Information courtesy of /wiki/Agkistrodon_contortrix_laticinctus, venombyte. It is an ambush predator, eating lizards, frogs, and rodents, with juveniles having a taste for various kinds of insects, such as cicadas. It typically avoids regions with a significant population of humans. Secretive and nocturnal, it prefers lightly wooded habitats, typically with a good amount of ground debris for cover, not far from a permanent water source. The Broad-Banded Copperhead is born with the ability to bite and inject venom, and is fully capable of inflicting a venomous bite from birth. It will often vibrate its tail when disturbed as well. When the Broad-Banded Copperhead is disturbed or feels threatened, it will often coil up its body, and raise its head at a 45-degree angle from the ground in a defensive posture. Any bite from a venomous snake should be considered serious and medical treatment sought. The bands are mostly hourglass-shaped, with the wider portions of the shape on either side of the snakes body and the narrower. The northern copperhead has an unmarked, copper-colored head and reddish-brown, coppery body with chestnut brown crossbands. Copperhead venom is not considered to be life-threatening to an otherwise healthy adult, but it can cause localized swelling, necrosis, and severe pain. Copperheads are thick-bodied snakes with keeled scales. They average approximately 2 – 3 feet in length, considered to be one of the smaller copperheads. The actual color varies, by locality, from a red-brown, to a gray-brown. This form is typically a light tan in color, with darker brown, wide cross bands – which gives it its common name. They are found in the southern United States, from Kansas, through Oklahoma and throughout central Texas. Normally after one year their tail will turn dark brown or in some cases even. They are a venomous pit viper subspecies. Copperheads are responsible for more bites than any other venomous snake. The Broad-banded copperhead is also known as copperhead moccasin, copperhead snake, dry-land moccasin, highland moccasin, moccasin, rattlesnake pilot, red eye, Texas copperhead, and thunder snake. Broad-Banded Copperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix laticinctus) Copperheads also have tan blotches, but those on a milk snake are rounded or square while those on a copperhead are hour-glass shaped, and truly copper-colored.