Reptile & Amphibian Forums

hi everyone, thanks for all the responses to my last question. I've got a couple of more questions for you. Do you all keep antivenom yourself in case of a bit? I doubt anyone would try to administer it themself, but I can only think it would be good to have exactly what you needed to take to the hospital with you. Or is it too expansive to privately keep or hard to get? (I saw a show where all the antivenom for a certain rarer snake was being created solely by one horse) How long is it good for if you do keep it? Also, can anyone tell me if there is a difference between the words antivenom and antivenin? Thanks everyone.
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-David

Check out my pet pics at:
http://www.myspace.com/obx_fisherman

1.0 ball python (Pandora - don't ask)
1.0 argentine boa (Prometheus)
0.1 hogg island boa (Andromeda)
0.0.1 brazilian rainbow boa (Inara)
1.0 kenyan sand boa (Diablo)
1.0 normal corn snake(Cypress)
0.1 amery. corn snake (Morgan LaFay)
0.0.2 baby corns (Romulus and Remus)
- 1 normal, 1 ghost
0.0.1 banded cali. kingsnake (Cain)
1.0 tangerine honduran milksnake (Narcissus)
0.0.1 snow corn snake (Valkyrie)
1.0 amazon tree boa (Pegasus)
1.0 colombian boa (Poseidon)
0.1 albino san diego gopher snake (Athena)
0.0.1 sandfish skink (Slick)
0.0.1 fire skink (Phoenix)
1.0 dog (Luke)

the wife's pets:
1.0 bearded dragon (Leonidas)
1.1 ferrets (Ares, Enyo)
1.2 cats (Galahad, Ripley and Sassy)
0.1 Boxer (Zoe)

NEWEST ADDITIONS:
1.0 adult Dumeril's boa
0.0.1 baby yellow amazon tree boa

David:

I only keep native crotalids, and I live in an area of high snakebite incidence (Phoenix, Az) so any large hospital in the area will stock CroFab.

If I were to live in an area where exotic venomous was legal, I would certainly keep my own stock of AV...I would also find a physician and advise him/her of what I was keeping. If I choose to keep these animals, it's my responsibility to assume responsibility should a bite occur...no one else's.

"Antivenom" and "antivenin" refer to the same thing....

-My .02
AzAtrox

You would need a physician to act as principal Investigator for the FDA permit to possess the antivenoms legally anyway. You also need an importation permit from the USDA. Exotic antivenoms are not that expensive (excluding CSL products).

I would call the hospital most likely to provide care if you are bitten and find out how much Crofab they keep in stock. It is expensive and they do not like to expire medications ($$$), it may be insufficient to treat a severe envenomation.