Thanks for all concerned and yes, I'm fine - sort of. I'll stumble down memory lane to clarify a few things about the bite. Most would agree that it is ideal to keep small snakes in rack units. I had some yearling Diamondbacks, Ratsnakes, & Ball Pythons in a 5 across FB shoebox unit (approx. 4' wide). I had been photogrpahing Ball Pythons for 2 - 3 hrs. when I decided to grab the last pr. of Balls (yeah, I said it) to get a comparison shot. I pulled open two drawers (on the far left & far right) at the same time. Grabbed a drawer on the wrong level with the hand I wasn't looking at. Rattlesnake was sitting at the front of the tub & "touched me" on the hand w/ his fangs as soon as I opened it. I had a serious Anaphylactic reaction to a very mild bite & prob. would be dead if I didn't already have a prescription for an epipen (a.k.a adrenaline shot). There were (past tense) no laws against keeping Venomous in the city, county, or state that I lived in (past tense). I do believe in personal freedom and this includes what one does in the privacy of his/her own home. I also do believe that more than our fair share of personal freedoms have been taken away from us (esp. recently) & the majority of people could care less as they are too busy watching TV or calmed by all the pharmaceuticals (a.k.a. "legal drugs" we are fed. With all the major problems our children stand to inherit - whether it be here or in another country - it never ceases to amaze me that "the powers that be" have time to worry about whether we are keeping Turtles in MD, Cornsnakes in TX, Ratsnakes in OH, or Rattlesnakes in IN. I know I am not the only person who believes we are beyond the point of over regulation but who is making the laws to protect the people from the atrocities comitted by these politicians and bureaucrats. Why is it legal to kill most of these native animals but illegal to care for them? How is it poss. to develop land set aside to preserve nature? After the "Ratsnake incident", the "Rattlesnake incident", & the decline in our economy, I decided it best to devote my time to more rewarding hobbies (i.e. photography, ninjitsu, self mutilation, skinny dipping in shark infested waters, etc). I imagine I'll always have snakes in hopes to promote captive propagation (which, in turn, relieves the demand for wild-caught animals) unless they're banned entirely because they are "evil" - could happen in the world we live in today. I have been targeted by certain individuals and agencies for my beliefs and that's more the reason why I don't have much to say anymore - I'm debating taking a vow of silence. I've seen alot of good people in this hobby treated the same way so be careful what you do and say, you could be next. Whether you know it or not, you are considered the enemy.....COBRA!!!!!!

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