Copperheads

The copperhead snake is limited to Victoria, Tasmania, the highlands of New South Wales and the southern parts of South Australia. It is the only venomous snake found above the snow line and may be active in weather generally considered too cold for snakes. Three copperhead species are found in Australia: the common or lowland (A. superbus), the highland (A. ramsayi) and the pygmy (A. labialis). Copperheads hunt during the day, except on hot days, when they become active at night. They are attracted to swamps, rivers and creeks where they hunt for frogs, reptiles and small mammals. They also eat other snakes, including their own young.

The copperhead is solidly built, with a small head. Coloration is variable, from dark brown to light copper. Their abdomens are often light in colour. Juveniles (and sometimes adults) may have a dark stripe on the back and a collar on the back of the neck. A red stripe is sometimes present on the flank. The lip may be striped in white and brown. Average length is 1.2m, maximum 1.83m. A litter of 18-20 is born alive, and are lighter in colour than adults.

Bites to man are rare, as copperheads are generally slow to strike and may be inaccurate. They produces an average venom yield of 26mg (maximum 85mg). The venom has neurotoxic, procoagulant and myolytic activity, but rarely causes fatalities. Envenomations may be effectively treated with tiger snake antivenom.
(This snake should not be confused with the north American copperheads, of the genus Agkistrodon)

Related Treatments

• Snake bite, Current treatments

Related Venomous creatures

• Snakes, Australian, Class: Reptilia, Order: Squamata, Suborder: Serpentes

Books

• Bray, J. S., Sketches, Drawings, Notes, Newspaper Cuttings, Mitchell Library, Sydney, 1893. [ Details... ]
• Owner, F., Reptiles of Australia and New Zealand, Angus and Robertson, Sydney, 1970. [ Details... ]
• Stidworthy, J., Snakes of the World, Paul Hamlyn, London, 1969, 160 pp. [ Details... ]
• Waite, E. R., The Reptiles and Amphibians of South Australia, Editor: H. M. Hall, Government Printer, Adelaide, 1929, 270 pp. [ Details... ]

Book Sections

• Barrett, C., 'Dangerous to Man', in Reptiles of Australia, Crocodiles, Snakes and Lizards, Cassell, Melbourne, 1950, pp. 127-148. [ Details... ]
• Cochran, D. M., in Poisonous Reptiles of the World: A Wartime Handbook, Smithsonian Institute, Washington, 1943, pp. 31-34. [ Details... ]
• Ditmars, R. L., 'Chapter 14: The Poisonous Snakes of Australia', in Snakes of the World, MacMillan, New York, 1949, pp. 188-197. [ Details... ]
• Trethewie, E. R., 'Chapter 24: The Pharmacology and Toxicology of the Venoms of the Snakes of Australia and Oceania', in W. Bucherl and E.E. Buckley (eds), Venomous Animals and Their Venoms, vol. 2, Academic Press, New Yprk/London, 1971, pp. 79-101. [ Details... ]
• Zeller, E. A., 'Enzymes of Snake Venoms and Their Biological Significance', in F. F. Nora (ed.), Advances in Enzymology, vol. 8, Interscience Publishers Inc., New York, 1948, pp. 459-495. [ Details... ]

Conference Papers

• Morgan, F. G., 'Preparation of Curative Sera Against Venom of Certain Australian Snakes', in Archdall, M. (ed.), Australasian Medical Congress, Transactions of the Third Session Sydney, Government Printer, Sydney, 1930, pp. 466-469. [ Details... ]

Conference Proceedings

• Kellaway, C. H. (ed.), Some Observations on the Specificity of Immunization to Snake Venoms, Australasian Medical Congress, Transactions of the Third Session Sydney, Archdall, M., Government Printer, Sydney, 1930, 463-466 pp. [ Details... ]

