A 13-year-old boy in Hanoi was bitten by a red-tailed viper, which he bought online and raised as a pet, and was hospitalized in a life-threatening condition earlier this week.

The Vietnam National Children’s Hospital admitted the boy to its emergency treatment ward on Tuesday afternoon.

His family member said that he loves to keep animals and sometimes learns about animals online. 

Two weeks before his hospitalization, the 13-year-old secretly purchased three red-tailed vipers online and kept them at home without telling the family members.

When changing cages for the snakes, the boy was bitten by one of the snakes on his index finger.

“The boy was admitted to the hospital in a conscious but tired state,” said Dr. Le Ngoc Duy, head of the emergency treatment ward at the Vietnam National Children’s Hospital.

“His right hand was swollen and bruised, and his index finger was bleeding and sore,” the doctor added.

Doctors treated the patient with snake venom antiserum, anti-inflammatory and antibiotics to prevent wound infection.

After one day of treatment, the boy’s health has gradually stabilized. 

He is expected to be discharged from the hospital in the next few days.

Red-tailed viper is one of the most venomous snakes as its level of toxicity is second only to the king cobra, according to Dr. Duy.

During pregnancy, a mother snake has a higher venom than normal.

There are more than 20 different components in viper venom.

Its bite often causes heavy bleeding and quick swelling and may make the victim experience phenomena such as blood clotting disorders, edema, necrosis, cardiovascular collapse, and even rapid death caused by anaphylaxis, or leave serious sequelae.

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