An outdoor basketball game turned into an unexpected life-threatening situation for a 6-year-old boy earlier this month.
Zander and his sister were playing basketball in their driveway when a loose ball disturbed a copperhead hidden near the family’s garage, according to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.
The two siblings then ran towards the house after they saw the snake slither into the driveway, the hospital said in a Facebook post.
However, Zander tripped and was bit by the snake before he could get up.
“And then Zander started screaming that he got bit by the snake,” the boy’s mom, Andrea Childers, told 11Alive. “We initially, my husband and I, were like, there’s no way there’s no way... he just panicked.”
Zander’s parents immediately called 911, and he was rushed to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, 11Alive reported.
“I felt like a bunch of baby crocodiles were biting me,” Zander told 11Alive.
Zander received antivenom and spent several days in CHOA’s pediatric intensive care unit. He is now doing well, but the hospital warns that “his story is not a fluke.”
“Snakes are typically active in the fall, as baby snakes look for their first meals and others prepare to hibernate—and fallen leaves provide ideal camouflage. Let Zander’s experience be a reminder to continue to keep an eye out for snakes and their preferred habitats, such as ivy and monkey grass,” the hospital posted to Facebook.
The best way to avoid snake bites is to learn about the snakes in your area, always wear closed-toed shoes, avoid tall brush and overgrown plants, and leave found snakes alone, according to the children’s hospital.
CHOA also notes that if a snake is on your property, “you can encourage it to move along with a gentle spray of a water hose.” Or, call an expert if you want it removed.
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