Snake Handler Bitten During Demonstration

May 21, 1:21 PM (ET)


DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) - A snake handler showing a high school biology class how rattlesnakes strike was bitten by a timber rattler during a demonstration.

Students at Hempstead High School watched in horror on Wednesday as Dan Roth of Galena, Ill., was bitten during his "Snakes Alive" presentation, officials said.

The snake's fang went through a balloon Roth was holding and hit his hand, said Mike Ouverson, a conservation officer with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.

Ouverson was helping Roth with the demonstration.

No students were harmed.

Roth was taken to University Hospitals in Iowa City, where he underwent surgery, Ouverson said. A hospital spokesman said Friday that no information on Roth's condition was available.

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040521/D82N3L280.html

Very similar to another incident in which a federal agent, teaching a group of students about gun safety, shot himself! I guess anyone can have an accident, but man you have got to be careful with life threatening things - especially in the classroom. For the life of me though I cannot figure out why a DEA agent, who as I understand was not a firearms instructor, was teaching gun saftey. Then again maybe he was one, as that bit of info is questionable.

Both of these incidents probably do more to harm ownership of the guns and snakes than would it had it been some moron who got shot or tagged while playing with them. Hopefully both of these guys will recover fully; and hopefully none of the children will have been affected so badly as to completely sour them to the thought that either is a good thing to keep. Though there may be some good out of this in that there sure is a good possibility for them to develop a healthy respect for both based upon the blunders of others.

What exactly was he trying to teach the students by holding a balloon in his hand for the rattlesnake to strike at?

I'm sorry to hear the guy got bit but that was really dumb. Next time maybe he'll skip the rattlesnake roundup carnival tricks and give an informative talk with the rattlesnake on display in a secure cage.

Seriously,the only thing he accomplished was showing the kids that rattlers will bite you.Now the kids will be horrified and probably kill every snake they come across. I have seen the balloon thing before,but it was tied to a hook or tongs.I do believe this guy is eligible for a Darwin Award nomination.Sad.

BTW Gila 7150....got to treat ANOTHER contortrix bite the other night.