Saw this about a woman who died after being bitten by her pet snake.

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CINCINNATI, Ohio (AP) -- 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 at a hospital Saturday, police 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 Monday, and neighbors said she drove herself to a 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.

Reptile specialists from Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Gardens searched the house with an ambulance waiting outside in case a venomous snake attacked.

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. Non-venomous animals were found under boxes and piles of clothes.

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And here's the lovable little reptile, an urutu pit viper, available at $700/pair (price subject to change without notice):



Cindy -- who might like to own a pot belly pig someday but who figures there must be a reason you don't see them every day

I see a few snake bites per month in the ER. Usually non-venomous. Copperheads are the most common poisonous snake around here. Often, the patient will bring the snakes in with them to help us identify it. The most difficult to id are the immature ones. Often they look nothing like the adults. It is reassuring when the patient tells you that he was bitten 3 hours ago and is still asymptomatic. I usually just tell them, "If that were a poisonous snake, you'd be dead by now!"