We’re also following the flight delays and tomorrow’s impacts after a plane crash at RDU. Plus, Only on WRAL, why a high school student is not allowed to participate in one of the most important events of his life.. and how he and his family are fighting for him to graduate. Watch WRAL-TV at 11 p.m., and search for these and other stories on WRAL.com.

On WRAL at 11: Cooler weather tomorrow morning but we’re about to warm up. When and where temperatures top 90 degrees

The "Dueling Dinosaurs" exhibit opening this weekend at Raleigh's North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences will feature what's believed to be the most complete T. rex skeleton ever discovered.

'Dueling Dinosaurs:' One-of-a-kind dig, laboratory access at Raleigh science museum

DinoLab at North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences

Homeowners insurance doesn't cover floods, so purchasing separate flood insurance is crucial in North Carolina, especially in high-risk areas.

Homeowners insurance doesn't cover floods: How to protect your home in North Carolina

Princeville residents weigh options after Hurricane Matthew

All assets associated with the tag: snake bite

Snake bite Coverage

"I said mom I just got bit by a copperhead," she told WRAL News. 

JULIAN, ONE FRIGHTENING ORDEAL. >> THE JAIL. YOU'RE RIGHT. THIS IS VERY, VERY SCARY. NOW, EXPERTS SAY IS VERY COMMON TO SEE A COP AHEAD AS YOU'RE WALKING ALONG THE TRAILS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT. BUT THIS COVER HEAD WAS NOT ON THE TRAILS INSTEAD SLIPPED RIGHT INTO SOMEONE'S HOME. >> SO YOU COULD HAVE COME IN THROUGH THIS DOOR. JUST LYNN MARKS WALKED US THROUGH HER GARAGE AS SHE TOOK US TO THE SPOT OF THE ATTACK TO SHE'S TAKING HER. SHE'S OFF. >> SHE SAYS SHE LOOKED DOWN AND THE SNAKE WAS LIKE HERE AND IT HAD BIT HER JC MARK SAYS IT WASN'T JUST ANY SNAKE. >> SHE CALLED IT BY ITS NAME. AND I WAS LIKE MY GOD. REST MOM AND DAD WASTED NO TIME. THEY RUSHED JC TO THE HOSPITAL. >> DOCTORS GAVE HER ANTI VENOM, CROW, FAB HER FOOT SWELLED ABOUT 15 HOURS LATER SHE WAS RELEASED. KEEP HERE, COURAGE. NICE AND CLEAN >> WES IS A CHANCE FOR THAT HIDING SNAKE IN YOUR CURRENT DEBT SNAPPED THIS PHOTO OF THE SNAKE JUST BEFORE SLIP BACK OUT THE DOOR AND IT TURNS OUT OUR LOCAL HOSPITALS ARE SEEING MORE SNAKE BITES THIS YEAR. >> WAKE MED SHARED THESE ACROSS THEIR ER DEPARTMENTS IN JULY. THERE WERE 27 PATIENTS TREATED FOR BITES AND AUGUST. THERE WERE 7 BOTH INCREASES FROM LAST YEAR AND AT UNC HEALTH CARE, REX, THERE WERE 10 SNAKE BITES FOR THOSE COPPERHEADS. IF YOU ENCOUNTER A COPPERHEAD COURSE GO THE OTHER WAY. WE TALKED TO DOCTOR GREG BLUE BAR A REPTILE EXPERT WITH THE NC STATE. HE SAYS MOST MAJOR HOSPITALS WILL CARRY ANTI VENOM IN THE TRIANGLE AND IT CAN COST ANYWHERE FROM 50,000 TO $200,000 WITHOUT INSURANCE. IT'S PRETTY EXPENSIVE. ALTHOUGH MEDICAL INSURANCE WILL COVER MOST OF THOSE COSTS. >> I THINK YOUR MAJOR. YOU KNOW, HOSPITAL COMPLEX IS THAT WE HAVE BEEN DURHAM OR CHAPEL HILL OR ALI WOULD CARRY AND DO CARRY ANTI VENOM. THAT SAID, THOUGH, JAYCEE AND HER PARENTS, THEY SHARED THIS ONE CRITICAL TIP. >> THEY GET TO THE HOSPITAL AS SOON AS YOU CAN. YOU KNOW, YOU CAN CALL 9, 1, 4, ACTUALLY THE POISON CONTROL. THEY'RE VERY INVOLVED IN THE SNAKE BITE. >> ALL RIGHT. LET'S TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT JAYCEE. SHE IS SO TOUGH. CURRENTLY SHE IS TRACKED OUT OF SCHOOL. SHE SAYS WHEN SHE GOES BACK TO SCHOOL, SHE HAD SHE WILL HAVE QUITE A STORY TO TELL, OK, THERE'S SOME HOMEWORK THAT WE CAN ALL DO. EXPERTS SAY WE SHOULD KEEP PLYWOOD AND CARDBOARD OUT OF OUR GARAGE IN A WAY FOR MALLS BECAUSE COPPERHEADS GERALD LOVE TO HANG OUT AROUND THERE. I THINK WE ALL HAVE SOMETHING IN OUR GARAGES THAT WERE MAY BE ABLE TO CHECK THAT WHEN I GET HOME.

