Man bit by a pit viper in Lowes!!

[Dax]

Just read this today...I just want to know how the snake got there..

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/breakingnews/os-ocala-snake-bite-lowes-20100817,0,3305552.story

A man was hospitalized Tuesday after he was bitten twice by a pit viper at a Lowe's Home Improvement store, an Ocala Fire Rescue official said.

Brigade Chief Brian Stoothoff said a man in his 40s was bitten twice on his left hand in the store's garden section. The man was taken to Ocala Regional Medical Center and was expected to recover, Stoothoff said.

According to Stoothoff, the man was conscious when emergency crews responded to the store on Silver Springs Boulevard about 3:40 p.m. Tuesday.

Stoothoff said the venomous snake was caught and transported to the hospital with the patient so it could be identified, in case antivenin was necessary.


Stoothoff was unaware of whether the man received antivenin for the bites.

He said snakebite incidents aren't typical in areas as populated as the store, but they are not unheard of.

"Certainly it doesn't happen every day, but it's not that unusual," Stoothoff said.

Jeff Weiner can be reached at 407-420-5171 or jeweiner@orlandosentinel.com.

 

[ClarabelleCowFan]

Just another reason for me to give DH of why I shouldn't have to go to Lowe's with him!

 

[laracroft]

OMG! Last night I was sitting on my screened in patio and noticed my kitten playing with something. I thought it was a toy at first, then I realized it was a 2 foot long snake. I was freaking out. Luckily my kitten had killed it and I cut its head off and tossed it outside. I think it was either an Oak or a Rat snake but I was scared none the less.

 

[MushyMushy]

Lots of ways they can get in. They can stow away in boxes, furniture, etc. They can come in through a door, or even under a door at night. Find a hole in a wall.




I worked in a college bookstore many years ago and we ended up with a snake in the store. I'm still traumatized by it and it was just a little black snake.

 

[disney_mommy]

I was in the backyard with my pup a week or so ago and I saw her chasing something. I followed her and it turns out it was a little baby snake, who promptly ran under my back porch.

I know who the mom is (a black snake), so I wasn't worried about danger. (She has since passed on in a most cruel way. )

 

[Liberty Belle]

My mom told me that her friend found a tarantula in a bunch of bananas once. I don't remember if she saw it at the store or after she took the bananas home, but

 

[LMC]

Are pit vipers native to Florida?

 

[Rora]

SCARY!! Glad he's okay.

I think I would've had a heart attack if that happened to me.

 

[Anjelica]

Are pit vipers native to Florida?

I believe they can be found in most area's of the mainland states and even parts of Canada.

 

[brerrabbit]

A pit vipor is not "a" snake but rather a class of snake. Florida is pretty much the same as Texas so my guess is it was a Water Moccison (sp), a Rattlesnake, or a Copperhead. Those are about the only pit vipors we have. We also have Coral Snakes (red on yellow, dead fellow, red on black, friend of Jack) but they are not pit vipors. They actually chew on you then spit the venom in. The venom is also different. Pit vipors actually have the fangs and inject the venom. Typically pit vipors have triangular heads and slit eyes. Non venomous snakes have round eyes and straighter heads that are not triangular. They still can bite and it can hurt, but no venom.

 

[ChrisFL]

antivenin?

I love the Sentinel, always accurate, always spell-checking

 

[NotUrsula]

I would think it should be obvious how it got there. 10 to 1 it stowed away in a plant that was in the inventory. Any greenhouse worker will tell you that it's not uncommon for critters to be harvested along with the foliage.

 

[sbell111]

Are pit vipers native to Florida?

Florida has five types of pit vipers; Eastern Diamond-backed Rattlesnake, Timber Rattlesnake, Pygmy Rattlesnake, Copperhead, and Cottonmouth. The coral snake also lives in Florida. It's not a pit viper, but is more poisonous than they are.

 

[NotUrsula]

antivenin?

I love the Sentinel, always accurate, always spell-checking

Um, what exactly is the problem with antivenin? That is what physicians would normally administer to a snake-bite victim.

 

[jobhunter]

antivenin?

I love the Sentinel, always accurate, always spell-checking

From Merriam Webster online:

antivenin

Main Entry: an·ti·ven·in
Pronunciation: \ˌan-tē-ˈve-nən, ˌan-ˌtī-\
Function: noun
Etymology: International Scientific Vocabulary
Date: 1895
: an antitoxin to a venom; also : an antiserum containing such antitoxin

 

[LilyWDW]

Um, what exactly is the problem with antivenin? That is what physicians would normally administer to a snake-bite victim.

My guess is they didn't realize that antivenin = antivenom. They thought it was misspelled. It's just a difference in terminology and the use of the french vs english way of saying it.

 

[disney_mommy]

I think Chris was probably looking for the more comonly used term antivenom.

 

[ChrisFL]

oh, my mistake, I thought they were trying to say antivenom and mis-spelled it


D'oh!

 

[laracroft]

I need to move to a place where there are no roaches, spiders or sakes. Any suggestions?????

 

[MushyMushy]

I need to move to a place where there are no roaches, spiders or sakes. Any suggestions?????

Antarctica?