Florida 9-year-old mistakes deadly rattlesnake for ‘stuffed animal’ in grandmother’s backyard

A 9-year-old Florida boy nearly made a fatal mistake after approaching one of the world’s most venomous snakes, believing it was a “stuffed animal.”

Angelo Owens was hanging out at his grandmother’s home in Longwood on Wednesday when his eye spotted something hanging out in the corner of her backyard, according to WESH 2.

“I thought it was a stuffed animal,” Angelo said after approaching it and realizing it was a living snake.

The boy quickly went inside to tell his family about the discovery — who first believed Angelo stumbled upon a harmless garden snake — until they heard the rattling of a four-foot diamondback rattlesnake.

“Just a real loud hiss. You could hear it two to three houses away — it was loud,” Alex Owens, Angelo’s father, told the outlet.

Alex shared that the nearly deadly encounter his son had was “scary” and left him “shaking for a while,” thinking about how different the outcome could have been.

Fortunately for the family, Angelo did not get close enough to the predator and called one of Central Florida’s most experienced critter catchers Bob Cross.

“He is a lucky boy. Had he not been wise enough to go get his mom, or if he had tried to pick it up, or get near it … this would be a different story,” Cross told the outlet.

The family said they called the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation (FWC) service first, but when they arrived, they told them they could not deal with venomous snakes and gave them a list of people who could, according to the outlet.

The eastern diamondback rattlesnake — the United States’ largest venomous snake, which can grow up to eight feet long — was removed safely from the property and taken to a reptile center that will collect its venom to make antivenin to save the lives of snake-bite victims.

The Owens family is no stranger to Florida’s wildlife and has dealt with coyotes, foxes, and even a bear that once snuck into their garage — but this venomous predator was a first.

The eastern diamondback rattlesnake is often found in open-canopied pine forests that frequently burn but can be found in various habitats, according to the FWC.

Its bite can be excruciatingly painful and releases a venom called hemotoxin that kills red blood cells and causes tissue damage.

Said to be excellent swimmers, the diamondback rattlesnake can appear yellow or tan-skinned, with their key characteristics being their distinct black, brown, and cream diamonds down their back.

The poisonous snakes will also use vegetation for cover, relying on camouflage to conceal them while foraging for food. 

In September, an Amazon driver was left in serious condition at the hospital after getting bitten by a massive rattlesnake while delivering a package in Florida.

The driver failed to see the giant Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake coiled up near the front door of a home in Pam City.