Journal Articles

• Agnew, J. W., 'Notes on the Teeth and Poison Apparatus of the Snakes of Tasman's Peninsula', Tasm. J. Nat. Sci. Agric. Stat., vol. 2, 1846, pp. 190-200. [ Details... ]
• Barrett, C., 'Reptile Life in Australia', Nat. Hist. N. Y. (Natural history?), vol. 24, 1924, pp. 42-59. [ Details... ]
• Chain, E., 'Effect of Snake Venoms on Glycolysis and Fermentation in Cell-Free Extracts', Q. JI. Exp. Physiol, vol. 26, 1937, pp. 299-303. [ Details... ]
• Chisholm, E. C., 'The Principal Fauna Found in District of Marrangaroo. County of Cook. N.S.W.', The Australian Zoologist, vol. 3, 1923, pp. 60-71. [ Details... ]
• Couttie, P. M., 'Treatment of Snake Bite in Calves', Australian Veterinary Journal, vol. 45, 1969, p. 384. [ Details... ]
• Crouch, C. R., 'Rare Snake', Wildlife Australia, vol. 7, 1970, p. 15. [ Details... ]
• Doery, H. M., 'Purine Compounds in Snake Venoms', Nature, vol. 177, 1956, pp. 381-382. [ Details... ]
• Duran-Reynals, F., 'A Spreading Factor in Certain Snake Venoms and Its Relation to Their Mode of Action', The Journal of Experimental Medicine, vol. 69, 1939, pp. 69-81. [ Details... ]
• Fairley, N. H., 'The Dentition and Biting Mechanism of Australian Snakes', The Medical Journal of Australia, vol. 1, 1929, pp. 313-327. [ Details... ]
• Fairley, N. H., 'Criteria For Determing the Efficacy of Ligature in Snake Bite. (the Subcutaneous-Intravenous Index)', The Medical Journal of Australia, vol. 1, 1929, pp. 377-394. [ Details... ]
• Fairley, N. H. and Splatt, B., 'Venom Yields in Australian Poisonous Snakes', The Medical Journal of Australia, vol. 1, 1929, pp. 336-348. [ Details... ]
• Feldberg, W. and Kellaway, C. H., 'The Circulatory and Pulmonary Effects of the Venom of the Australian Copperhead (Denisonia Superba)', The Australian Journal of Experimental Biology and Medical Science, vol. 15, 1937, pp. 81-95. [ Details... ]
• Freeman, M. and Kellaway, C. H., 'The Venom Yields of Common Australian Poisonous Snakes in Captivity', The Medical Journal of Australia, vol. 2, 1934, pp. 373-377. [ Details... ]
• Hall, E. S., 'On Snake Bites', Australian Medical Journal, vol. 4, 1897, pp. 81-96. [ Details... ]
• Holden, H. F., 'Haemolysis by Australian Snake Venoms 3. Some Factors which Influence the Action of the Venom of the Copperhead', The Australian Journal of Experimental Biology and Medical Science, vol. 12, 1934, pp. 55-61. [ Details... ]
• Holden, H. F., 'Haemolysis by Australian Snake Venoms 4. Further Studies on the Haemolysin of the Copperhead', The Australian Journal of Experimental Biology and Medical Science, vol. 13, 1935, pp. 103-112. [ Details... ]
• Holden, H. F., 'The Absorption Spectra of Some Modified Snake Venoms', The Australian Journal of Experimental Biology and Medical Science, vol. 14, 1936, pp. 121-130. [ Details... ]
• Kellaway, C. H. and Holden, H. F, 'The Peripheral Action of the Australian Snake Venoms I. The Curari-Like Action on Frogs', The Australian Journal of Experimental Biology and Medical Science, vol. 10, 1932, pp. 167-179. [ Details... ]
• Kellaway, C. H., 'The Action of the Venoms of the Copper-Head (Denisouia Superba) and of the Death Adder (Acanthophis Antarcticus) or. the Coagulation of the Blood', The Medical Journal of Australia, 1929. [ Details... ]
• Kellaway, C. H., 'A Preliminary Note on the Venom of the Australian Copper-Head (Denisonia Superba): Its Toxic Effects in the Common Laboratory Animals', The Medical Journal of Australia, vol. 1, 1929, pp. 358-365. [ Details... ]
• Kellaway, C. H., 'The Specificity of Active Immunity Against Snake Venoms', The Journal of Pathology and Bacteriology, vol. 33, 1930, pp. 157-173. [ Details... ]
• Kellaway, C. H., 'Local Venesection in the Treatment of Snake Bite: An Experimental Study', The Medical Journal of Australia, vol. 2, 1930, pp. 351-360. [ Details... ]
• Kellaway, C. H., 'Snake Venoms and Antitoxic Immunity', The Medical Journal of Australia, vol. 2, 1931, pp. 1-11. [ Details... ]
