As Skinner has stated, a Copperhead IS a venomous snake. While it is unlikely to inflict a fatal bite on a healthy adult human, it is still a dangerous bite. Fatalities from Copperhead bites are rare, but have been reported, mostly in very small children, and adults with other serious health problems, as well as individuals that are hyper-sensitive to the venom (death caused by anaphylaxic shock). However, tissue destruction is common and amputations are sometimes required due to extensive tissue destruction.
Copperheads have a rather quick strike and are generally somewhat ill-tempered (especially freshly caught individuals). While they do sometimes dry-bite, this certainly can't be counted on. Individuals that are in captivity and those in the process of being captured usually envenomate when they bite. Some individuals will tend to become more tame after a time in captivity. In my opinion, however, this only makes them more potentially dangerous.
What you can expect from a typical Copperhead bite:
Extreme local pain (best described as "exquisite"
, followed by fairly rapid and pronounced swelling and blue/black discoloration. In extreme cases the swelling may be so severe in the area local to the bite that there is a threat of "compartmental swelling", requiring that the swollen area be surgically opened.
Severe nausea/vomiting and diarrhea. This normally lasts a day or two after the bite and treatment has been started.
Development of hemorrhagic blebs (or blood blisters) usually confined to the affected limb, but possibly appearing on the torso also.
Swollen and tender lymph nodes.
Timely administration of antivenin, either Wyeth Polyvalent Crotalid or Prothereics, Inc. Crofab (preferred)will certainly lessen the severity of the symptoms. Crofab is a newer Polyvalent Crotalid antivenin using ovine serum as opposed to equine serum used for the Wyeth antivenin. It causes less of an allergic reaction than the equine preparation, and seems to be somewhat more effective. However, it has recently been in short supply and many emergency rooms have been forced to continue using the older Wyeth antivenin, which is much more time consuming to use because it takes a long time to get it into suspension. Especially with the Wyeth antivenin, allergic reactions (at times serious) can appear up to 3 weeks after administration.
Antivenin is expensive. The average wholesale price for CroFab is $860.00 per vial. The recommended dosing is 4 to 6 vials to achieve initial control. If initial control is not achieved within 1 hour, then 4 to 6 more vials are recommended. After initial control is achieved, a follow-up of 2 vials every 6 hours for 18 hours is recommended. So, you can see that a severe bite from something like an Eastern Diamondback could take 15 or more vials. At $860.00 per vial (wholesale...the Hospital will charge you considerably more) the cost to the hospital is in the neighborhood or $13,000.00 just for the antivenin. A Copperhead bite would require less antivenin than that normally, but you get the idea.
I'm not trying to discourage anyone from keeping venomous snakes. That is an individual decision. A Copperhead is certainly one of the least dangerous of North American venomous snakes to keep, but that only means the others are extremely dangerous. It is probably the best choice for beginning keepers of venomous snakes, but ONLY under the coaching and tutelage of an experienced and responsible keeper. There are no shortcuts to keeping venomous snakes. You must have the proper training and equipment, or it's just a matter of time before you make that trip to the emergency room.
