Harrisburg Hospital officials say Barry Painter, Sr. has improved, and is now listed in stable condition.
Police say Painter was drunk while playing with a Gaboon viper snake when it bit him Wednesday night.
A friend started driving Painter to the hospital, but he lost consciousness and had to be flown the Harrisburg Hospital.
Harrisburg Hospital is the only hospital in this part of the state with a toxicology center, which means they have anti-venom on stand-by there for bites from snakes native to Pennsylvania. But for exotic,venomous snakes, they have to have the anti-venom flown in from a zoo. In this case, the viper anti-venom was flown in from a zoo south of Williamsport.
Jesse Rothacker with the Forgotten Friend Reptile Sanctuary has some tips, if you own a venomous snake.
” If you’re going to own a venomous snake, never handle it under the influence, don’t use your bare hands, use hooks, or special tools,” said Jesse Rothacker, Forgotten Friend Reptile Sanctuary.
Jesse says the best advice is, if you’re thinking about getting a pet that’s a reptile, stay away from venomous things, get a lizard or a turtle.
This isn’t a snake you stumble upon in the woods when you go camping. Snake experts say it’s non-native to PA and therefore, not regulated by the state. The Gaboon Viper Snake is an African snake and has the longest fangs of any snake in the world. Its venomous bite can kill a full grown human within 15 minutes or quicker.