Ambulance and fire crews responded to a report of a man suffering an injury while milking a snake at a residence on St. George Crescent on Wednesday, Dec. 6. (KARL YU/News Bulletin)

Ambulance and fire crews responded to a report of a man suffering an injury while milking a snake at a residence on St. George Crescent on Wednesday, Dec. 6. (KARL YU/News Bulletin)

Nanaimo man bitten while milking snake, taken to hospital

Fire and B.C. Ambulance crews respond to incident on St. George Crescent on Wednesday

First responders were on scene at a Nanaimo apartment Wednesday afternoon after a man was bitten while milking a snake.

The incident occured about 3:45 p.m. in the 1000 block of St. George Cres.

According to Martin Drakeley, Nanaimo Fire Rescue assistant fire chief, the man was draining venom from the snake.

“The individual was milking a snake at the time and apparently, [it] bit his finger, or somehow the snake injected venom into his finger,” said Drakely. “He was feeling off, obviously, a little woozy and B.C. Ambulance transported him to [Nanaimo Regional General Hospital].”

It is not known if it was a snake bite or the fang scratching the skin, but there was a puncture and venom was injected, Drakeley said.

The status of the victim is not known, nor what type of snake it was.

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