A Florida man is recovering in hospital after reportedly being bitten on the tongue by a rattlesnake he was trying to kiss.

Ron Reinold was playing with the snake, which had been captured the previous day by a neighbour, when he attempted to kiss it and was bitten, a local CBS channel reported.

Reinold, who was flown to hospital by helicopter in a critical condition, is recovering and expected to survive, according to his family.

Charles Goff, from Putnam County, told Action News Jax that he found the reptile on Monday and put it in a tank as he was not sure how to handle it.

"The next morning before I got up, they were playing with the snake," Mr Goff told the local network. "One boy said, 'I'm going to kiss it in the mouth,' and the snake bit him in the face."