1 ½ – 3 feet (20-36 inches)

Trans-Pecos: 1 ½ -3 feet (20-36 inches)

Osage: 1 ½ – 3 feet (20-30 inches)

Where do Copperheads Live?

Copperheads live in the central and southeastern United States and some parts of northern Mexico. They do not live on the West Coast, but they are found in several states along the northern U.S. border, including parts of New York, Pennsylvania, and Ohio.

Northern copperheads: range from northern Florida and Georgia north into southern New England, including Connecticut and Massachusetts, and west into parts of Nebraska and Texas.

Southern copperheads: found in the southeastern United States, including Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, and parts of Mississippi and Florida.

Broad Banded Copperhead: only found along the southern border of Kansas, the southern border of Oklahoma, and central Texas.

Trans-Pecos Copperhead: only found in the far west of Texas (called the Trans-Pecos region) and northeastern Mexico.

Osage Copperhead: only found in the central states, mostly in Missouri and eastern Kansas.

A photo of a very large copperhead was posted on Facebook with the story of a man, Chase Curtis, who found two copperheads behind his house. One of the snakes got away to hide under a woodpile, but he killed the other one and displayed it for all to see. It measured 40 inches long (3 feet, 4 inches). However, that is not the largest copperhead ever recorded.

What is the Largest Copperhead Ever Recorded?

The longest reliably reported copperheads have reached about 4.5 feet (53 inches), though most adults remain under 3 feet. According to the University of Georgia Extension, this is the largest copperhead. This one was a northern copperhead. The largest southern copperhead was recorded at just an inch shorter, at 4 feet and 4 inches long.

How Does That Compare to the Largest Snake in America?

The largest native snake in the United States is the eastern indigo snake. These long blue-black snakes can reach 8 ½ feet long. Obviously, no snake would make a particularly good hockey goalie, but these snakes are wider than a regulation hockey net, which is 72 inches wide!

The largest non-native (invasive) snakes in the United States are the Burmese python and green anaconda. They are listed together because they have a similar story. Both are found only in the southernmost tip of Florida, in the Everglades. While there is a breeding population of Burmese pythons, there are only a very few green anacondas. They are not from here but were accidentally introduced by people who released them as pets or by improperly secured pets escaping. The tropical environment makes a suitable home for these snakes, and without any real predators, Burmese pythons have become a big problem. Let’s take a look at how big they are:

• Burmese Pythons: the largest one recorded in the US was 18 feet 10 inches long.
• Green Anacondas: Green anacondas are the heaviest snakes in the world and can reach 18–22 feet long, though reticulated pythons are generally longer.

What is the Largest Venomous Snake in the United States?

The largest venomous snake in the US is the eastern diamondback rattlesnake. These are also one of the most venomous in the US. They can reach 8 feet long!

How Does That Compare to the Largest Snake in the World?

According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the longest snake ever recorded was a reticulated python from Celebes, Indonesia, in 1912, though modern experts consider that measurement unverified. According to Guinness, that snake was 32 feet 9 ½ inches long! It would have made a fine soccer goalie with a regulation soccer goal being 24 feet wide.

Copperhead Habitats

Forested, natural areas cover the southeastern and northeastern parts of the United States, creating the perfect environments for copperheads under fallen leaves and other tree debris in the humid climate. These snakes also love large pastures and open fields, also abundant in these regions.

Copperheads make their homes in logs, near rivers, in urban settings, in rural settings, and pretty much anywhere they find suitable. So, if you live in this part of the country, keep an eye out in your wood piles, under tarps, in your garage, and other places where these critters may hide.

How Long Do Copperhead Snakes Live?

Copperheads can live up to 18 years in captivity, though wild individuals typically have shorter lifespans. Young can reach sexual maturity after around four years old.

Mating happens during the late spring and early summer months. Copperheads are ovoviviparous, meaning fertilized eggs develop inside the female’s body, and she gives birth to live young in late summer or early fall.

Copperheads tend to hibernate during the winter in their dens with other snakes, some are even of different species!

What do Copperhead Snakes eat?

Copperheads are predominately carnivores and are known to eat any animal small enough – including their young. Their diets depend on their environment, but they eat mostly mice, birds, amphibians, and insects. They have also been known to eat cicadas and prairie voles.

Other Record-Breaking Snakes

Coral snakes are a type of venomous snake that can be found in different parts of the world, including North and South America. They have distinctive color patterns consisting of black, yellow, and red bands that encircle their bodies. These colors serve as a warning to potential predators about their dangerous nature.

As for the largest coral snake ever recorded, it measured an impressive 47.5 inches long. This record-breaking specimen was discovered in Mexico and belongs to the species known as Micrurus diastema. Compared to other coral snakes, this particular one stood out due to its exceptional size.

Despite their beauty and uniqueness, coral snakes should be approached with caution as they possess potent venom that can cause serious harm if not treated promptly. However, these fascinating creatures play an important role in maintaining ecological balance by controlling rodent populations.