Woman with big exotic pet collection dies of snake bite

ONN ^ | September 12, 2004

[Kaslin]

CINCINNATI -- Zookeepers helped police search for venomous and exotic pets in a house where a woman was fatally bitten by a viper.

Alexandria Hall, 44, was bitten in her home Monday and died Saturday at University Hospital, police and a nursing supervisor said.

Neighbors knew she had pets, including rabbits and birds, but were unaware of her collection of at least nine poisonous snakes and more than one dozen other snakes, lizards and alligators until police went to the suburban North College Hill house.

Police believe an urutu pit viper bit the woman on Monday, and neighbors said she drove herself to Mercy Fairfield Hospital. She was transferred to University Hospital, where she remained in critical condition until her death Saturday evening.

"We have no idea how she made it to the hospital in the first place," said North College Hill police Sgt. Robert Kidd.

After police broke down the woman's front door, three reptile specialists from Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gardens entered and searched.

An ambulance waited outside the house in case a venomous snake attacked.

"We're going into an environment we're not familiar with, and we don't know where these animals are," said Winston Card, a zoo conservation program manager.

They found more than a half-dozen large lizards running around an upstairs bedroom. The venomous snakes were in secure plastic cases throughout the house, police and zoo officials said, and non-venomous animals were found under boxes and piles of clothes

[gortklattu]

http://coloherp.org/cb-news/archive/nature/Paradise.php

[mrsmel]

Thanks, I'm reading them:)

[NonValueAdded]

It had a minor role in John Grisham's The Testament.

[No Surrender No Retreat]

Fools will continue to be fools and in the case of the viper victim.(a dead fool)

[nuconvert]

Another one bites the dust.

Thanx for the ping and the laugh.

[Revelation 911]

I used to lurk sometimes at a website for people who keep "hot" (venomous) snakes,and you wouldn't believe how vehemnet they are that it's their "right" to keep these snakes,without licensing,without training,without having to provide proof that they know how to properly keep them,and without it being neccessary for them to provide their own anti-venin. They get exotic snakes from abroad,ofetn smuggled,some for which there is no effective anti-venin.

I'll agree and add that some will harvest local varieties for "pets" - In NY - they all visit "rattlesnake hill" in the western southern tier - Another stop is the Bergen swamp for the Pygmy rattler

[MirrorField]

Well, I remember hearing that one family got some entertainment out of Diamondback Rattler in their terrarium. Said snake ate mainly live mice and the entertainment consisted of watching said snake to hunt the mice. But this might be urban legend.

Anyway, as for keeping "hot" snakes as pets: Why not if you want them. Though there should be some requirements considering their hazardousness, mainly about notifying emergency services. Otherwise, it's their own ass that is endangered and thus Not A Societal Problem.

Besides, you can give your snake cute pet names and some of them are quite beautiful.

[GeorgiaFreeper]