First I must say I don't personally own any venomous, but have friends that do and I occasionally help with cleaning feeding and other chores. They are definitely display only pets, no handling unless needed. No I have never been bitten, but one person I know has been bitten by a copperhead. He spent 18 hours in the hospital and then had several weeks of pain. I live in North Carolina but the snakes are in SC where laws are almost non existent.