Man almost dies after trying to take selfie with a snake

Unsurprisingly, the snake bit him.

Todd Fassler's treatment drained the anti-venom stock at two separate California hospitals as doctors tended to the horrific wound on his arm.

The hospital bill for his treatment came to a grand total of $153,161.25. 

Anti-venom it seems does not come cheap, with $83,341.25 of the total attributed to pharmacy costs.

It is unclear if Fassler has insurance, or whether he will have to pay the full amount.

Ironically Fassler has kept his own pet rattlesnake for over a year, raising the question of why he wanted to take a selfie with a different rattlesnake.

He has since released a video to ABC 10 purporting to show him setting the pet rattlesnake free saying that 'he thinks animal services would appreciate it'. 

The Center for Disease Control estimates that up to 8,000 people a year are bitten by venomous snakes in the US. Out of this total five or six people die.

In the US, anti-venom costs more than $2,000 per vial and a typical dose is four to six vials, though administering more is not uncommon with severe bites.

(dailymail.co.uk)