The Copperhead Snake: Everything You Need To Know! 

Hey everyone, I really hope you enjoyed today's video! Make sure you check out this awesome hand drawn copperhead fact sheet by Emily Osterman from Study Echo: instagram.com/p/Bv6soukh9Sa/?igshid=t19w3cuoiw1b If you have any other questions about copperhead snakes, please feel free to ask them in the comments section below. Thanks so much for your support!

Bro the fact you spit that many facts about the snake while handling one was crazy cool. Wow.

Hats off to you trying to educate people. People love to demonize things in nature.......good luck

This young guy has found his calling. Very thorough and well done.

I'm extremely impressed with this fellas delivery and content of all of his information. His proper usage of words and factual information is spot on. I encourage everyone to view, and absorb all the information this herp lover has to offer to you. Very well done, keep up the fantastic information you are providing for others who should hear the truth about Copperheads and other venomous snakes. I also have tried to educate people about venomous snakes for over 60 years. Thank You for your truthful and accurate information, keep up your good work.

Good job. Like you, it pains me whenever I hear of someone killing a water snake, corn snake, hog-nose snake, or some other non-venomous snake, and then bragging to everyone that they killed a fearsome copperhead.

Ben, thank you for your excellent video. I found a copperhead snake in my yard yesterday when I was picking up some boards that had been laying around for a couple months. He just sat there curled up on a ball for a couple hours. After dark he disappeared. My wife was quite distressed when I told her about him. I love the way you did your video - very thoughtful and informative. You asked to leave a comment for how to improve it. There is one detail I want to alert you to. Toward the end of the video you said something like "the copperhead does not want to hard you and I". To say it correctly you should say "does not want to hard you and me." You wouldn't say that "a snake want to harm I." You would say a "snake wants to harm me." So when you add "you" to the equation "me" does not change to "I." Keep up the good work. I love your way with the animals and your teaching method.

I spend a LOT of time trying to educate people about snakes, there's SO much fear & misinformation around! Have saved this video to help folks be more informed & less afraid. Most of the time, snakes are misidentified & most bites occur because folks aren't paying attention or they're trying to kill a snake that would rather just go away. Here in N. Georgia, EVERY small snake folks see is "a baby copperhead" when most are Dekays. Great video young man!

This is an awesome, well-done video. Here's just one thing I'd like to add: their freeze defense. In July of 2018 I (and my dog) encountered an adult copperhead lying perpendicular across the Appalachian Trail near McAffee Knob. My dog likes to lead the way when we hike so as I descended a switchback, I noticed she had stopped and was looking back at me. As I got closer, I noticed she was standing directly above the snake. It was employing one of its favorite defense tactics - the freeze. Copperheads know they are camouflaged, and when they feel threatened will literally freeze and try and blend in. I quickly called the dog back and she did only after sniffing the snake first. That slippery fella was frozen so stiff I didn't think I'd be able to pass. So I found a large branch (despite hikers behind me begging for me to use a heavy rock) and tried to escort him off the trail and into the brush. Eventually it worked. That snake had every opportunity to strike me and/or my dog and didn't.

When I was 12 yoa my parents sent me to a YMCA summer camp near Little Meadows, Pa. I was on my way to the waterfront for a midnight swim. In passing a large boulder I felt a stab below my left knee which began to swell up. I was bitten by a copperhead? That and rattlesnakes were in the area and rattlers don't always rattle. The area began to swell so I went over to the infirmary which was near by. A young nurse was the camp medic. She looked at the bite, which was beginning to swell, and fell on the floor in hysterics. I went to the mess hall, which was staffed by live-in cooks to ask for a razor blade so I could cut the swelling. The cook took me to the infirmary, the nurse was in the fetal position on the floor quietly sobbing. He sat me down, made 2 vertical cuts over the fang marks, slapped on a steripad and said "You're all set kid". Next morning I took off the pad which was brownish black, and went on with my day. There was no follow-up and no sequelae. This was in the 1940s when fear of lawsuits was in the future

I am always frustrated seeing your videos with so little views. You could be one of the main wildlife channels your videos are that good. Thank you for all your work, internet stranger. (:

I appreciate these videos so much for myself and my 4 year old son. We both learn so much and he loves to act them out afterwards.

Young man, you did an awesome job!!

Awesome Video Young Man. The best Basic, Practical advice and Information I've Watched. Going to Share this with my Grandson.

