Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I was told of this guy at work today and quickly identified him as a copperhead. I knew that I was working against time and normal practice to keep him from being killed, so I wasn't thinking of how valuable he might be. I was able to get a couple of pictures with a less than perfect camera and get him into a pillowcase in my trunk. I took him to a more natural area near the plant and released him. Later, I started checking pictures and think that I may have found some kind of little morph. Has anyone ever seen this pattern of copperhead? Would he have been valuable? Part of me is kicking myself for not keeping him and trying at least to get better pictures. Another part of me is just happy to have saved him. Here he is.

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It's not how many snakes you have. It's how happy and healthy you can keep them.

That is a baby Cottonmouth, not a Copperhead.

The mouth was deep purple and not white. Does the white come later?
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It's not how many snakes you have. It's how happy and healthy you can keep them.

Dunno about that, but some of the babies (including yours) do look a lot like baby Copperheads. I understand the venom is much more potent in Cottonmouths though. It looks like an Eastern; what State/County did you find it? Here's a site with some pictures of some other baby Eastern Cottonmouths:

fwie.fw.vt.edu/VHS/venomous-look-a-likes/cottonmouth-look-a-likes/cottonmouth.asp

Thanks for posting the picture!
~Steve

Juvenile Southern Copperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix contortrix)

Thanks for the link. He was/is in Ascension Parish, Louisiana. Ascension is just southeast of Baton Rouge. I don't remember whether that makes him more of a western than an eastern, but he is a good match for those pictures.
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It's not how many snakes you have. It's how happy and healthy you can keep them.

Woah I am from Ascension Parish. Can you give locale details?

I released him at Ashland-Belle Helene plantation. I found him at a nearby plant. I'd rather not be more specific, but that should give you a pretty good idea.
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It's not how many snakes you have. It's how happy and healthy you can keep them.

Every wet spot in the state?

Peter

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Peter and Sara
Beouf River Reptiles