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DEMING HEADLIGHT (New Mexico) 28 January 08 Local man bitten by pet rattlesnake (Kevin Buey)
A Deming man was reported in critical condition Friday morning at El Paso's Thomason Hospital.
James Bear was transferred there Thursday after being treated at Deming's Mimbres Memorial Hospital for a snake bite he received from a rattlesnake he kept.
Deming Police responded Thursday morning to a call in the 2000 block of East Pear Street. They reported Bear, 37, was bitten by a Canebrake Rattlesnake, one of many varieties and numbers of serpents caged in Bear's residence, according to Deming Police Chief Michael Carillo.
New Mexico Game and Fish was summoned, Carillo said, to determine if any laws — state or federal — had been broken, that perhaps Bear had permits for the snakes.
Carillo said the city has an ordinance prohibiting poisonous snakes.
The canebrake rattlesnake — sometimes known as the timber rattlesnake — is found in the southern United States, particularly, North Carolina, Georgia and Florida. Its venom is neurotixic — poisonous to nerves and nerve tissue.
The canebrake may be as big as 4 to 6 feet as an adult. Its habitat, according to littleriverresearch, an online information resource, is unpopulated areas, especially rocky hillsides, fields, woodland edges and swamps. It often hides in and under stumps and other woody surfaces, is active in day and night in cool but not cold weather. During hot summer months, it is most active at night. It feeds on rodents and other small mammals.
Local man bitten by pet rattlesnake

Anthony Fish (long time, best friend of James) and I are in El Paso where they have hospitalized James. He probably went into analaphalactic shock and was without oxygen for about 15 minutes. I believe complications arose due to a previous bite and allergic reaction. He is currently on life support with no signs of brain activity. They family has agreed to remove him from life support later this week which will result in his passing on.

Anthony and I met with Game Officials and hopefully have answered their questions so that they will release a temporary hold on the collection. James is survived by his wife and 3 children. James had put a lot of time and money into his wide assortment of snakes. This includes adult true red-tails, lanceheads, tropical rattlesnakes, N.A. rattlesnakes, european vipers, ball pythons, tricolors, and more. Anthony and myself have been asked by James wife to sell the collection to raise money for the family. They do not have medical insurance. Hopefully I will be posting a list on the classifieds next week.

All of the snakes appear healthy, some are breeding at this time, and some are even gravid.

I only knew James through Anthony, e-mails, and couple phone conversations. This was not the way I envisioned meeting him.
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Tim Cole
www.Designeratrox.com/
www.AustinReptileService.net
www.AustinReptileExpo.com/
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Conservation through Education

That's really sad to hear. I met James once and know a few people that knew him. Whether or not you liked him, it is sad to lose a fellow herper. I know he had a wide variety of herps. Condolences to his family.

I've never met James, but I live about 75 miles East of him (Las Cruces) and heard about this on the news...they must not have been updated, because they mentioned nothing about the severity of his bite, and I was under the impression it was not particularly serious. Sad to hear things turned out this way. Condolences to family and friends.

The bite itself was not that serious (10 vials) but because of his allergic reaction and lack of oxygen time span it turned bad. I will be going through Los Cruces tomorrow. Call me at (512) 83-SNAKE if you would care to hook up.
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Tim Cole
www.Designeratrox.com/
www.AustinReptileService.net
www.AustinReptileExpo.com/
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<
Conservation through Education

Is this something an epi-pen etc. would have helped to prevent?

I've read of several keepers that have died of allergic reaction and wondered how many people kept something like that on hand, it's cost and effectiveness.

I feel horrible for this poor guy and his family in particular.
I hope that others can perhaps learn from this experience if there is a lesson to be had here?

Is it possible maybe to start a donation fund? I never knew him, but in cases like this we need to band together and give the family some support, and maybe help with some of the high costs of the medical bills.
It's time to start acting like a community, instead of just a bunch of dumb, tattooed, thrill-seeking, adrenaline junkies.
Not that that's what we are, but how we are looked upon.
Let's help this man and his family out.

