Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hey, I found this copperhead about 50 miles north of Houston TX, and didn't know if it's a Southern or an Osage, or do we not have Osage copperheads here?

Thanks
Zack
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Zack Greens Reptiles

If you found it 50 miles north of Houston, I would say it's a southern.
Osage are found much farther north.

ok thanks, I wasnt too sure on the Osage's range

Zack
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0.1.0 Brazilian Rainbow Boa
1.0.0 Yellow Anaconda
1.1.0 Suriname Red Tail Boa
1.1.0 Guyana Red Tail Boa
1.0.0 Coral Sunglow Boa
0.1.0 Coral Albino Boa
0.1.0 Arabesque Het Albino Boa
0.1.0 DH Sunglow Boa
1.1.0 Red Blood Python
1.2.0 Jungle Carpet Python (females VPI Bloodline)
0.1.0 Burmese Python (Rescue)
0.1.0 Albino Retic (Lavender)
1.1.0 Western Hognose (Orange-Red albino, Extreme Red Het Albino)
0.1.0 Avicularia Versicolor
1.0.0 Cat

Zack Greens Reptiles

Off the top of my head, I would say Osage ranges in Southern northwest in Oklahoma and eastern Kansas and Mizzou.

Randal Berry

Yup, and Osage copperheads get down here into Arkansas as well. If I'm remembering correctly, on Osage copperheads the dark outlining of the crossbands does not extend all the way to the first dorsal scale row along the caudal 1/4 of the body. Some populations of osage copperheads have nearly patternless bellies as well (at least in SW MO and NW AR), not sure how this falls out elsewhere.

I photographed these eastern Kansas phaeogaster at the den site last spring. It is a great limestone shelf site and this day I found 14 in a little over an hour. All were photographed where found and none were removed. I've captured hundreds over the years, most in the 70's and 80's, but they were always released at the site where they were found, either immediately after marking or after the study was over. The broad white outline of the bands is characteristic of the Osage. This was early last May at an air temperature of 80 F. I have seen horridus in this area, but not on this actual ledge system.

Kelly

Thanks for all the info, most books and articles just show pics of them but dont explain the actual charictoristics that seperate them from another, and without that info it's a little hard to tell since they all very from snake to snake

Thanks
Zack
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0.1.0 Brazilian Rainbow Boa
1.0.0 Yellow Anaconda
1.1.0 Suriname Red Tail Boa
1.1.0 Guyana Red Tail Boa
1.0.0 Coral Sunglow Boa
0.1.0 Coral Albino Boa
0.1.0 Arabesque Het Albino Boa
0.1.0 DH Sunglow Boa
1.1.0 Red Blood Python
1.2.0 Jungle Carpet Python (females VPI Bloodline)
0.1.0 Burmese Python (Rescue)
0.1.0 Albino Retic (Lavender)
1.1.0 Western Hognose (Orange-Red albino, Extreme Red Het Albino)
0.1.0 Avicularia Versicolor
1.0.0 Cat

Zack Greens Reptiles

Here is a shot of a section of the limestone ledge system where the above Osage copperheads were photographed. It is a classic south facing ledge and runs for about a quarter mile.

Kelly

Def. a Southern. Osage do not range that far south. Only Broad-bands & Southerns should be close to your area.

Matthew