Originally Posted by Helenthereef

Here's a link to a very edifying thread posted by a most experienced hots keeper who was originally showing that he could handle his rattlesnakes safely, but eventually had the (very close to) worst happen. I really admire this gentleman for his frankness and lack of machismo bulls**t about what can and does happen even to the best.

Unfortunately many of the photographs are no longer there, but it's an educational read if you have a little time to spare and follow it through.

http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/foru...ht=rattlesnake

To clarify - in the earlier photographs he was sitting in a lawn chair in an outdoor enclosure, free handling Sweetpea the rattlesnake. In post 110 he was in a hospital bed, connected to a network of tubes and machines.