THE STAR (Pretoria, S Africa) 28 December 09 Snakeman on receiving end of Beauty's ugly side (Hanti Otto)

Three months after snakeman "Nutty Natie" Swart returned to an enclosure of venomous snakes - he had to leave when he was rushed to hospital after being bitten by a puff adder - a snouted cobra sank her fangs into the very same foot.

On Sunday, Swart had just woken up to day 65 of his 121-day attempt to conquer the Guinness world record of living with 40 venomous snakes at the Chameleon Village Reptile and Conservation Park at Hartbeespoort Dam, when he stepped on Beauty.

In September, he was bitten on his right foot by a puff adder on day 37 of the record attempt. He spent more than a week in hospital and almost lost a toe.

But he returned to the 20 square metre enclosure as quickly as he could, hobbling around on crutches until three weeks ago.

"Since that freak accident with the puff adder, Delilah, I have been watching the puff adders carefully. So, as I got off the bed, checking where the puff adders were, I did not realise that Beauty had slithered underneath the bed. I stepped right on the poor thing's back," he said.

The cobra retaliated and a fang penetrated his right foot.

Swart said he had been bitten by cobras many times before and was "sort of immune" to their venom.
Snakeman on receiving end of Beauty's ugly side

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• ZAF Press: Beauty's ugly side - W von Papineäu, Sun Jan 3 10:36:07 2010