Copperhead snakes are slithering out in MS again. Here’s how to spot them and stay safe
Spring weather has arrived in Mississippi, and that means the state’s cold-blooded creatures have begun emerging from their winter hideouts.
In fact, spring is one of the seasons where one of the Magnolia State’s most common venomous snakes, the copperhead, slithers out and about during the day, according to Live Science.
In 2025, copperhead snake bites made up about 29% of all venomous snake bites, a 55% increase when compared with the same time period the year prior, according to Mississippi Poison Control Center data.
As snake sightings ramp up around the state, here’s what you should know to stay safe.
What do copperhead snakes look like?
Copperheads are about two to three feet long and have flat, triangular heads, according to the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks.
They are recognizable by their bronze skin, vertical pupils and hourglass pattern, experts said.
How to stay safe from copperheads
Copperhead snakes hide in forests, gardens, garages and neighborhoods, according to Singing River Health System experts.
Experts recommend wearing boots in tall grass or while near water, cleaning debris from your yard and backing away slowly from snakes if you encounter them to protect yourself.
What to do if you’re bitten by a copperhead snake
Just because you get bit by a copperhead snake, doesn’t mean venom was transported, but it’s still recommended to have all bites by venomous snakes checked out by a health care professional, according to the Mississippi Poison Control Center.
Here’s what to do if you are bitten by a copperhead, according to experts:
- Stay calm
- Go to the nearest emergency department or health care facility
- Call 911 if you have “shortness of breath, chest pain, confusion or loss of consciousness”
- Put pressure on the affected extremity
- Do not use ice or a tourniquet
- Do not try to suck out the venom
