Space, 56, has been feeding the snakes at his family's zoo since he was 12 years old and has never before been bitten.
New Jersey State Sen. Parker Space was bitten by an Eastern Massasauga rattlesnake (Sistrurus catenatus) at his family’s zoo in Sussex County December 30. Space, a Republican, was feeding pinky mice to the snake when he was bitten. Space received 10 vials of antivenin at the Newton Medical Center and was then flown on New Year’s Eve to Jacobi Medical Center in the Bronx, a hospital that specializes in snake bites for further treatment.
“It didn’t hurt at all to begin with. Then my finger started to swell up. Then it was double the size,” Space told NJ Advance Media. “It’s not the snake’s fault. It’s my fault. I must have let my guard down a little bit,” he said.
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Space, 56, has been feeding the snakes at his family’s zoo since he was 12 years old and has never before been bitten. His family’s zoo has a variety of venomous snakes, including cobras and other vipers, in addition to rattlesnakes.
Eastern Massasagua Rattlesnake Information
The Eastern Massasagua rattlesnake was listed as threatened in 2016, one year after the United States Fish and Wildlife Service proposed protections for the species under the Endangered Species Act. The eastern Massasauga rattlesnake is one of the smallest rattlesnakes in the United States. The rarely seen snake, which grows to about 2 to 2 1/2 feet in length, is found in wetland areas in states including Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. The venomous snake is listed as an endangered species in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri (considered extirpated), New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. It is listed as a species of special concern in Michigan, where it is not considered to be endangered. The venomous snake is also highly susceptible to snake fungal disease. In addition to its common name, massasauga rattlesnake, the venomous snake is also known as the swamp rattler, swamp massasauga, swamp rattlesnake, and triple-spotted rattlesnake, to name a few.
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