How to start a antivemon facility?

[Sand_Boa_Owner]

I understand there is ALOT of rules and regulations I have to follow with safety and sanitarianess(lol if thats a word). How would I go about starting and operating something like this? I know theres a shortage of antivenom and I sort of want to make a difference, even though the risk msy be high and the impact low. Does anyone have any ideas or if they are apart of antivenom facility? I would like to get snakes, scorpians and lizards. But mostly have venomous snakes. I understand the risks and the most venomous snake is the one that just bit you.

[bcr229]

I would start by finding one and asking if there was a mentorship or internship program, where you not only learn how to handle the snakes but you learn about the business and regulatory side of it. Or just ask if they are hiring - and do they offer health, life, short- and long-term disability, and AD&D insurance benefits?

After a few years of essentially OTJ training, you start your own business, purchase a piece of property in an appropriately zoned (or unincorporated non-zoned) area, either with a building on it that can be modified or you build-to-suit. Add perimeter fencing and other physical security measures to keep the nosy and nasty people out, get your equipment and snakes, and have at it.

[Sand_Boa_Owner]

Thanks, theres no antivenom facility around me unfortunately, but anything having to do with keeping hots could be a good start, like a zoo or rescue. But thanks for the info, I can always ask other antivenom facilities how they got started! Thanks!

[Doggtyred]

So lets look at what you really are trying to do here...

First.. what species are you looking to cover? Crotalidae? (north american pit vipers)? they already have a product called Cro-Fab that is an antibody produced in specially kept sheep herds. It comes in a frozen powder that is reconstituted with sterile saline. 98% of snake envenemations in North America are appropriately treatable by the CroFab product. Its purified, and contains primarily, if not exclusively, the antibodies to crotalid venoms and no other antigens. This is important. Crotalid venom causes collagen tissue destruction and derangements to the coagulation cascades.

Here is a link to the manufacturers website regarding how they do it. http://www.crofab.com/treatment/about/production/

Given you are posting with a location listed as Pennslyvania, that includes you.

Coral snake envenomation is rare. Lack of fangs, need for a compliant (i.e. drunk or unconscious) victim. Pfizer/Wyeth used to make an antivenom but they no longer do. Some may still be available. The venom works as a neurotoxin, causing weakness and paralysis. You can survive without envenomation provided you present to appropriate medical care.. you might be on a ventilator for a few weeks, with all the risks of pneumonia, bedsores and other infections that being critically ill on mechanical ventilation entails, but you can survive the actual envenomation provided you get to help before you stop breathing.. Pfizer stopped making it because the rate of envenomation was so low, that it was unprofitable to keep making, particularly since you can survive without it.

So.. now... you are dealing with less than 1% of all remaining envenomations in North America. A very low volume proposition. You will need the technical background and expertise to manufacture (to medical grade) antibodies to these exceedingly rare (at least in the US) venoms. Simply envenomating horses and drawing off serum out of the blood is very crude and prone to many complications (referred to as serum sickness, which in some cases such as repeat treatments, can be fatal).

So to answer your question.. what do you need? You need money. A lot of it. To make a small fortune in the antivenin business, you need to start with a large fortune. I'm only half kidding. 99% of the market is covered already.

And frankly, if you live here in the US, I would question importing a foreign venomous snake without independently purchasing or ensuring local availability of the relevant antivenin.

My experience on this issue is not as a snake guy.. I'm new to keeping snakes. I have been occasionally involved in the local treatment of crotalid envenomations over the past 25 years in my local area as a paramedic and nurse.. knowing which hospitals to take patients to, which doctors to have called, who my herp handling resources were.. I saw on average one every other year..

I commend you for what appears to be altruistic motives, but from a practical standpoint, unless you are a recent lottery winner, I'd say you'd be better off setting up a go-fund-me account to simply buy what is already on the market for the populations in your area.

[Doggtyred]

So lets look at what you really are trying to do here...

First.. what species are you looking to cover? Crotalidae? (north american pit vipers)? they already have a product called Cro-Fab that is an antibody produced in specially kept sheep herds. It comes in a frozen powder that is reconstituted with sterile saline. 98% of snake envenemations in North America are appropriately treatable by the CroFab product. Its purified, and contains primarily, if not exclusively, the antibodies to crotalid venoms and no other antigens. This is important. Crotalid venom causes collagen tissue destruction and derangements to the coagulation cascades.

Here is a link to the manufacturers website regarding how they do it. http://www.crofab.com/treatment/about/production/

Given you are posting with a location listed as Pennslyvania, that includes you.

Coral snake envenomation is rare. Lack of significant fangs, need for a compliant (i.e. drunk or unconscious) victim. Pfizer/Wyeth used to make an antivenom but they no longer do. Some may still be available. The venom works as a neurotoxin, causing weakness and paralysis. You can survive an envenomation without antivenin provided you present to appropriate medical care.. you might be on a ventilator for a few weeks, with all the risks of pneumonia, bedsores and other infections that being critically ill on mechanical ventilation entails, but you can survive the actual envenomation provided you get to help before you stop breathing.. Pfizer stopped making it because the rate of envenomation was so low, that it was unprofitable to keep making, particularly since you can survive without it.

So.. now... you are dealing with less than 1% of all remaining envenomations in North America. A very low volume proposition. You will need the technical background and expertise to manufacture (to medical grade) antibodies to these exceedingly rare (at least in the US) venoms. Simply envenomating horses and drawing off serum out of the blood is very crude and prone to many complications (referred to as serum sickness, which in some cases such as repeat treatments, can be fatal).

So to answer your question.. what do you need? You need money. A lot of it. To make a small fortune in the antivenin business, you need to start with a large fortune. I'm only half kidding. 99% of the market is covered already.

And frankly, if you live here in the US, I would question importing a foreign venomous snake without independently purchasing or ensuring local availability of the relevant antivenin.

My experience on this issue is not as a snake guy.. I'm new to keeping snakes. I have been occasionally involved in the local treatment of crotalid envenomations over the past 25 years in my local area as a paramedic and nurse.. knowing which hospitals to take patients to, which doctors to have called, who my herp handling resources were.. I saw on average one every other year..

I commend you for what appears to be altruistic motives, but from a practical standpoint, unless you are a recent lottery winner, I'd say you'd be better off setting up a go-fund-me account to simply buy what is already on the market for the populations in your area.

Edited, because for some reason I edited my original post once, and now I cant edit it anymore...