Jesse Rothacker of Forgotten Friend Reptile Sanctuary advises local residents to keep an eye out for copperheads during the last warm days of the year. Residents are reminded to exercise caution when walking in leaf-covered areas, as copperheads blend in with their surroundings extremely well.

Copperheads are responsible for thousands of venomous snake bites in the United States every year, although they will never approach if people keep a safe distance. Copperheads are about to disappear into hibernation, so they will use the remaining sunny afternoons to bask before temperatures drop in the coming weeks.

For more information regarding copperheads, search for "Venom in a Bottle" at http://www.youtube.com. To learn more about Forgotten Friend Reptile Sanctuary, visit http://www.forgottenfriend.org.