9-year-old in Cary bitten by snake in her garage 

Most experts said it's common to see a copperhead on the trails out at night, but one family in Cary found one had made its way into the their garage. 

Cary 9-year-old bitten by copperhead in family's garage 

Uthra's mother found her daughter lying motionless in bed at the family home, her left arm dotted with blood.

She died from a snakebite. But the real killer was her husband

Photograph by Renaud d'Avout d'Auerstaedt (http://renaud.davout.org/)

Friday, July 2, 2021 -- Capitol Broadcasting Company's editorial cartoonist.

DRAUGHON DRAWS: Venom goes viral

The owner of the venomous zebra cobra on the loose in a Raleigh neighborhood was previously involved in a story about a venomous snake bite covered on WRAL in March. 

<p>&gt;&gt;&gt; BE ON THE LOOKOUT. THIS MAN IS ON THE LOOSE IN A NORTH RALEIGH NEIGHBORHOOD TONIGHT. IT'S POTENTIALLY DEADLY, CAPABLE OF SPITTING VENOM WITH REMARKABLE PRECISION. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TONIGHT, I'M JULIAN GRACE. &gt;&gt; I'M LENA TILLETT. GERALD AND LENA ARE ALL. ALL NEW TONIGHT AT 10:00, WE'RE LEARNING THE OWNER OF THIS SNAKE IS THE SAME PERSON WHO WAS BITTEN BY ANOTHER PET SNAKE BACK IN MARCH. &gt;&gt; YEAH, WRAL JOE FISHER IS LIVE IN RALEIGH CONNECTING THE DOTS THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA TONIGHT. JOE? &gt;&gt; Reporter: JULIAN AND DEBRA, I HAVE MY FLASHLIGHT ON, LOOKING FOR ANY SIGNS OF THIS VENOMOUS SNAKE. BY ALL ACCOUNTS CHRIS GIFFORD, THE OWNER OF THIS SNAKE APPEARS TO BE AN ENTHUSIAST POSTING SEVERAL PICTURES AND VIDEOS ON HIS SOCIAL MEDIA PAGES. TONIGHT POLICE ARE STILL POSTED UP IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD, AND WE'RE LEARNING MORE ABOUT A SNAKEBITE THAT SENT GIFFORDS TO THE HOSPITAL THREE MONTHS AGO. IN A POST ON FACEBOOK, CHRIS GIFFORD WRITES, "WELL, THAT WAS ME." DETAILING HOW HE GOT BIT BY A VENOMOUS PET GREEN MAMBA SNAKE WHILE CLEANING ITS CAGE IN MARCH. GIFFORDS SAYING, "WHILE I WAS IN THE PROCESS OF MOVING THE SNAKE TO A TEMPORARY HOLDING CONTAINER, HIS MIDSECTION HAD WRAPPED AROUND THE HANDLE OF ONE OF THE DOORS TO HIS ENCLOSURE. IN A SPLIT SECOND THE MAMBA USED THE DOOR AS A SPRING BOARD TO FLY UP BACKWARDS AND TAGGED MY LEFT HAND." GIFFORDS SAYS HE WAS ABLE TO SECURE THE SNAKE BEFORE TELLING HIS PARENTS AND DRIVING TO THE HOSPITAL. HE REQUIRED FOUR VILES OF ANTIVENOM, BUT WAS LATER RELEASED. &gt;&gt; LOOK AT HOW MASSIVE THIS ZEBRA COBRA IS. &gt;&gt; Reporter: FROM TIKTOK TO INSTAGRAM, CHRIS GIFFORDS IS PICTURED WITH HIS ZEBRA SPITTING COBRA. IT'S THE SAME VENOMOUS SNAKE ON THE LOOSE LAST SPOTTED ON THE FRONT PORCH ON SANDRINGHAM DRIVE IN NORTHWEST RALEIGH. RPD AND ANIMAL CONTROL SPENT THE DAY OUTSIDE GIFFORD'S HOME NEARBY ON CHAMONIX PLACE. &gt;&gt; WE'RE NOT GOING OUTSIDE AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO THE POOL. &gt;&gt; Reporter: POLICE SAY ANYONE WHO SPOTS THIS SNAKE SHOULD STAND BACK AND CALL 911. VETERINARIANS SAY THE ZEBRA COBRA'S VENOM COULD CAUSE PARALYSIS OR EVEN DEATH. &gt;&gt; THIS SPECIES DOESN'T BITE, BUT SPRAYS ITS VENOM AND COULD HIT YOU UP TO NINE FEET AWAY. THEY ARE VERY ACCURATE AND THEY GO STRAIGHT FOR THE EYES. &gt;&gt; Reporter: BACK OUT HERE LIVE IT IS NOT ILLEGAL TO OWN A VENOMOUS SNAKE ALTHOUGH STATE LAW REQUIRES OWNERS KEEP THEIR VENOMOUS SNAKES LOCKED UP IN A SECURE ENCLOSURE. WE ALSO CHECKED IN WITH LOCAL HOSPITALS TODAY. THEY DO TELL US THEY HAVE ACCESS TO THE ANTIVENOM SHOULD ANYONE COME IN CONTACT WITH THIS COBRA'S PERHAPS DEADLY POISON. BACK TO YOU. &gt;&gt; NEIGHBORS MUST BE ON ALERT. JOE FISHER REPORTING LIVE IN</p>

