Venomous snakebites are a rarity in the Netherlands. In this report we describe the case of a 26-year-old male amateur snakekeeper who was bitten in his left index finger by a Western bush viper (Atheris chlorechis). His clinical condition deteriorated rapidly with acute renal failure and considerable blood loss due to coagulopathy. Antidote was not readily available and was finally supplied by a zoo in Antwerp, Belgium. One day after admission the blood loss diminished.