Genus: Agkistrodon

Scales: Weakly keeled

Anal Plate: Single

Broad-banded Copperheads are one of three subspecies of copperheads found in Texas. This particular subspecies are found throughout Central & North Texas, along with Eastern half of Oklahoma and a small Southern part of Kansas. Adult copperheads are generally around two to little under three feet in length. As neonates and juveniles, copperheads eat amphibians and reptiles, but as adults their diets mainly moves to rodents. Neonates have yellow that they use as a lure to attract prey items but as adults the color fades to a shade of gray. Like all venomous snakes, people must be cautious around them. Proper snake handling tools must be use when handling this species, and they should only handled by experienced snake handlers.

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