Aquarium in Virginia Beach provides antivenom for man bitten by deadly pet snake

The Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center in Virginia Beach provided an antivenom treatment to help save a man’s life after he was bitten by his deadly pet snake.

A state police sergeant drove the anti-venom from Virginia Beach to Richmond on Sunday with “utmost urgency,” according to a news release from police.

The man was taken to the VCU Medical Center overnight Saturday after he was bitten by his pet snake, which state police say was one of the top ten deadliest snakes, according to the release.

The snake was identified in the news release as an African pit viper. It was not immediately clear what species the snake is because pit vipers describe a group of snakes with the same characteristics. Pit vipers usually have two movable fangs and a heat-sensitive pit organ between each eye and nostril to help the snake strike its prey.

VCU treated the man with a dose of antivenom from the National Zoo but a second dose was needed to help save his life, according to state police.

Jessica Nolte, 757-912-1675, jnolte@dailypress.com