I gotta say ur very thorough in your information its awsome we have people like u taking care of the local reptilelife

By far the best video I’ve seen on copperheads. Everything you said is spot on. Great review!!!

Fantastic job, Ben! I just subscribed. I learned more in 10 minutes about the copperhead snake than I had ever known. Great job! Ben, you've got quite a future in wildlife conservation and education. May the LORD help you to be a blessing to our planet. God bless!

This was a spectacular presentation; very informative. It created respect for the snake but also armed folks with enough useful knowledge to not completely fear it.

Great job, I love snakes, we have copperheads here in Oklahoma I have seen a couple and stayed at a distance while observing them, thank you for the information on them.

I live just past Clayton NC. This year I've seen more copperheads in 2024 than I have in 8 years of living here. Glad I found the video

Thanks for the info! I'm so subscribing to your channel! Buying a judge for these snakes too.

Good stuff as always Ben! Here’s hoping I can find a copperhead this year!

I was born and raised in North Carolina. We lived out in the county and were very familiar with copper heads. We also had hog nose snakes. Once in a while the copper heads would make their way indoors. This was kinda creepy but we got them out. Thanks for your video. Enjoyed watching. ❤️💜💚

Great video. Very professional. Watched two of your videos on snakes so far and learned much that I didn't know about identification. Thank you very much.

North Carolina! I love it I was born and raised there for my whole life. We lived in the country and we got always 5-6 copper heads in our back yard every year. They always hid under the swing set, under the pine straw flower beds, and near our shed. They typically leave you alone. We would get cotton mouths a lot too since we were surrounded by swamps. One time I walked up on a 5-1/2 foot eastern diamond back rattle snake about a mile away from my house while walking in the woods. Now that was absolutely terrifying!

The Copperhead Snake: Everything You Need To Know! Rule 1: Don't pick the damn thing up.

This is easily one of the best videos you’ve ever made Ben. You did such an amazing job through every step of this video, the presentation was excellent and professional, I learned a ton about these guys, and you did a great job handling that specimen safely. This is actually one of, if not the best video about copperheads I’ve seen, not once did you play up the danger or the defensiveness that guy displayed, you focused on education and portrayed these snakes as the timid, fascinating animals they really are. Amazing work Ben, you should be very proud of this and everything else you’ve done for this channel and community. Cheers man! - Harrison and Evan

So cool! With the warm weather returning in seeing more and more snakes and other herps. We have a few around here but hopefully we won’t see any. Great video Ben, I’m speaking from most of us, it’s great to have you back I hope school is going well.

Copperhead: I'm not gonna kill ya, but say goodbye to whatever fingers or toes I bite.

Hello everyone, I would like to state that today it’s been 3 days since I got bit by a copperhead and one day since I was released from the hospital. I live in Conroe, Tx a suburban area which is immensely growing by the day and was closing my front gate at around 10:00 pm and I always have my phone light on but that night I didn’t and I was simply walking back to my house when I felt one of the worst feelings in my life which was getting bit by a snake, I immediately grabbed my phone turned the light on and panicked when I noticed it was a copperhead but I called 911 and was informed that I should stay calm while an ambulance was on its way, while waiting I was trying to keep calm while my family rushed out in panic and even telling me a bunch of things they’ve heard about copperheads such as that I only had 15 minutes to live and a bunch more stuff, ambulance got there I was rushed to hospital and at the hospital I felt super weak I had bad diarrhea, low blood pressure, some bad vomit and excruciating pain from the bite which was between my ankle and the bottom of my foot after about an hour at the hospital my foot was swollen and I felt super bad. I ended up being asleep for most of the time as I was really weak but the second day at the hospital I managed to control myself while I was monitored and completely checked until the third day where the doctor decided to release me, with just a super swollen foot, and told me I should rest for about 2-3 weeks with my foot above my heart for the most part which now it’s my 4th day in bed and I truly am frustrated that I can’t do anything plus I can step with the foot that I got bit in walking to the restroom in crutches and struggling to shower and do everything myself. Honestly I understand that copperheads aren’t as bad a cottonmouths and all that but like it’s said in the video they are really good at living in suburban and maybe even urban areas which I have noticed because I’ve seen many every year since I moved here to Conroe 10 years ago. Like it’s said in the video they won’t mess with you if you don’t mess with them which is why I have always let them go but from this day on after 10,000$ + in ambulance, emergency room and hospital, medicine etc I will say that as much as I hate to hurt the environment I will kill them that’s to say that I saved anywhere from 25,000 to 50,000$ because of the fact that I did not have to be injected the anti-venom because of how well my body was fighting the venom by itself. I can’t imagine my little cousins, kids in a future or older people getting bit by one of these and the pain they will go trough now that I have experienced it myself I do not which anyone that experience and do recommend to simply kill them, although I have all my life let them go I think it’s best to just kill them for the better and safety of yourself, your family and those around you.

