Long Island Man Bitten By Pet Diamondback Rattlesnake
HAUPPAUGE, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- A Long Island man is hospitalized after being bitten on the eyelid by his pet Diamondback rattlesnake.
The 22-year-old Manorville man will spend the next week recovering in the hospital and will likely suffer permanent facial damage, said Roy Gross, Chief of the Suffolk County SPCA.
Pet Diamondback Rattlesnake Bites Long Island Man
The two-foot Diamondback and another rattlesnake owned by the victim have been taken to a reptile sanctuary.
Gross said it's illegal to own venomous reptiles and they don't make good pets.
"They're very, very dangerous, they're unpredictable, and deadly. What can I say other than that?" Gross told WCBS 880's Mike Xirinachs. "Stick to your little furry animals, you know, your dogs and your cats. I mean, I can't imagine anybody sitting watching TV with a rattlesnake curled up on their lap. I mean, it just doesn't make sense."
Gross is reminding residents that the county hosts "amnesty days" at least once a year so residents can turn in wild and exotic animals.
