What is going on with copperheads changing colors in Texas?

According to a recent Facebook post from Texas Parks and Wildlife, park rangers at Dinosaur Park just found a uniquely colored copperhead and it's pretty terrifying.

Venomous Copperhead Snake ( Agkistrodon contortrix)
Mark Kostich
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Texas is very familiar with copperheads.

Copperheads are pit vipers, and just like rattlesnakes and water moccasins, all of which will bite you if you get too close, and just happen to habitat the GREAT STATE OF TEXAS are pit vipers, and pit vipers have "heat-sensory pits between eye and nostril on each side of the head," so fun times, they can detect minute differences in temperatures and can accurately strike the source of heat, which is often potential prey and lots of Texas feet and hands!

David Kenny
David Kenny
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But according to the World Animal Federation, Texas isn't the state with the most snake bites in the United States!

The states with the highest incidence of snake bites per million population per year are North Carolina at 157.8, followed by West Virginia at 105.3, Arkansas at 92.9, Oklahoma at 61, Virginia at 48.7, and Texas at 44.2.

JWJarrett
JWJarrett
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"The copperhead bite is one of the nastiest venomous snakebites you can receive. The copperhead snake is easily identified by its copper coloration and the distinct hourglass pattern that runs horizontally across its body," the World Animal Federation offers.

David Kenny
David Kenny
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But this Texas copperhead wasn't "easily identified" by its copper coloration."

Oh no, this copperhead that Dinosaur Valley State Park Wildlife Rangers found this copperhead to not only have a unique brightly colored red-and-orange coloring but a BAD ATTITUDE too!

Yep, copperheads are changing colors in Texas! With its unique color and attitude Park Rangers named it...Red Hot Cheeto.

Check this out y'all! This copperhead looks like as the kids say..."FIRE!"

attachment-Screenshot 2023-05-03 090641
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In short, if you think you can identify a copperhead from its copper coloration, these vipers may be morphing into different colors, maybe just to throw us all off! I mean, it's evolution at its finest!

Just watch where you step, please!

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