The 40-year-old was bitten in the arm by a highly venomous Gaboon viper at his apartment in Malmö at lunchtime on Wednesday, local newspaper Sydsvenskan reports.
A bite from a Gaboon viper can cause death but the 40-year-old survived the attack after making his own way to hospital. It was the second time the man had needed hospital treatment after being bitten by a snake.
A family member notified the police of the incident and the 40-year-old now risks facing criminal charges for his failure to register ownership of the snake.
“The police went to the apartment with the family member and found the snake where it should be, in the terrarium,” police spokesman Kennerth Strand told Sydsvenskan.
The snake was removed from the apartment and placed in the care of the municipal terrarium at Folkets Park in Malmö.
The Gaboon viper, also known as the forest puff adder, is native to the rainforests of sub-Saharan Africa and is the world’s largest viper.
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