As often is the case, the real truth here probably is somewhere in between the horror movie-like account I related and the don't-worry-about-it approach reflected in the initial post on this thread. (And it DID seem like a Stephen King movie when she related it to me! ) The case I described no doubt was a severe envenomation as far as copperheads go, and there may well have been other circumstances that exacerbated the symptoms (such as fear and panic that increased her heart rate and thus the rate of spread of the toxic effects).

I agree that copperheads certainly are the least toxic of our venomous snakes in the U.S., and I suppose that IF the victim of a copperhead bite knows what to do and does it properly after being bitten), then they MIGHT be able to avoid a trip to the hospital if it's a mild envenomation. But the statement in question implies that copperhead bites NEVER require hospitalization and that they ALL can be treated by cleaning with an antiseptic. That simply is not correct.

Budman, thanks for the link. If the toxinology site isn't linked in the caresheet/FAQ part of Kingsnake.com, it should be added.
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MichaelB

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