Snake-chasing social media influencer hospitalized after bite in Florida, video shows
A Florida social media personality known for grabbing snakes has been hospitalized after encountering a venomous rattlesnake, according to one of his videos.
David Orin Humphlett — known as David Orin to his 4 million social media followers — reports it happened Dec. 18 and involved a 4-foot snake he was not pursuing.
The snake is seen coiled and on the defensive in a video Humphlett shared on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok.
“Well, I’m cooked,” he says in the video. “That right there is a fantastic eastern diamondback rattlesnake that I just got bit in the leg by, ‘cause I didn’t notice him.”
He then details how the potential deadly venom is impacting him, including signs of anaphylactic shock from an allergic reaction.
“I’m about to lose my ability to walk, so let’s get back to the car,” he says to a group of fellow “herpers” who accompanied him. “I’m scared I’m going to die, but hopefully not.”
He remained at UF Health Shands Hospital in Gainesville as of Dec. 31, and has been treated with “50 vials of antivenom, countless fluids, medications, treatments, and procedures,” according to a fundraising campaign to cover medical expenses.
The group was on Shired Island in Dixie County when it encountered the snake, and the pain from the bite was so intense, Humphlett said it “felt like an alligator,” WCJB reports.
“My reaction was just like, ‘Dang it, this is really bad,’” he told the station. “I might lose my leg. It was pretty scary because my whole body went numb — head to toe.”
Eastern diamondbacks are native to Florida and the largest species of rattlesnake in the country, reaching up to 8 feet in length, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission says. Their venom is potent enough to cause limb amputation, permanent disability or death, experts say.
“Untreated eastern diamondback rattlesnake bites have a fatality of 10-20%,” according to the National Library of Medicine.
Humphlett lives in Alachua, Florida, and describes himself as a “husband, herper and adventurer.” His social media following includes 1.4 million on Instagram, 2.3 million on TikTok, and 234,000 subscribers on YouTube.
His videos include scenes of him snatching snakes and lizards to detail their characteristics.
This story was originally published December 31, 2024 at 1:31 PM with the headline "Snake-chasing social media influencer hospitalized after bite in Florida, video shows."