venomous snakes in North America

[sc00t]

I was just wondering if anyone could help me, I was wanting to know which snake had more potent venom a cottenmouth or a copperhead?

[Reticsrule]

i would say cottonmouth simply because i always hear that copperhead venom isnt that toxic. thats just a guess though.

[cantil]

Cottonmouths have significantly more toxic venom then copperheads do. Extensive necrosis and death can result from envenomation by a cottonmouth, In addition to which they are larger snakes and have the capacity to inject more venom compounding the effect.

Copperhead venom isn't that toxic, RELATIVELY. Relatively is the key word when comparing the toxicity of many venomous snakes. Considering a copperhead to be of no particular concern simply because it is less toxic than many other species of venomous snake potentially can lead to a dismissive attitude and a casual regard for an animal which is potentially dangerous and deserves the respect any other venomous snake deserves. I'm not trying to rant I'm just saying don't dismiss coppers simply because they aren't up there with Russell's vipers.

[psilocybe]

Cottonmouths are most definitely more venomous, and hence, more dangerous, than copperheads. That being said, a copperhead bite is no walk in the park, and amputation of digits can be a very real possibility from a copperhead bite. What makes them less dangerous is that the venom is less potent, and delivered in less quantities, so therefore, death would be pretty unlikely from a copperhead (barring anaphylaxis or other serious reaction to the venom). Cottonmouth venom is EXTREMELY tissue destructive, and left untreated can lead to systemic shock and death. There is also a good chance a bite can become gangrenous, making things even worse. Keep in mind what makes up a good portion of a cotton's diet in the wild: fish. In other words, their mouths are petri dishes for who knows what. Those long fangs are sure to deliver whatever microbiological nasties inhabit their mouths, along with the highly potent venom. While amputation of digits or even limbs is a possibility in copperhead bites, it's a probability with cottonmouth bites, as losing digits to bites from them is not at all rare.

Bottom Line: they are both venomous snakes. Treat them both with the same amount of respect you would any venomous snake, deadly or not. Losing a finger to a copperhead would not be fun. Just because it's unlikely to kill doesn't make it safe by any means.

[lepidus741]

Cottonmouth by far , a lot more tissue damage but a copperhead is nothing to mess aroun with, a friend of mine got tagged by a pic on the first knucle of his index finger. his hand and arm swelled to almost double size the end of the finger turned black and blood and fluid ozzed out of the bite for about 2 weeks in the end he cant bend the finger and lost the tip.

[SCReptiles]

In Venomous Reptiles of North American the author lists 100mg as the lethal dose of both snakes. I think the foremost difference is venom yield. I have extracted venom from both snakes and the cotton can double a copperhead of the same length.