Mr Hamblin stressed that only adults may handle the creatures. "I can understand not wanting to endanger another's life," he said. "That's perfectly understandable. But in 100 years, there have been only 10 deaths in Tennessee from serpents." He is himself unable to make a fist with his right hand, after being bitten on a knuckle in 2010 and ending up in hospital. "I was at death's door," he said. "Me and death were just about ready to smoke a cigarette together".