Yes, and when I was a lad of under ten in Queensland, I spent an awful lot of time catching Death Adders and Red Belly Blacks in the flood waters of the Thompson River....so what.
I defy ANY sane man to grab an angry Taipan by the bloody tail and not p!ss his pants....and if you want to cuddle a Tiger Snake I can supply you with as many as your little heart desires....same goes for Blacks, Browns and a couple of other cute wee nasties.
These bastards don't make you sick.....they can F_ing well kill you in very short order.
If you want to have a bit of excitement in your life then try dragging 'roo carcases through dry rice stubble in the dark....the rice stubble is absolutely full of the buggers.....they are there after mice, and they are p!ssed when disturbed.
I have lived and worked around them for years....out in the dark....by myself....miles from anywhere.
Stuff feeling all cuddly about them....I shall leave that to those clowns who have a death wish.
Ps, The above does not relate to Carpet snakes.....they go for Aus $100.00 a foot around here and are eagerly sought after for grain sheds and shearing sheds....to keep the vermin down.
