Why Copperheads Are The Most Common Venomous Snakebite

Of all the snakebites among venomous snakes in North America, the copperhead is the most common. The reason? Well, part of it has to do with the fact that they copperhead is one of the most widespread, but the reasons go a bit deeper than that. The copperhead snake is probably the least venomous of the big four venomous snake species in America.

The family of rattlesnakes, of which there are many subspecies, are among the more deadly along with the coral snake. The coral snake is not quite as dangerous simply because they are not encountered nearly as often, and when they do they are not as quick to bite. The cottonmouth is a fairly plentiful species, and they are certainly not afraid to bite, but they are found primarily in the Southern part of the US. The copperhead is spread all over. They are quick to bite if stepped on or messed with.

Another key factor with copperhead venomous snake bites is that they are found where the people are. Copperheads will set up in residential neighborhoods, farms, and even small forests that line the neighborhoods. If you see a venomous snake around your home, the chances are very high that it is a copperhead. Because of this proximity to people, the copperhead snake bite is the most common venomous snake bite in the United States.

The bite of the copperhead can range from very mild to highly dangerous. Most healthy adults will not have a serious problem with copperhead snake bites. Children, the elderly or anyone with a compromised immune system however can have major reactions to copperhead snake bite venom. As such, any copperhead snake bite should be viewed as a medical emergency. You should head to the emergency room as soon as possible if you are bitten by this snake.

The copperhead is by and large a very harmless snake that wants no part of people. They provide a wonderful service to our ecosystem, and without these snakes we would likely be overrun with vermin and things of this nature.

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Tags: american snake, bitten by snake, copperhead, coral snake, cottonmouth, dangerous snake, north american snake, rattlesnake, snake bite, toxic, united states snake, venom, venomous snake, venomous snake bite

This entry was posted on September 11, 2009 at 7:37 am and is filed under Copperhead, cottonmouth, Dangerous Snakes, General Snake Safety, North American Snakes, Spider Bite First Aid. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.