You are probably aware of snakes that live on land, but all snakes that live on land can swim in the water.Well, the snakes that are commonly found near water bodies are termed waters snakes. These water snakes have a lot more differences than just their habitat with the other snakes.If anyone were to ask you which reptile you fear the most? Pretty sure most of you would answer snakes. In this blog, we cover one such venomous snake-copperhead snake. These slithering creatures can be deadly and harmless, owing to their venomous and non-venomous nature, respectively.These brown-banded copperhead snakes are primarily located in Georgia throughout the world. While most snakes we heard of, such as pit viper and copperheads, live on land, they are also equally capable of living in the water. Snakes like copperheads are found in water and land, so does that mean they know how to swim? Let’s find out!If you are intrigued by snakes and would like to know more about them, how about you check out our other snake articles? Why do snakes shed? And how do snakes see?Are copperheads water snakes?Copperheads are snakes that are capable of swimming; although these aren’t precisely like water snakes who live inside water bodies, they are still found to swim casually, a common trait amongst non-water snakes. So if not in the water, then where do they live? This venomous snake is found to inhabit regions in close vicinity to the water bodies.Coming to a consensus, copperhead snakes cannot be classified as water snakes, and the reason lies in the basic understanding of what water snakes are. Snakes are called water snakes when they tend to spend most of their time in the water, and the body design of water snakes is more inclined towards having flattened sides and rounded heads than the copperhead snake. The copperhead snake also has a thick stocky body and heavy, blocky heads that differ entirely from an aquatic snake. This feature is typically responsible for making aquatic snakes excellent swimmers too.If you closely note the pattern on the copperhead’s body, it lacks all the distinct features of a water snake, and they have a lot more in common with a water moccasin, another species of snake that prefers to live near riverbeds and wet areas. Their behavior is usually the same.The copperhead snake is often misidentified as an aquatic snake, but it cannot be considered an aquatic snake due to the reasons mentioned above.Do copperheads swim with their heads above water?The venomous snake swims with its entire body afloat, while non-venomous snakes keep only their heads afloat.Copperheads belong to the venomous snakes’ category, and most venomous snakes can be found swimming on top of the water surface. Cottonmouths, rattlesnakes, and copperheads swim with their bodies afloat buoyant above the water, including their head. Cottonmouth snakes often dive deep inside the water to catch their food.So if you ever see a snake on top of the water, chances are it’s a poisonous one and could prove to be fatal if you try to disturb it, so stay far!Are copperheads good swimmers?A water snake is typically a snake that has a rounded head with an overall flattened body, unlike other terrestrial snakes. This is a significant difference between a copperhead and a water snake which is why it is also often misidentified as a water snake; however, despite living on the ground, a copperhead indeed swims, but how well do they swim?A copperhead frequently goes in and around water and, as a result, is well acquainted with swimming. Despite staying on land and otherwise harmless, their swimming skills are quite appreciable even if they don’t do it often but are they as good as a water snake? Of course not.Do copperheads swim underwater?Any snake is a reptile by nature, be it copperhead, a pit viper, or a rattlesnake, and just like a human, they have lungs that control their breathing, so how is, does a water snake or other species of snakes even swim underwater? Well, the answer lies in the evolutionary adaptation of this animal. Sea snakes have long lungs in contrast to their cousins on the land, which is the key to their survival. The long lungs of a water snake control their breathing for a longer duration, unlike the lungs present in a copperhead.A copper head has a lower lung capacity, due to which, after half an hour, they have to resurface back and get their head out of the water for a bit to breathe in oxygen. To conclude, yes, a copperhead can swim underwater to catch its prey at times but not for long.Can a copperhead snake bite you in the water?Copperhead snakes are usually identified in Alabama, Illinois, northern Massachusetts, and northern Georgia. You can generally identify them in various habitats, ranging from many rocks and forested hillsides to terrestrial and aquatic areas. Copperhead snakes tend to gravitate particularly towards wildlife areas such as ponds, creeks, and lakes. The copperhead would prefer marshy areas surrounding a lake or river to live and find their food. If you have a house close to a river or lake in any of the cities mentioned above, make sure you know how to identify these snakes to protect your family from their venomous bite.Both non-venomous snakes and venomous snakes could bite you if they felt threatened, and mind you, the bite from a copperhead has venom, which is far from harmless to a human so beware of this dangerous snake. On the contrary, a bite from a non-venomous snake can be harmless, but you should not make either snake feel threatened for your safety.Coming to biting in water, well, the copperhead is perfectly capable of biting animals and humans underwater if they feel insecure. They will usually stay out of humans or any animal’s way, but if push comes to shove, they can bite any enemy injecting deadly venom into their body.How can you tell a copperhead from a water snake?Many people often get confused seeing a water snake or copperhead but tell you what, the venom from this snake’s bite is not as life-threatening, but we can’t promise that it’s not painful. So it’s better to spot this animal beforehand and not go near it, but how do we identify them?The easiest way to spot these species is to look for their markings or patterns. The copperhead has dark brown bands that resemble the shape of an hourglass. These brown bands and patterns resembling the hourglass are the copperheads’ distinctive features. Apart from these, the shape of the head of these species is broader and pointed compared to a water snake’s slender and round-shaped head. The round-shaped head is one of the reasons why a water snake swims effortlessly.It’s, however, best to march away quietly once you see any snake, harmless or not. It’s best to avoid any pain, right?Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for do copperheads swim? Then why not take a look at why do snakes eat themselves?, or Copperhead Facts.
You are probably aware of snakes that live on land, but all snakes that live on land can swim in the water.
