Over 100 ‘Dangerous’ Snakes Seized by Police From Woman’s Home

Police seized more than 100 “dangerous” snakes from a German woman’s house after she required medical attention for a rattlesnake bite.

On Sunday, local police stated that a 35-year-old woman was injured at approximately 1 a.m. after she was struck and bitten by a rattlesnake.

Rattlesnakes are venomous vipers known for their large size and unique shaped heads. The name comes from the “rattle” located at the tip of the snake’s tail that makes a noise when it shakes.

If left untreated, a rattlesnake bite can be fatal, however, death is uncommon in many areas including the United States since antivenom is widely distributed.

According to the World Health Organization, an estimated 2.3 million individuals around the world are bitten by snakes and experience envenoming–a potentially life-threatening disease caused by the toxins in the venom.

The majority of the world’s snake bites occur in parts of Africa, Asia and Latin America where antivenom is harder to come by, the WHO reports.

The woman, who resided on a farm in Salzgitter, Germany, drove herself to the hospital to seek treatment for life-threatening injuries after the snake bit her finger, police wrote in a statement.

After her condition worsened, the woman was transferred to another hospital where she received a counter-serum from the Tropical Institute in Hamburg, according to police.

When police arrived at the woman’s residence to investigate the snake, they found about 110 snakes in the yard.

“These are constrictor and poisonous snakes, some of which were not kept in a species-appropriate manner and in prescribed terrariums,” police said in a statement.

Officers seized all the reptiles and a herpetologist–someone specializing in reptiles and amphibians–examined all the snakes before taking them into care.

According to police, the confiscation operation will last several hours and ambulances are present in case of potential emergencies.

Police are investigating which regulations the woman broke by owning and improperly housing the 110 snakes.

Newsweek reached out to Salzgitter police for comment.

On June 14, a seven-year-old Florida boy nearly died after he was bitten by a venomous water moccasin. During his four days in the ICU, the boy received seven bags of antivenom but is still dealing with a lot of pain and swelling.

Back in January, Maryland police discovered 125 snakes after they were called to a home to a report of an unconscious man inside. In Georgia, a Reddit user said they discovered multiple snakes in his pantry.