I saw one on a recent hike, I just left it alone. Great video!

Thanks this was extremely helpful There are tons of these things on the walking trail i go on in Plano TX. Bob Woodruff Park. They come out at dusk and you cant walk without seeing at least 5-6 during the journey

Great video dude. I'm subscribing

This young man seem to know his subject quite well!

This was highly informative! thank you!

Great info! I really appreciate your delivery and knowledge.

WOW WOW! I'm very impressed with your water moccasin video your timber rattler and your copper head videos as a reptile educator my self you are spot on with your knowledge. Also, great tone to attract viewers Young ones keep it up it up well done.

beautiful snakes, caught many of em

Very informative! Great video!

This was a great presentation, I was skeptical but wow.

Where I live we have lots of copperheads as well as the timber rattlesnake, aka cane break rattlesnake. If they are in the woods they get a pass. If they are in my yard.....they get the shovel.

Great job!

Top man. Thank you putting out clear, concise info on encountering these beautiful animals.

I see these snake often here in Houston. I see them a lot out on the running trails. I think they're one of the best looking snakes out there, with their unique pattern. Every one that I've encountered has been very docile. I don't mess with them and let them go on their way. Thank you for this video, it's very informative. It's nice to know where this snake lands on the venom scale.

A minute and 59 seconds was all I could handle thank you very much.

One of my all time favorite snakes along side the Cottonmouth. I would see them in NC, specifically in a country club I was working at as a outdoor maintenance member. These snakes were pretty easy to spot and just appreciated from afar(Would occasionally spot them in broad daylight). There were other snakes like the water snake(coral snake I believe), and black rat snake. However the Cottonmouth sadly had to be given the death sentence given their reputation. Line of work.

Another terrific video! Thanks for being an ambassador for these beautiful misunderstood creatures!

Very nice 👍

Saw one just the other day after I noticed it trying to strike at me. Didn't even see it by my AC unit until it moved! Edit: I'm in NC and they're everywhere in the spring.

Nice job! Appreciate your sensitivity to these and other creatures.

Very nice video. Factual, informative, good photography, no exaggeration of the danger... Very nice indeed.

Nice video man! I grew up in copperhead and timber rattlesnake country. I've kept several species of venomous snakes throughout the years but the copperhead remains one of my favorites. Keep up the education

Also alit of copperhead bits come frm being stepped on cause they camouflage so well n dry leaves,also never step cross a log or anythng cause they will leave up close 2 it 2 ambush prey.

Excellent work, thanks!

I'm so impressed with your knowledge! Thank you.

Do a video on the timber rattle snake

We got the next Steve Erwin hand go down to you my good sir keep educating us all

I only want to dispute one statement you made. "Copperheads won't chase you". Years ago while I was in the Army in Texas, we were camouflaging fox holes and I pulled a limb from a debris pile and was dragging it back to my fox hole when some yelled SNAKE! I turned and a copperhead was racing straight for me. I jumped and ran and got ten or twelve feet between us and it stopped coming. Scary to say the least. I got the distinct impression that snake meant business and was coming to bite ME. Your presentation was very, very well done. Thanks

Just discovered your channel. Really, really love it!

I've been bitten 2 times by these bastards on my right hand hooking up logs with a cable skidder here in missouri and it does sting,I hate em ,sneaky snakes they hide in the brown leaves and camouflage themselves

Nice looking copperhead! The title should have read: Everything you need to know and MORE! Great job.

This is very good information and I appreciate your sharing it with us! Thank-you!

Excellent, informative video. Thanks!

You're gonna get bit boy! You will be 3001!

While hauling hay when I was in my 20's I had one fall into my T-shirt and bit me square in the chest. I swelled up like a bowl of jello . After a couple of days the swelling went down, and I am still here and the snake is still there.

You are very good at explaining the facts.please continue your good films

I really enjoyed this video. Thanks.

They also love to lay beside cemetary headstones all covered up, they will swell a dogs jaw with a bite. Get you a king snake for a pet. they kill em all.

