Texas boy, 1, bitten by rattlesnake hiding in toys, rushed to hospital

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Man catches a 6-foot rattlesnake, suffers heart attack after

An Oklahoma man who captured a 6-foot rattlesnake suffered a heart attack 20 minutes after the hunt.

A 1-year-old Abilene, Texas boy was rushed to the hospital Tuesday after he was bitten by a baby rattlesnake that was hiding in toys outside his home.

The toddler, who has not yet been identified, was taken to the hospital after the rattlesnake bit his hand, causing it to swell, KTAB-TV reported.

The boy’s condition is currently unclear. However, KTAB-TV reported that it could possibly be severe because he was taken to the hospital in “top priority.”

In light of the incident, local animal control officials are searching the property for more snakes.

Despite popular belief, snakes are unable to survive extreme heat for more than 20 minutes at a time, according to the U.S. Forest Service. Wildlife officials warn that this may cause snakes to look for cooler places in more populated areas.

Arizona officials issued a similar warning to residents last week after a family in the Phoenix area found several rattlesnakes hiding inside a pool noodle.

The Buckeye Fire Department instructed residents to stay calm in the event of a rattlesnake encounter.

“One of the worst things you can do when coming across a rattlesnake is to start panicking. Snakes rely on vibrations in the ground to determine where you are. If you start moving fast and abruptly, you’ll only scare the snake more,” the department wrote in a Facebook post. “If you’ve seen the snake before you came across it, give it a lot of space. You can easily walk around it without frightening it. Just keep in mind that rattlesnakes can coil up and strike at great lengths, so give it as much space as possible.”