Man May Get Hand Amputated After Attempting A Selfie With A Rattlesnake

It's official: The obsession with selfies went way too far.

On Monday, 36-year-old Alex Gomez was rushed to the hospital after suffering a severe rattlesnake bite to his hand.

The Lake Elsinore, California resident picked up the dangerous reptile allegedly hoping to take a selfie with it. Now as a result of his wounds, Gomez faces the possibility of doctors amputating his hand.

The victim spotted the 4-foot snake in a field near his family's ranch and decided to pick it up, despite the animal's warning rattles; Gomez's nephew, who witnessed the incident, said the snake was rattling its tail in an attempt to scare Gomez away.

The snake was reportedly draped around Gomez's neck when it struck, biting Gomez's hand. Though a neighbor immediately called for an ambulance, the snake's venom already began to spread, causing Gomez's hand to swell up and his body to tingle, CBS Los Angeles reports.

Doctors continue to treat the victim with anti-venom, but Deborah, Gomez's mother, believes avoiding amputation is unlikely.

She told KCal 9,

His skin is already rotting away.

California Poison Control reports more than 800 rattlesnake bites every year, and one or two, on average, are fatal.

The state's rattlesnake season lasts through October so exercising caution when outdoors will continue to be crucial.

That, of course, and not picking up wild snakes to take selfies with them. In the end, no amount of social media "likes" will give the victim his hand back.

Check out the video for more on this tragic and wholly avoidable story.

Citations: Lake Elsinore Man May Lose Hand After Attempting To Take Selfie With Rattlesnake (CBS Los Angeles)