G-d bless you, young man. Copperheads are incredibly beneficial reptiles and should NOT be destroyed!

Awesome video! What an amazing species of Snake! We have them here in MA but they are relatively rare. Thanks for sharing this video! I am glad that you can teach people about these mysterious creatures! I will try to email you this week! Also, I caught my first snake of the year 3 days ago!

It's like I tell people, no venomous snakes, are overrun with rats and mice! All animals deserve respect.

If I was handling one (no thanks!), I'd prefer that the cameraman not shine a light directly in my eyes. Just sayin'.

Potentially the future of a few medicines as well.

Good video, however! When I was a boy my Dad was bitten on the ankle bone by a copperhead while walking to a fishing hole. It took awhile for my uncle to get him to a hospital, they actually thought he might die. His leg later turned black up to his knee, they talked of amputation, but he began to recover finally. I'll never forget the way his leg looked. I live in Florida, have worked in the Everglades around gators, snakes, panthers , critters of all sorts, & still see these animals including bears where I live. They're not evil in any way, but can be dangerous.

Awesome video. Keep up the good work!

So many ignorant people in this comment section.

Beautiful snake, so sad that there's so much misinformation about them.

Great informative video young man! 👍👍

Very well delivered information! Great job

Sad how people say the best snake is a dead snake, so many people are so quick to say “kill that snake!” Everywhere even though snakes do more to help the food chain than them.

Your young be careful you don’t want a short life due your dangerous hobby! Good luck and take care I’m sure you love what you do just be very careful

Very useful information. Thanks for the video, knowledge protects both us and the snakes.

Great video, thank you! We purchased a house on Callawassie Island in SC about a year ago. I came across a baby copperhead in the yard. I’m from a large city in the northeast so poisonous snakes aren’t easily found. It was a beautiful snake but I, obviously, stayed away. I also had a close encounter with a pretty large racer which scared me more.

When copperheads pay my property taxes or learn how to read signs that say stay out of my yard I know I'll feel a lot better I don't have to pay doctor bills or veterinarian bills. Besides, there's other non-venomous snakes that eat rats and pests, for example rat snakes.

About perfect size for a shovel or 12 gauge

I saw my first Copperhead a few days ago. It was late afternoon. He was completely hidden at the base of a big tree. I saw him when he moved slowly away from me. Took me a second to figure out what I was looking at. What a beautiful animal. I have been looking for him every day. No luck so far. Don't worry. I just want to see him and get at least one picture. Not going to handle the snake. Thanks Ben for the awesome video.

He's better at presenting the facts than any of those "experts" on TV.

If everyone who sees a copperhead kills it , it would not become endangered. So feel free to kill em all! If you leave them near or in your yard you will have many more! A friend who let them be later had problems with many baby copperheads in his house, porch, yard, boots , bookcase, closet, kitchen! He changed his mind about letting them go! Doesn’t seem to have the problem anymore. But his girlfriend won’t visit him at home, To late, time to move now!

i have a small dog and a small grand daughter that i love more than any snake. i do have a bunch of rat snakes out here but iv seen a couple young copperheads the last couple days while cutting grass. 1st one yesterday got away while trying to id it. 2nd one wasnt as lucky. and any more wont be as lucky as the 1st one was

Very informative, thank you!

Thanks for the video.

My Service Animal is a Copperhead.

I don’t crawl into a snake’s burrow and I don’t want them in mine. What is the point of having a yard if you cannot enjoy it in the evening, especially if you have young children? There are many ways to kill rodents other than having a venomous snake as a tenant. I know all creatures have a place in the ecosystem and am not an advocate of killing snakes just to kill them. If they leave me alone I will leave them alone. Squatting in my yard or house is not leaving me alone.

Wow. Good video. Thx. Video improvement? I would not know what to do if came across one - I guess back up.

Great video!

We have them here in Texas...my neighbor has killed a couple on his place...

So. Just let em hang around? BS. That sob is poisonous. Ran up on a couple in the ivy beside my driveway. Not cool. Needless to say- they are no longer alive. 😂👿😡 But great video. 👍

Level five trouser snake charmer here. Great channel!!!

Great vid👍🏻where I live in southern Arizona it’s rattlesnake-Central! Mostly Western Diamondbacks but ALSO common are the highly venomous Mojave(then of course there’s the nasty little Bark Scorpions everywhere. But snakes are so misunderstood.

12ga works on rats and copper heads