Reptile & Amphibian Forums

OK I'm very tired, so i'm not to sure how to go about explaining what a dumb-a$$ I am maybe after some sleep I'll go more into detail about what happened to me last night, my brain is still a bit foggy so dont expect much today.

Im making this post in the the hopes that it might make someone think twice about getting into HOT's

If you do some searches you see that I do have some experience in keeping Hots, but at this time I know longer work with any venomous reptiles of my own, anyway last night I was helping a friend feed his large boa collection he also keeps 2 Gaboon Vipers I took 2 unthawed rats out I picked up the rat with 18 inch hemostats when i opened the front of the cage I tried to angle the hemostat in my hand so that my hand wouldn't be in striking range this is where I made my stupid mistake the snake struck instead of at the rat it nailed me in the right index finger it happened so fast I didn't even have time to react actually I just froze there for a second, I looked down saw all the blood but there was absolutely no pain, I stuck my finger in my mouth and sucked really hard I noticed a strange taste that I never tasted before, immediately my friend secured the 2 Vipers we went to call 911 but with scrambling around and panicking we couldn't find the phone he yelled to me to get in the car and he drove me to the hospital fast!!!!. It seemed like the longest trip of my life.

I was waiting to feel the symptoms of being invenomated but there was no pain just some bleeding and maybe a bit of a panic attack. upon arrival to the emergency room things got more tense for me when i realized the hospital staff had no idea how to handle the situation they were asking all kinds of questions I was getting irritated I gave them some info and contacts and not to long after I found out some antivenin was on its way but after about 35 mins past I realized there was still no symptoms so it had to be a dry bite! At this time I started to calm down a bit. Anyways I am kinda tired and I will reply more to this after I get some sleep. My point to the whole post is even a experienced hobbyist like myself can make 1 stupid mistake that could of cost me my life.

PS sorry if im ramballing I need to go for nap!

You know that drive to the ER I said that seemed like it took forever, I was just anxious the be in the hand of professionals! but to my horror this just wasn't the case, well not at first, when I entered the ER and got the attention of the ER nurse, I told her that I had been bit by a African Gabon viper! and that I needed medical attention an fast!! she was more concerned about if I had my health cared or not (paper work) and then she wanted to take my temps and blood perisher, I said what I need is a Doctor and NOW!!!

OK so Im finely in a ER bead and they hook me up to all the monitors stared a IV and start with the questions, like why were you playing with poisonous snakes, did you bring any antivenom, who should we call to get some? I even had to set the pace a bit know-one even knew how serious this could be!!! and after they talked to poison control and a few contacts that I gave them like Toronto Zoo, Buffalo Zoo, seaway Serpentarium, I started to get some serious attention.

I did start to feel a but better about the ER Doctor he seemed to be clewing in very well, and let me know that there were many venomous experts in contact with him, but at this point in time I was already sure I was out of the woods, enough time had passed and I knew it was probably a dry bite.

Hey guys Id like to apologize to everyone, I know that every-time someone screws-up like I did it can and sometimes does effect are right to keep reptiles, I'll stick with non venomous for now-on!

I think you exausted all of your good luck for the rest of your life on this one incidence. A feeding bite is one of the worst bites that a keeper could get because the snake wants to "kill" the food item. Had you been envonomated you might not have made it out of the house, always call 911.

Al
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Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.

here's my guess as to why I'm still here, just a guess.

the hemostats were 18 inch curved at the end, my had I thought was shielded at the bottom corner of the cage there is a 2inch lip on the front of the cage top, bottom and sides. I think she hit the handle of the hemostats (the round ring that my finger was threw) venom must of secreted (squirted) out at that point and the fang bounce off and slightly slashed the skin.

There was immediately a lot of a lot of blood for a tiny wound!? when I sucked the the bite site there was a strange taste, I spit out a fare amount of blood as well, it continued to bleed for about 20 minutes no bruising or pane at all, so there was defiantly venom, I know I tasted it, but maybe only on the surface of my finger.

see thread on Clark's forum

if it makes you feel better to think there was then do so. but i am very very experenced in snake bite and yours was very dry. be carefull these things happen.only death will stop me from collecting hots. but we each must decide for ourselves tho in some cases the law should decide.

