# Snake ID Baby Copperhead?



## blovenerika

Pretty sure its a Copperhead just never seen one this small. How many of these little things are hatched in the average den? I have an 18 month old that loves playing in grass so I would like to know for sure what we’re up against. I also have a large colony of chipmunks in the back yard I’m sure they draw the snakes in. Should I take out the colony? Try to find someone to get me some Black Racers? Or just continue to keep a close eye on my baby girl, kill them when I can and live with them?


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## Jeff Raines

DeKay's Brown snake


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## donald-f

That is NOT a copperhead!


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## Jeff Raines

And it's not a baby.

http://www.lakeeureka.eureka.lib.il.us/amphibiansreptiles/dekaysnake.html


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## blovenerika

Wow, Thanks for the quick replys guys. He just had that light tan color and I started to worry about about my baby. I'm not opposed to good non venomous snakes they will help keep the chipmunks in check. Thanks again.


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## dawg2

Definitely a Brown snake. Juvenile copperheads have a lemon yellow tail tip.  Very distinct.


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## NCHillbilly

Yep, adult brown snake or maybe a redbellied snake. Nothing to worry about unless you're a worm or a bug.


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## Ga Waters

Brown snake. Back in the day it was known as a DeKay snake.Names change.Go figure.


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## shakey gizzard

It's the short ,fat ones you gotta watch out for!


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## blovenerika

Great info, yellow tail; short and fat with the tan scales is what a baby Copperhead looks like. It is the kind of specific Information  that might save someone’s life.


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## GA DAWG

You will see the lime green looking tail of a copperhead right off. No missing it.


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## Son

Copperheads have live birth. That's non poisonous for sure, look at the small narrow head and round pupils.


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## Nicodemus

GA DAWG said:


> You will see the lime green looking tail of a copperhead right off. No missing it.





Baby cottonmouths share the same trait.


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## GA DAWG

What about baby rattlers?


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## Nicodemus

GA DAWG said:


> What about baby rattlers?





Nope, their tail is normal colored, but they have a single rattle, or button, as it`s called. Diamondbacks and canebrakes. Only pygmys I`ve ever seen were adults, so I can`t speak for the young of them.


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## GA DAWG

I should have known that.  I saw a baby rattler once at camp in Sept. When do yall see most of these baby poisonous snakes? Ive saw them in Sept.


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## Nicodemus

Last one I saw was in September, a baby cottonmouth. Surprisingly, I don`t see many babies. Most of what I see are adults.


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## Son

You almost have to be an expert to tell the difference between young cottonmouths and copperheads. The yellow tail is the key.
Young rattlers are most difficult to see, and usually stay hidden. I've found em denned up in armadillo holes in August in SW Ga. Always guarded by the mother snake, usually five to 5.5 feet in length. She guards em to keep the kingsnakes from eating em up. And hopes a larger than her king doesn't show up. we walk by more poisonous snakes than we know.


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## Son

By the way, in the woods today, noticed many slick snake trails crossing the sandy roads. They're on the move. Big rattlers and cottonmouths push lots of sand to move where they can't get good traction. Look at which way the sand is pushed by the momentum, and it will tell you which way it went.


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## Anvil Head

There's a reason for copperheads and cotton mouths look a lot alike during their early stages in life....they are cousins - both are _agkistrodons_.....copper is _contortrix_ and cotton is _piscivorus_. In spite of their bad rap by the unknowing, they are very shy and only aggresive when they feel in danger. Normally they hold real still and hope you will pass on by, relying on their camo as first defense.
Best time to catch any snakes moving accross roads is when heavy equipment opreating on a property, the vibrations chase them out of the area....they cannot "hear" as we think of hearing so yelling at them has no effect. I caught enough of these critters (back when legal) and sold them to the zoos to pay for a year at UGA. Rather handle either of the agk's over a big _crotalus_ eastern diamond or canebreak (rather moody fellas).
Recommend going to a reptile facility and study them a bit ...... then you'll never mistake them for a different snake......and viseversa.


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