The common copperhead is a graceful agile snake with a very interesting coloration. This reptile is very nimble, capable of doing tricks that most of its fellow snakes are not capable of. A copperhead snake, if it is lifted above the ground by its tail, can sharply bend, reach its head and bite the impudent offender by the fingers. Copperhead is common from Western Siberia to Western Europe, but is more common in the southern regions.
The color of her upper body is beige, brown-brown or gray with small longitudinal dark spots. The belly is gray or brown-brown with a silvery sheen and a pattern of dark spots. In males that have reached puberty, the belly is colored orange or brick red. Males are slightly smaller than females. On the back of the head there are two diamond-shaped spots, which sometimes merge with each other. From the eye to the nostril, and then to the corner of the mouth, a wide strip of dark color stretches. The copper snake has round pupils and a red-brown iris with a golden hue. The length of the reptile reaches up to 80 cm. Shields on the body and tail are smooth.
Due to its impressive size and high aggressiveness, this snake is often mistaken for a viper and killed. Partlybecause of this, and partly because of the deterioration of living conditions, it is listed in the Red Book. Some people think that the copper snake is poisonous and dangerous to humans, but this is not so. Its poison is dangerous only for rodents or lizards. This reptile differs from the viper in a narrower head with a barely noticeable neck interception, larger head shields, smoother scales and round pupils (vertical in the viper).
The copperhead snake lives in mosaic dry forests, is found in overgrown clearings, in sunny glades, edges of dry pine forests, loves hilly terrain. The snake avoids the banks of water bodies and wetlands. Sometimes it can be found along roads and railway embankments. Habitats depend on the availability of the main food, which for the copperhead is lizards.
Unlike many other reptiles, the copperhead is a territorial snake, and for many years lives in a well-defined area, not exceeding 1 ha. In times of danger, the copperfish tends to hide in a shelter, but it can also defend itself by attacking the offender. Common shelters for her are deadwood piles, rodent burrows, tree roots and rotten stumps.
Copperhead snake hibernates in winter and wakes up around mid-April, when the average daily air temperature begins to exceed 15 °C. Her mating season begins in May. She is an ovoviviparous snake. The fertility of females is 5-10 cubs. The embryos develop for about 2.5 months, and the young are born from the end of July tomid August. Copperhead is most active during the daytime, loves to bask in the sun, especially in the morning.
The general worldwide downward trend in the number of these snakes is due to the fact that their main food is lizards, which themselves have become less of late.
This food base is not as reliable as that of snakes, which feed not only on lizards, but also on small rodents and frogs.
The copperfish does this only when there is an extreme degree of lack of the usual food. During such periods, even cannibalism can be observed in these reptiles. In many countries, the copper snake is protected by law.
