Morbidity After a Bite from a "Non-Venomous" Pet Snake

E Seow, P Kuperan, SK Goh, P Gopalakrishnakone
Correspondence: Dr E Seow

ABSTRACT
We report the first recorded case of morbidity from the bite of a red-neck keelback snake (Rhabdophis subminiatus) from South East Asia. This is a species of the Colubrid family which originated from South East Asia. Severe envenomation from this snake was reported as poisonous in the West as far back as 1978 but it is still being classified as non-venomous. This classification led our patient to keep this 'harmless' snake as a pet. We recommend that this snake be reclassified as 'venomous' or at least warnings be issued to the public not to keep it as a pet.

Keywords: non-venomous snake, pet snake, reptile
Singapore Med J 2000; 41(1): 34-35