Terry Wilkins hurt by python (updated)

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rtdunham
Posts: 219
Joined: January 11th, 2011, 2:43 pm

Terry Wilkins hurt by python (updated)

Post by rtdunham »

Update: WLWT reported shortly after 5 pm today that Mr Wilkins will survive. The station says when two officers entered the shop they found the snake wrapped around his head and body, and that he was unresponsive. One grabbed the head, and together they unwrapped the snake and returned it to a cage.
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At about noon today Terry Wilkins, owner of Captive Born Reptiles, Columbus, OH, was bitten by a snake in his second shop, in Newport, KY. A policeman outside the shop told me it was not a venomous snake bite, but a python attack.

A woman from the diner that delivered lunch to Terry was in the shop either when the incident occurred or shortly thereafter. Her husband told me Terry was bitten on the arm, and told the woman to get hot water to pour on the snake. By the time she got back to him, he said, the snake had moved up Terry's arm to his shoulder, and then quickly threw its coils around him. By shortly after 12:30 pm more than a dozen uniformed officers were inside and outside the store and one lane of Monmouth Street was blocked by patrol cars. An employee in a shop two doors away said two police officers removed the snake to free Mr. Wilkins. A news reporter outside the shop afterwards said Terry was unconscious when taken from the shop, and was taken to University of Cincinnati hospital. The reporter says the injuries are life-threatening. The shop was closed but signs of the struggle that had taken place were obvious through the window.

NOTE: I've done my best to assure these facts are accurate, or at least attributed to people close to the situation. I had a very pleasant hour-long conversation with Terry last week in his recently-opened store. I had not known him prior to that but I know there are many out there who have known him for decades and would want this initial information on what has happened. I live about five miles away and happened to be passing the store in the aftermath and gathered what information I could.
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Mark Brown
Posts: 567
Joined: June 8th, 2010, 2:15 am
Location: Austin, TX

Re: Terry Wilkins hurt by python

Post by Mark Brown »

Thanks for the post. Terry and I were friends and field herping buddies about 35 years ago - haven't seen him since then but we had some good times in southern Ohio.
Craig
Posts: 23
Joined: May 19th, 2013, 4:39 pm
Location: Ohio

Re: Terry Wilkins hurt by python (updated)

Post by Craig »

Sad to hear as Terry is exceptionally skilled in handling reptiles. Unfortunately though accidents do happen. Fortunate that someone was there when this occurred.
rtdunham
Posts: 219
Joined: January 11th, 2011, 2:43 pm

Re: Terry Wilkins hurt by python (updated)

Post by rtdunham »

Local news says Terry was released from hospital earlier this week, so that's great news. I"ll leave any further reports on how he's doing to him or others.
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