Owner of venomous zebra cobra connected to previous snake bite story

Owner of property police are searching own exotic snakes

Many residents of a north Raleigh neighborhood were shocked to discover they had a venomous zebra cobra as a neighbor. Is it legal to own a venomous, exotic zebra cobra? What safety protocols must be in place? 

Call 911 immediately if you ever spot an exotic venomous snake

Chris Gifford snakes

A Raleigh man took himself straight to the hospital over the weekend after he was bitten by his pet. The thing is, the pet was a venomous green mamba snake, requiring antivenin to be flown in from a South Carolina zoo.

Raleigh man survives after being bitten by venomous pet snake

snakes

<p>DISAPPEA &gt;&gt;&gt; A RALEIGH MAN DROVE HIMSELF TO THE HOSPITAL AFTER HE WAS BITTEN BY HIS PET. THE TWIST, HIS PET WAS ONE OF THOSE. THAT'S THE GREEN MAMBA SNAKE. THE ANTIVENOM WAS PHONE IN FROM A ZOO IN SOUTH CAROLINA. JOE FISHER UNRAVELING THIS INTERESTING CHAIN OF EVENTS IN A STORY ONLY ON WRAL. &gt;&gt; Reporter: GREEN MAMBA SNAKE IS SHY AND SLENDER BUT QUICK AND VENOMOUS. &gt;&gt; IF YOU GET BIT WITHOUT ANTIVENOM YOUR CHANCES OF SURVIVAL ARE VERY LOW. &gt;&gt; WAS OF THE ESSENCE SUNDAY WHEN A MAN SHOWED UP AFTER GETTING BY HIS GREEN MAMBA. HE NEEDED ANTIVENOM BUT THE CLOSEST SPOT WAS 250 MILES AWAY AT THE RIVER BANK ZOO IN COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA. &gt;&gt; THEY GOT A HELICOPTER AND SAID WHERE CAN WE LAND? &gt;&gt; CURATOR AT THE ZOO WHICH HAS THREE GREEN MAMBAS. THEY QUICKLY PACKED A COOLER WITH TEN VIALS ON ICE AND DROVE IT TO NEARBY LEXINGTON MEDICAL CENTER BEFORE THE ANTIVENOM WAS FLOWN TO U IN. C REX. &gt;&gt; WE WANTED TO HELP GET IT THERE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE TO MITIGATE SYMPTOMS. &gt;&gt; Reporter: DOCTORS USED FOUR VIALS TO TREAT THE PATIENT WHO IS EXPECTED TO BE OKAY. &gt;&gt; THE SOONER YOU GET IT, THE BETTER OBVIOUSLY, ESPECIALLY WITH GREEN MAMBA BITE. IT'S A NEURO TOXIC VENOM SO IT WILL AFFECT YOUR BREATHING. THAT PERSON IMMEDIATELY WENT TO THE HOSPITAL WHICH IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO BECAUSE YOU MAY STOP BREATHING PRETTY QUICK. &gt;&gt; Reporter: RALEIGH POLICE SAY THE SNAKE IS BACK WITH ITS OWNER. NORTH CAROLINA STATE LAW REQUIRES VENOMOUS SNAKES BE KEPT IN A STURDY ENCLOSURE WITH A LOCK. SOME PEOPLE DO KEEP GREEN MAMBAS AS PETS BUT HE ADVISES AGAINST IT. &gt;&gt; THEY'RE NOT PARTICULARLY AGGRESSIVE BUT THEY'RE REALLY FAST AND CAN BE DIFFICULT FOR UNTRAINED PERSON TO WORK WITH. IT'S NOT SOMETHING I WOULD EVER WANT TO PERSONALLY HAVE, THAT'S FOR SURE. &gt;&gt; I AM JOE FISHER, WRAL NEWS, ARE A THE. &gt;&gt;&gt; IF YOU ARE WATCHING ON A BIG SCREEN IN 4K, THAT'S A BIG SNAKE. RALEIGH POLICE SAY THE ANIMAL CONTROL DIVISION CONTINUES TO INVESTIGATE CIRCUMSTANCES</p>

SC zoo called in to help Raleigh snakebite victim

As people and their pets are spending more time outdoors, they're encountering snakes more often.