I almost forgot!
they did some blood work on me, a lot friggin blood work!!! one of the tests showed elevated enzymes that would indicate that I was having a hart-attack ? my ER Doctor was very confused about that, everything else was good hart-rate oxygen saturation 100% blood pressure was normal, so they did more blood work, it still showed up??? when he finally let me go (he new I wasn't staying any longer)I was told that if I started to feel sick to come back immediately!

I have got to say, you are very lucky... It is estimated that gaboon vipers will give a wet bite 80% of the time... In a feed responce, I gather it would be much higher...

I also have to say that you must not be very experienced when it comes to gaboons, because you would not have been feeding it with 18 inch tongs at the angle you discribed...

Anyway, I am glad you are OK... You beat the odds this time... Next time you might not be so lucky...

yes your right, its one of the reasons i got rid of my venomous collection over a year ago. it was a dumb mistake, that could of cost me my life,not to mention it would be bad press for the reptile community.i assure you the next time i do anything with HOTS, i'll make sure its at a safe distance behind a camera lens.LOL

You are very lucky. Take some time and read up on the results of gaboon bites if you haven't already. They are beautiful and very interesting though.

I have been keeping venomous full time for over 20 years. I have made my share of stupid mistakes - especially when I was younger and "bulletproof". But I have always maintained a stock of antivenin for the species I keep. Why does virtually no one take the time to cover themselves or the people that could be exposed to their snakes? To me, this is the most ignorant "accident" of all. Also, it really upsets me that there are so many venomous keepers out there now that are too ignorant to post a simple log (or ad for that matter) where every other word is not misspelled! Spelling is not my forte' either, but I can form basic sentences without sounding like a booger eating moron. If basic communication with the english language is not possible, should the same person be trusted with a highly venomous animal? It just seems to go toward evidence to the contrary - like feeding a snake with a hyper-fast feeding response with a pair of 18" tongs!! General common sense apparently does not prevail much any more. Not a good thing to be lacking with skydiving or venomous snake collecting!! Too bad they cannot weed themselves out without it affecting the rest of us with negative PR and legislation. Just my knee-jerk thoughts when I read this thread. I am glad no one is dead or crippled, and I'm glad this person no longer keeps venomous.............Jesse Black

Im pretty sure that our hospitals in Canada, wont accept AV from a private citizen, AV has to come from a professional facility like a venom bank or a zoo, please correct me if I'm wrong?

I'm sorry if my spelling and grammar has upset you, please refrain from reading any of my posts, because I'm sure there will be plenty more grammar/spelling mistakes. My poor spelling and grammar have nothing to do with laziness, it's a problem that I'm currently working on. Unfortunately later in life, rather than sooner!!

The reason for this thread is to make young or new hobbyists think twice before getting into hots!

i hope this kind of slander is soon removed . it proves pros can be less than professonal. these pages are for shareing personal experience not a grammer lesson or insult session

slander = spoken
libel = written, in text etc.

In this case it is neither. Jesse did not make any allegations that are not true.

According to another forum that the bitten individual posts on the animals are being donated to a more qualified keeper. That's the best thing that could come out of this bad situation.

I agree with most of what jessie said except booger eating moron. We are in fact under enough pressure as a direct result of careless hot keepers and dealers.I felt he was trying to get a message of caution a warning of sorts to any one casualy decideing to keep a venomous snake. I do think the gabby scratch was a serious mistake. Yet he steped up admitted fault and gave a true warning that this is serious stuff.Tho many felt and do feel true anger at instances that bring negative press to the hobby .Name calling is a slander to all who read or post on the forums . I do not have the best of grammer and am takeing a booger brake so this was fun but its time for lunch.LOL

Some people on this forum disgust me! You dis on almost anyone who posts, and it's often for stupid sh;t like spelling. You know how they say that people resemble their pets, well, some of you are just a venomous as your collections. (not that hots are pets, it's just how the saying goes)

Actually I take the "collection" part back. If you kept hots for scientific research it would be different, but with you guys they really are pets. They are just difficult pets. I hate how people always have to step on eggshells around you. Just because you call your hots something other than your pets doesn't mean that they aren't pets. You just say "collection" because it sounds more professional to you.