• Kellaway, C. H., 'Venomous Land Snakes in Australia', Bull. Antivenin. Inst. Am., vol. 5, 1932, pp. 53-58. [ Details... ]
• Kellaway, C. H., 'The Peripheral Action of the Australian Snake Venoms. 3. The Reversibility of the Curari-Like Action', The Australian Journal of Experimental Biology and Medical Science, vol. 10, 1932, pp. 195-202. [ Details... ]
• Kellaway, C. H., 'The Peripheral Action of Australian Snake Venoms 4. Action on Sensory Nerve Endings in Frogs', The Australian Journal of Experimental Biology and Medical Science, vol. 12, 1934, pp. 177-186. [ Details... ]
• Kellaway, C. H. and Eades, T., 'Field Notes on the Common Australian Venomous Snakes', The Medical Journal of Australia, vol. 2, 1929, pp. 249-257. [ Details... ]
• Kellaway, C. H. and Williams, F. E., 'The Serological and Blood Relationships of Some Common Australian Snakes', The Australian Journal of Experimental Biology and Medical Science, vol. 8, 1931, pp. 123-132. [ Details... ]
• Kellaway, C. H. and Williams, F. E., 'Haemolysis by Australian Snake Venoms I, the Comparative Haemolytic Power of Australian Snake Venoms', The Australian Journal of Experimental Biology and Medical Science, vol. 11, 1933, pp. 75-80. [ Details... ]
• Kellaway, C. H. and Williams, F. E., 'Haemolysis by Australian Snake Venoms 2. Some Peculiarities in the Behaviour of the Haemolysis of Australian Snake Venom', The Australian Journal of Experimental Biology and Medical Science, vol. 11, 1933, pp. 81-94. [ Details... ]
• Kellaway, C. H., Cherry, R. O. and Williams, F. E., 'The Peripheral Action of the Australian Snake Venoms 2. the Curari-Like Action in Mammals', The Australian Journal of Experimental Biology and Medical Science, vol. 10, 1932, pp. 181-194. [ Details... ]
• Kershaw, J. A, 'Victorian Reptiles', Vict. Nat., vol. 35, 1927, pp. 30-32. [ Details... ]
• Le Souef, D., 'Fauna of King Island. Reptilia', Vict. Nat., vol. 4, 1888, pp. 138-139. [ Details... ]
• Link, T., 'Der Einfluss Der Schlangengifte Auf Die Blutgerinnung 3. Mitteilung. Australische Giftschlangen, Z. Immunforsch. exp. Ther., 92 : 133-144. Abstracted in', Tropical Diseases Bulletin, vol. 35, 1938, pp. 430-431. [ Details... ]
• McArtney, I. B., 'Reptiles and Amphibians of the Bathurst District, New South Wales', The Australian Zoologist, vol. 14, 1968, pp. 265-267. [ Details... ]
• Morgan, F.G., '(Title not recorded)', Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, vol. 27, 1933, pp. 25-26. [ Details... ]
• Rawlinson, P., 'Snakes of the Melbourne Area', Vict. Nat., vol. 81, 1965, pp. 245-254. [ Details... ]
• Rawlinson, P. A., 'The Vertebrate Fauna of the Bass Strait Islands: 2. The. Reptilla of Flinders and King Islands', Proceedings of the Society Victoria, vol. 80, 1967, pp. 211-223. [ Details... ]
• Serventy, V. and Raymond, R., 'Snakes of the Wetlands', Australia's Wildlife Heritage, vol. 4, 1974, pp. 1569-1575. [ Details... ]
• Snow, F., 'A Master Snake-Man', Walkabout, vol. 3, May, 1937, pp. 20-22. [ Details... ]
• Trinca, G. F., 'The Treatment of Snakebite', The Medical Journal of Australia, vol. 1, 1963, p. 833. [ Details... ]
• Tu, A. T. and Toom, P. M., 'Hydrolysis of Peptides by Snake Venoms of Australia and New Guinea', The Australian Journal of Experimental Biology and Medical Science, vol. 45, 1967, pp. 561-567. [ Details... ]
• Tu, A. T., Passey, R. B. and Tu, T., 'Proteolytic Enzyme Activities of Snake Venoms', Toxicon, vol. 4, 1966, pp. 59-60. [ Details... ]
• Zeller, E. A., 'Uber Die Cholinesterase Der Schlangengifte). 5. Mitteilung Uber Die Biochemie Der Tierischen Gifte', Helvetica Chimica Acta, vol. 32, 1949, pp. 94-105. [ Details... ]
• Zeller, E. A., 'Uber Phosphatasen II Uber Eine Neue. Adenosintriphosphatase', Helvetica Chimica Acta, vol. 33, 1950, pp. 821-833. [ Details... ]

Pamphlets

• Kellaway, C. H., 'Snakebite and Its Treatment. Health Bulletin', no. 16, Department of Health, Victoria, 1928, pp. 521-525. [ Details... ]