Senior,

Yes, injectable epinephrine (an epi-pen) would likely have helped save this mans life if he was in anaphylaxis. A lot of people don't realize that having an epipen on hand is just as crucial as any other emergency materials...especially if one has been exposed directly or indirectly to venom before.

Reat In Peace My Friend

I met James about 2 months ago.I dont know how to explain it but in the short time that I knew James I had talked to him everyday on the phone and we already had plans on some near future herp trips.I feel like in the short amount of time that I knew James we had already had that "long time friend bond" starting.From the second we met I was invited into his home,and offered a place to stay anytime when passin through Deming.James had reopened a door for me in the herp world that had been hidden for so long.His long time fascination of european vipers.

I felt like a kid in a candy store.A new outlook on the herp world and a New Friend to share my thoughts with.

My prayers go out to Danielle and James's children.

I feel a little less full knowing My friend is gone.

DEMING HEADLIGHT (New Mexico) 29 January 08 Snakebite victim in critical condition (Kevin Buey)
A Deming man bitten last Thursday by a poisonous snake remained in critical condition Monday at El Paso's Thomason Hospital.
James Bear, 37, was treated at Deming's Mimbres Memorial Hospital before transferred to the El Paso facility.
Deming Police Chief Michael Carillo said there were numerous snakes of varied species in Bear's home, in the 2000 block of East Pear Street. All were caged. A story in The Headlight last April 25 reported Bear had more than 150 snakes of 47 species. Monday, a friend said Bear had more than 346 snakes just a couple of weeks ago.
Bear was bitten by a Canebrake Rattlesnake —sometimes known as the Timber Rattlesnake. It is most often found the southern United States, particularly, North Carolina, Georgia and Florida. Its venom is neurotixic — poisonous to nerves and nerve tissue. The Canebrake Rattler may be as big as 4 to 6 feet as an adult.
New Mexico Game and Fish was summoned, Carillo said, to determine if any laws — state or federal — were broken or if Bear had permits for the snakes. There was no further information available Monday, but the Fish and Game Department did report there is a state law against importing wild animals and another rule which makes it a misdemeanor to import any live animal without first obtaining a permit.
Carillo said the city has an ordinance prohibiting poisonous snakes.
Bear operated Southwest Serpentarium in a private facility and planned, according to his website — southwestserpentarium.com — to open a live museum on Highway 549.
Snakebite victim in critical condition

James passed away this afternoon.
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Tim Cole
www.Designeratrox.com/
www.AustinReptileService.net
www.AustinReptileExpo.com/
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<
Conservation through Education

James, it was good knowing you.I still think of the time we hunted klaubs together in New Mexico many years ago... Rest in Peace bro. Brook

