Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Okay first let me break this down for you... this is my first venomous snake....i have been wanting one for years, and after researching and taking all the proper precautions we got one... it is a wc adult, feeding great on live mice... currently kept between 75-80 degrees, and is in a room that locks from the outside so only me and my brother can get in..... only my family knows we have it because it is not something to show off or be "cool" with... its the start of a lifetime devotion to venomous snakes... with all of that said i do not want to be drilled, i would just like a few questions answered...... is there any external ways to tell the gender of the snake? like color difference, size difference, etc? earlier i said adult but im not quite sure.... its around 2 ft.... is that about average adult size or do you think it will get bigger?.... and im building a cage right now that has the dimensions of a 30 gal aquarium, latches and locks and will be hidden away from view(opento suggestions because cage is not yet complete).. would it matter keeping it in a dark closet 24/7 or is it better with some kind of light?.... and is switching from live to prekilled a must or is live fine? only reason why i would think of live being a problem is the mouse biting the snake, but alll i have seen its mouse in there....whack..... dead..... eaten... so i dont thinkthere is any problems but like i said im open to suggestions.... this snake has been in captivity for a little over a month and ate the third day we had it, and has been eating steadily since.... i have been working with reptiles my whole life(monitors, pythons, colubrids) and i am very excited about the new addition...... feel free to email me at lightgreen085@yahoo.com ... later

is there any external ways to tell the gender of the snake? like color difference, size difference, etc?

Yes.

earlier i said adult but im not quite sure.... its around 2 ft.... is that about average adult size or do you think it will get bigger?

Yes.

.... and im building a cage right now that has the dimensions of a 30 gal aquarium, latches and locks and will be hidden away from view(opento suggestions because cage is not yet complete).. would it matter keeping it in a dark closet 24/7 or is it better with some kind of light?

Would you want to be in total darkness 24/7?

.... and is switching from live to prekilled a must or is live fine? only reason why i would think of live being a problem is the mouse biting the snake, but alll i have seen its mouse in there....whack..... dead..... eaten... so i dont thinkthere is any problems

Rodents can kill snakes no matter how venomous they are.

Feeding prey that has been frozen for 30 days is also a good idea because the freezing process kills most parasites.

Be sure they are thawed completely and have no cool spots in them.

first the snakes feeling about being in a dark closet is completely different from mine ... are they nocturnal? if so then they dont benefit from the light then what would be the point of a photoperiod? thanks for clearing up my confusions

One of the ways to successfully keep and breed ANY species in captivity is to reproduce natural conditions to the point in captivity that the animal feels comfortable enough to carry on with its life in a semi-normal way.

So, YES, how the animal feels IS important.

Without giving a lot of scientific data and crap like that. Snakes in nature get some sunlight (even the nocturnal ones) ... ergo... I can say with a certain degree of confidence that snakes would want a photoperiod.

The second clue that tells me that a snake shouldn't be kept in total darkness is the fact that they have eyes. Enough said.

Now, as to my reliability as a source...

I've had 53 venomous snakes born in my snake room in the last year. Sure some have had more, some have had less,.... but knowing that: Who should be listening to whom in this case? Me or You?

(by the way, all the parents of those 53 were given an photoperiod and not kept in total darkness)

Any more questions?

thank you, i asked a question you gave an answer... and as a matter of fact, i would like answers to more questions in the future because i know ill have more.... i talked to a woman online yesterday that told me it would be best to put a bulb in with it..... the cage is about done, and some changes will be made...... thanks for answering my questions.....

I think your temps sound a little on the cool side. I'd try to offer a thermal gradient of mid-high 70's on the cool side to high 80's on the warm side. That way the snake can thermoregulate itself. You dont want to keep your snake in the dark all the time. It should be given an appropriate photoperiod. If you live where the snake was found, you can just replicate the daylight hours outside by using a timer with your lights.
I would recommend feeding pre-killed if your copperhead will eat them that way. If it will only eat live, don't leave live rodents in the cage for extended periods unsupervised. If the snake isn't interested remove the mouse and try again later.
The best way to determine the sex of an adult snake is to probe it. If you have a lot of experience with copperheads you may be able to tell by the length and width of the tail past the vent but this is not an exact science. The safest way to probe a venomous snake is by using plastic restraint tubes and two people. One to hold the snake and one to probe. Probing can injure the snake if done incorrectly so if you don't have experience doing it find someone that can help you.
If the snake is WC you may want to bring a fresh fecal sample to the vet to check for parasites.
The current issue of Reptiles Magazine has an article on captive care of copperheads. It's not the greatest magazine but the article should provide the basic info you'll need.

Dear lightgreen1783:

Hi: I am longtang. I also just got a broadbanded CH. He is fast becoming my fav. He sits in the open (which I am not used--all my boids hide all the time).

He is also a mouse pounding machine.

Hey, since we are both new to hots, maybe we can be internet buddies and grow together in this hobby.

Keep us posted about your experience. I will tell you a little about mine today: I saw a bit of stool and uric acid in the cage last night, but I was too tired to do anything (don't want to move hots when tired).

This morning, with a good night sleep and a fresh quiet mind, I moved the snake into a tub and changed the bedding. All went well and no hitchs!

cheers. Happy hotings.