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You can tread on me...

Central Ave. Btwn Alameda Ave. & 1st St. ~ Downtown Los Angeles

We asked a tough-looking hombre downtown what he had in his 4:20-scrawled cage and he said "a rock." After a few seconds taking us in, he reached around his neck and pulled this 4-year old rattlesnake from under his rear collar. The man said his pet still has his fangs, but has never bitten him since being found as a baby, and even urged the creature to take a slither through our hands for a minute. He warned us not to be alarmed if the little guy placed his teeth on us, promising they wouldn't hurt...too badly. Sure enough, he was right and we took our chances holding California's only species of venomous snake.

Whether we were dealing with an urban brujo or just one bad mutherfucker wasn't clear, but the Dog Whisperer suddenly looked pretty weak in our eyes. We wish him luck as the lil' fella gets on in years and grows...

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