Biting Rattlesnake No Match for 87-Year-Old Florida Woman

Esther Orring, 87, killed a rattlesnake with her bare hands. After it bit her.

First there was the man who fought off a mountain lion with a chainsaw.

Now we have Esther Orring, an 87-year-old from Tampa, Florida who strangled an angry rattlesnake with her bare hands.

Apparently, the seven-inch pygmy came right up to Orring's front door and had the gall to bite the woman on her middle, right-hand finger, reported NBC Miami. Orring rang the little sucker's neck then headed to the hospital for several rounds of antivenom. She is expected to make a full recovery.

And when she returns home?

Her seemingly nonplussed daughter—who said this wasn't Orring's first kill as she grew up as a farm girl in Italy—plans to have the rattler framed.

Let that be a warning to all the other snarling snakes out there.

--Katie Herrell

Source: Granny, 87, Kills Venomous Rattler With Bare Hands
Photo by Michael H. Francis

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READERS COMMENTS

Yeah, this story has been a bit sensationalized. Glad she's okay, and in anger most people would have killed the animal, and a bite like that could have been fatal. but it wasn't exactly a titanic, 9' diamondback she wrestled for hours. Mind you, that's just my opinion. <strong><a href="http://www.edhardykleidungshop.com/">ed hardy</a></strong>
Posted: Aug 23, 2010 hjj

I notice the headline says "Venomous Rattler". I wasn't aware the adjective was necessary. Or does Florida have some non-venomous rattlers to go with the pythons overrunning the Everglades?

Posted: Aug 13, 2009 Perry Clark

My 50 years of experience with rattlesnakes and mountain lions revealed the fact that if you do not provoke them, 90% of tdhe time they will avoid you faster than you can avoid them. There is an awful lot of mythological nonsense out there among people who shuld know better- that there are very few documented attacks on people from mountain lions. O course there are always those macho, gun toting red necks who use dogs to tree mountain lions and then shoot them out of the tree. Great sport! I witnessed most of this in southern Utah as a professional naturalist.
Posted: Aug 13, 2009 Ian McCloud

Pygmy, full size, baby, adult. It doesn't matter, they are all equally venomous.

Just curious, has the first aid changed at all for snake bite?
Posted: Aug 13, 2009 Chuck

I'd put the framed booger on the outside of the door.
Posted: Aug 13, 2009 Lee

OK folks, it's just a pygmy rattler, and maybe the story is sensationalized, but for gosh sake the woman is 87 years old. Give her some credit for guts!! (or crankiness...)
Posted: Aug 13, 2009 DAS

You are a helluva better man than I am Gungha Din!
Posted: Aug 13, 2009 bigfig

Too bad that photo isnt a pygmy rattler
Posted: Aug 12, 2009 AZ

Use your foot next time.
Posted: Aug 12, 2009 dave