Humans aren't the only ones at risk from snake bites

Dogs aren't the only animals at dog parks, so beware

STREET AND PACIFIC AVENUE RIGHT NEAR WILLIAM PENN PLAZA. THERE WAS ALSO CREWS ON EITHER SIDE OF THE INTERSECTION AND THEY SAID IT MIGHT NOT BE REOPENED UNTIL 10:00 TONIGHT. BACK TO YOU. >>> THIS YEAR IT IS PRIME FOR SNAKES IN THE TRIANGLE WITH MORE BITES THIS YEAR. WE HAVE WHERE A BITE HAPPENED JUST LAST NIGHT. >> Reporter:  LIKE TO THINK OF THE DOG PARK IS A SAFE PLACE FOR YOUR PET BUT SOMETIMES THEY ARE NOT THE ONLY ONES WHO ARE CLEAR HERE. THIS LOOKS LIKE A NICE PLACE TO CALL HOME WHICH CAME AS AN UNPLEASANT SURPRISE TO ONE PARK PATRON. HE LOVES THE DOG PARK BUT WILL NOT BE BACK FOR A FEW WEEKS. IT WAS AN ENCOUNTER WITH A SNAKE ON TUESDAY. >> SHE WAS RUNNING WHEN SHE GOT BIT. 12 AT A FIRST I THOUGHT SHE TWISTED HER LEG BUT THEN THEY SAW THE BLOOD AND THE SWELLING. >> THE DOCTOR SAID SHE HAD BEEN BITTEN. IT IS THE MOST COMMON VENOMOUS SNAKE THAT WE SEE HERE IN THE STATE. >> Reporter: DR. BRITNEY IS AN EMERGENCY SPECIALIST TO SAID WITH EARLY TREATMENT  MOST DOGS RECOVER FINE, BUT YOU NEED TO GET IT CHECKED OUT. >> THE BEST THING TO DO IS KEEP YOUR DOG AS CALM AS POSSIBLE AND TRY TO LIMIT MOVEMENT. THIS CAN DELAY THE ABSORPTION OF THE VENOM. THEN YOU SHOULD SEEK CARE RIGHT AWAY. >> Reporter:  THIS EMERGENCY ROOM DOCTOR SAID THE BITES TO HUMAN IS ALREADY UP 20% AT WAKEMED. >> MORE PEOPLE ARE MOVING TO THIS AREA AND THERE IS A LOT MORE DEVELOPMENT  IN THE EARTH IS TO BE MORE WILDLAND AND THEN ALSO JUST MORE PEOPLE DOING OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES. >> Reporter: DR. BENJAMIN GERMAN IS NOT SURPRISED. HE SAID ANY AREA AROUND HERE IS LIKELY TO BE HOME TO THE SNAKES AND THAT IS EVEN A DOG PARK. >> ESPECIALLY  AT DUSK YOU WANT TO BE MORE CAREFUL BECAUSE THE SNAKES ARE ACTIVE AND ALSO THE VISIBILITY IS POOR. >> Reporter: THIS IS WHEN  HE GOT BIT. >> I WANT TO LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT SOMETHING LIKE THAT COULD HAPPEN JUST TO KEEP AN EYE OUT ON YOUR ANIMAL. EVEN IF THEY ARE RUNNING AROUND . >> Reporter: HE SAID HE IS NEVER SEEN ONE HERE. WE SHOULD LET YOU KNOW THAT BECAUSE SHE GOT TREATMENT SHE IS EXPECTED TO RECOVER FULLY. MOST HUMANS RECOVER PRETTY WELL ALSO. BUT THEY ARE VERY PAINFUL. DEFINITELY WORTH WATCHING TO

When Durham resident Barbara Dickinson found a snake trapped under a fence, she didn't post a "for sale" sign in her yard or kill it with a shovel. She went on the neighborhood app Nextdoor and contacted "Nick the Snake Guru."

Got a snake in the grass? Call 'Nick the Snake Guru'

Snake Guru

After a venomous snake bite, victims are finding their hospital bill almost as painful as the bite itself with tens of thousands of dollars spent for anti-venom treatments.



Why do venomous snake bites lead to huge health care costs?