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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Combat Advantage" data-source="post: 184749" data-attributes="member: 33095">All excellent points.  I think that an EpiPen, an antihistamine and a follow-up protocol is very responsibly wise. A card with the specific puffer's toxin and your medical references is beyond what most keepers would have on hand just in case of the worst case scenario. This would not only save time but also may lead the ER dr. on staff at any given time some direction..... Your direction as to what your desires are. Having all of that in writing is especially helpful when under stress and trauma, perhaps unconscious.  If I could add that you may find a veterinarian who is on staff at a large zoo/aquarium (s).  He may provide practical advice that exceeds any hospital physician.  If a human MD would agree ahead of time to be your advocate in a hypothetical future emergency, his contact info can be added along with the veterinarian.  Detailed instructions would be your choice rather than a newbie at the hospital.....who by chance may or may not find the best treatment. My first ER experience was that of a college student practicing stitches on my open scalp.  I think that they should start sewing on fabrics, leather and pickled pigs feet before children. Everything else is like that too. Since then I've seen some very good and too much extreme poor care. Some have been injuries and death of patients from physician chosen drug therapies.As to rattlesnakes, I no longer keep snakes.  I used to catch Timber rattlers and Eastern US Copperheads, etc. for wildlife education in my part of the US. It provided up close identification to communities of what was present, how to deal with safety issues in the wild, etc. My collection contained cobras and African pit vipers as far as hot snakes.</blockquote>

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