Reptile & Amphibian Forums

A friend of mine was bitten today here in S. FL. Slow news day so all the media showed up. I was personally bothered by the pests. No interviews were granted and they all left a bit upset. AWWWWWW. The bite was delivered by a Pak Black THROUGH a Midwest glove. We believ the glove reduced the severity of the bite. It has been labeled a mild envenomation although no real symptoms occurred. Antivenin was not required. All in all the best possible outcome. Be careful out there and keep on your toes!

In my opinion, no interviews = no bad writeups. Good save.
-----
Tom

"The more people I meet, the more I like my snakes"

SUN-SENTINEL (Fort Lauderdale, Florida) 02 October 06 Plantation man, 31, bitten by his pet cobra (Sofia Santana)
(AP) A Plantation man is recovering at Plantation Medical Center after he was bit by his pet cobra this afternoon and was treated with antivenin, said hospital spokeswoman Michelle Marsh.
The man, who was not identified by rescue and hospital officials, is 31 and has a license from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to own the exotic snake, said Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Capt. Ernie Jillson. He is in stable condition.
Jillson described the snake as a Black Pakistani cobra, also known as an Indian cobra.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-1002csnake,0,35838.story?coll=sfla-news-broward

WPLG (Miami, Florida) 02 October 06 Man Bitten By Cobra
Plantation, Fla.: A man is being treated at Plantation General Hospital after being bitten by a poisonous snake.
Initial reports are that the 31-year-old man was bitten by a black Pakistani cobra. The Miami-Dade Venom Unit is taking antivenin to the hospital for the man's treatment, but as of 6 p.m. Monday, it had not yet been administered.
The man was being treated in the emergency room where he was reported to be in stable condition.
There was no immediate word on the circumstances of the snakebite, but police did confirm that the man had the appropriate license to own the snake.
http://www.local10.com/news/9984761/detail.html

Video link at URL below

MIAMI HERALD (Florida) 03 October 06 Snakebit but OK: Man survives cobra encounter (Kathleen McGrory)
One day after his pet cobra bit him in the hand, a South Florida man is seemingly OK -- and counting his blessings, authorities said.
The strike could have been lethal. The snake, a black Pakistani cobra, is known for its highly toxic venom, said Dr. Kenneth Krysko, a herpetologist at the Florida Museum of Natural History in Gainesville.
''This is not the type of snake that people keep in their house,'' Krysko said. ``You have to be extremely careful with this type of animal. It is very toxic.''
It started just after 4 p.m. on Monday. The man, 31, a former-researcher with an extensive background in snakes, was at home when the animal struck him, fire rescue officials said. He rushed to Plantation General Hospital with two fang marks in his hand.
Miami Dade Fire Rescue's antivenin unit was not far behind. The department -- the only fire rescue squad in the United States with a snakebit response unit -- has an antivenin bank, and was ready with the appropriate antidote.
The officers knew what they were dealing with. They said they've handled a half-dozen cobra bites this year alone.
''Cobra venom predominantly attacks your Central Nervous System,'' explained Capt. Ernie Jillson, the team's leader. ``It blocks your nerve channels, and causes respiratory failure, difficulty breathing and paralysis.''
Within hours, the man was stable, and his bite deemed mild. At first, fire officials shied away from administering the antivenin -- which could potentially send the man into anaphylactic shock -- but remained on-call to monitor his condition.
''It felt like a waiting game,'' said Jillson.
In the end, the bite was not severe enough to merit the antivenin. The man was discharged from the hospital this afternoon, officials said.
His name has not yet been released, and the circumstances surrounding the bite remain unclear. But authorities said he did have a permit for the venomous snake.
To qualify for the license, a person must have at least one year of experience handling the species, according to the state Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
''Not just any person can possess a license to possess venomous snakes in Florida,'' said agency spokesman Jorge Pino.
Still, an investigation by the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is pending.
For now, fire rescue officials say the man is lucky to be alive.
''He dodged a bullet on this one,'' Jillson said.
Snakebit but OK: Man survives cobra encounter

First of all, glad your friend's okay. Out of curiosity, was the bite to the hand/fingers area of the glove or up on the gauntlet portion? Thanks!
-----
Venomous snakes---best hobby on earth!
Bill Huseth

Were the gloves being worn in anticipation of a bite?