United Kingdom (CU)_As more people purchase exotic pets, snake bite injuries are increasing in frequency in the UK. According to a study, 68 species and 321 bites total were reported to the National Poisons Information Service (NPIS) between 2009 and 2020. Of those, 260 (81%) concerned house pets like snakes, whereas 38 (11.8%) had to do with people’s occupations like zoologists and pet store employees. Of those who were bitten, 13 were under five years old, and 72 were youngsters or teenagers. Researchers discovered that 15 persons had serious symptoms.
When the tissue began to degenerate after being bitten by a Mozambique spitting cobra, an amateur snake keeper needed to have part of their finger removed. Luke Yeomans, a 47-year-old reptile conservationist, passed unexpectedly in June 2011 from a king cobra bite at a sanctuary he was planning to establish the following week. Before falling, according to witnesses, he walked around as “if inebriated,” and before being hauled away in an ambulance, others feverishly tried to revive him. He received ten vials of antivenom from the rescue team, but he still died of a deadly cardiac arrest.
According to the NPIS study, men were bitten about two thirds of the time. Although still rare, the results indicate an increase from 2004 to 2010.
“Our data reveal an overall rise in the number of exotic snake bites reported to the NPIS compared to prior figures,” stated one of the researchers, Professor David Warrell from the University of Oxford.
The majority of these bites happen to fingers, hands, and wrists after intentional handling by those who keep snakes as a job or hobby. To own any sort of venomous snake in the UK, a specific license is required, according to Professor Warrell. However, that doesn’t imply that individuals don’t retain them illegally, thus the number of snake bites in the nation may actually be more than that.
But that doesn’t mean people don’t keep them illegally, meaning the true extent of snake bites in the country could be higher. Most snakes are not aggressive, and you would be pretty unlucky to be bitten on one, but the RSPCA has advised people to do as much research as possible before buying one.
We strongly advise learning as much as you can about the requirements of the animal and whether it would make a suitable pet if you were thinking about keeping an exotic animal. Before purchasing a reptile, make careful to keep the following things in mind:
Habitat: A lot of exotic pets require a strictly regulated environment. For instance, to prevent them from getting sick, they could require special heating and lighting. They need a place to live that supports their natural behaviours, like digging, climbing, and sunbathing. You should think about the size of your habitat or purchase a new one as your reptiles grow larger because some can reach quite large.
Lifespan: Be sure you can commit to this because reptiles can live longer than you might anticipate.
Diet: They’ll probably need specialized food, which, once you calculate how much they consume, can be costly.
Documentation: Before acquiring an unusual pet, confirm whether you need a license or other legal documentation to keep it.
Determine whether the animal should be maintained alone or with other people. Social animals cannot be left alone because doing so will harm their wellbeing and general health. Will the behaviour of the animal fit into your lifestyle? They might be active both during the day and at night.