LAS CRUCES SUN-NEWS (New Mexico) 29 January 08 Deming snake wrangler dies of rattlesnake bite (Kevin Buey)
Deming: James Bear's passion proved fatal.
Bear, 37, died at 11:49 a.m., Tuesday, at El Paso's Thomason Hospital following a bite on his right thumb from a venomous Canebrake Rattlesnake. He was hospitalized Thursday when the bite occured in his home on East Pear Street.
Bear operated Southwest Serpentarium and hoped to open a museum on State Road 549. He reportedly had more than 300 snakes in his home.
"He's had a fascination (with snakes) since he was a child," said his widow, Danielle Bear. "He used to ask his mom for a pet snake when he was a kid and she would never let him have it."
Bear was more than a man interested in snakes.
"He was one of the best guitar players I have ever seen," Danielle said. "He was a painter, a very, very good artist. He was very good at building things. He built all his cages for his snakes.
"He loved hiking, liked being out in nature with the stuff he loved."
Bear was born in Virginia. His father was in the Army and held posts at Fort Bliss, Germany and California.
Danielle and James were together more than 9 1/2 years and would have celebrated their second wedding anniversary in June.
"Snakes are not my favorite thing," Danielle said. "They don't bother me. They made my husband happy."
Bear's website — southwestserpatarium.com — includes a variety of information, including his interest in snakes.
"For some of us, as children, we don't have the understanding of a parent that will allow you to keep reptiles," he wrote. "My experiences with reptiles was only left to the few encounters in the wild as a youngster. Eventually after leaving the family home I immediately began keeping snakes in my own home. After keeping a few odds and ends native North Carolina species I soon purchased my first snake, a Queensland Carpet python. Open the gates and let the flood begin!! Not long after purchasing that Carpet python did I find myself working for the same store that sold him to me. My beginnings were working in the reptile department of Animal Jungle in Virginia Beach, Virginia.
"After a year of Virginia, I decided to move back to my childhood stomping grounds ... El Paso, Texas. Eventually this would lead me into what would become my passion-species to work with, the Banded Rock Rattlesnake. In a matter of five years we built up a collection of snakes numbering over 340 animals, consisting of boas, pythons, king snakes, milk snakes, rat snakes as well as a few rattlesnakes and European vipers.As most collections do,they go through changes, owners find other interests and part with those not catching their attention any more. Mine eventually led into a large collection of Rock rattlesnakes from many localities, a rather sizable group of European vipers and many forms of boas and pythons as well."
The State Fish and Game Department was expected to investigate this week whether Bear had the appropriate permits for the snakes.
Bear's best friend, Tony Fish, said he hoped the state agency would give him possession of the reptiles, so he could sell them and transfer proceeds to Danielle.
"He was just a blast," Fish said. "He had one of the greatest senses of humor, a practical joker, the best guitar player ... rock "n' roll."
George Lynch, Jeff Beck and Eric Clapton, Fish said, were among favorites.
"I've known him about 6 years. I met him through reptiles," said Fish, a herpetologist, involved in husbandry and breeding of snakes. He lives in Cyprus, Texas, near Houston.
Deming snake wrangler dies of rattlesnake bite

LAS CRUCES SUN-NEWS (New Mexico) 31 January 08 Game officers seize 179 snakes at Deming home
Deming, N.M. (AP): Some 179 snakes—84 of them venomous—have been removed from the home of a Deming man who died after being bitten by one of the reptiles.
A canebrake rattlesnake bit James D. Bear, 37, on his right thumb last week while he was alone in the three-bedroom mobile home, where he kept and bred the snakes. Bear died Tuesday in an El Paso, Texas, hospital.
Deming police called the state Department of Game and Fish to Bear's home shortly after he was bitten to help with the snakes and to determine whether any federal or state laws had been broken.
Authorities said Bear did not have the required permits to possess, obtain or sell the snakes.
Game officers on Wednesday removed the snakes and materials relating to them after state District Judge Gary Jeffreys issued a warrant. The agency said Thursday that the confiscated snakes of various species were turned over to friends of Bear, who said they planned to take the reptiles to Texas, where they would be kept on behalf of Bear's family.
It's illegal to import any live wild animals, birds or fish into New Mexico without obtaining a permit from the Department of Game and Fish. Other regulations also apply to venomous snakes and the collection or sales of any wild animals.
Dan Brooks, chief of law enforcement for the department, said New Mexico controls wild animals brought into its borders for public safety reasons and to protect native game animals, birds and fish from contagious diseases.
The department currently is reviewing its rules over the importation, possession and sale of wild animals, birds and fish and is taking public comments.
Game officers seize 179 snakes at Deming home

Most of the snakes are still there. We will be removing the rest of them next week.
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Tim Cole
www.Designeratrox.com/
www.AustinReptileService.net
www.AustinReptileExpo.com/
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<
Conservation through Education

He, his wife and 3 kids lived in a "double-wide" with probably no basement....and he had 179 snakes fit in there too?

Something doesn't add up....he surely must have had some additional storage facility or out-building etc?

Did he have a secure snake room?

He did have a secure snake room with a lot of racks. The larger snakes were in the living room. All of the venomous not in the snake room were in secure caging.
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Tim Cole
www.Designeratrox.com/
www.AustinReptileService.net
www.AustinReptileExpo.com/
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<
Conservation through Education

Anything new yet????? Whats the latest?