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SUNDAY MAIL (Brisbane, Australia) 19 January 06 Boy in hospital after snake bite
A nine-year-old boy is in hospital after being bitten by a venomous pet snake on the NSW central coast.
The boy from Dooralong Valley was rushed to Wyong Hospital this morning after he was bitten by a Stephen's banded snake, Gosford reptile park spokeswoman Mary Rayner said.
The boy had kept the snake as a pet in an aquarium at his home not knowing it was potentially deadly, she said.
"He has received four ampoules of anti-venom and the reptile park is rushing another two or three ampoules up there just in case he needs it," Ms Rayner said.
"He is in very poor health."
A Wyong hospital spokeswoman said the boy was in a stable condition.
Boy in hospital after snake bite

I had a copperhead when I was 9, but I knew it was poisonous.

That kid was pretty dumb.

Wes: That story is extremely reminiscent of an event here in south Florida that pretty much got me going on venomous snake identification talks thirty or so years ago. An eleven year old boy had caught what he thought was a scarlet kingsnake & his parents took his word for the i.d. of the animal. A week or so later, he took it out of the tank & was showinng it to some friends, having it draped around his neck. The snake bit him in the shoulder, ruining his identification theory by injecting Micrurus venom into him & at the same time blowing out of the water the old adage about corals having to bite between the fingers. The boy survived the bite, but will always have a tracheostomy scar in his throat. I hope the Aussie lad fares as well.

~~Greg~~
Venomous Snakes of Florida