Even though I've been keeping Coppers for 8 years now, had about 50 different ones of various species and locales, and they're the ONLY hots I have (or care to have) now, my experience with them giving birth was only once when I had a gravid KY locale Northern give me a litter of 6 back in 2002. othing all that special needed to be done while she was gravid. Just take good care of her. When they were born, it took me a full 3 months to get them feeding. Eventually the dead pinkie left in the cage for about 2 days is what worked. After that, they picked right up and took them off tongs right away everytime they were offered. So don't get discouraged if they're problem feeders. It's just a waiting game.
In relation to breeding them, I only have an awesome pair of Southerns now, that I actually house together. They're very communal snakes, and I swear they miss each other if they're apart even just to feed. Sounds stupid, but that's what I see. They've been living together for about 3 years, and have never reproduced. I catch the male trying to breed her once in a while, but nothing ever comes of it. I think that's interesting. I suppose if I do ever want to breed them, they'll need to be separated and cooled, but it's just not a high priority. They're my pets. The balls are the breeders. Good luck with yours. Copperheads are the absolute BEST. They're the only snakes I have that I KNOW I'll have for the rest of their lives.
