A grocery run took a wild turn when employees at a Market Basket in Manchester, New Hampshire, discovered a venomous snake hiding in their banana shipment!
According to the New Hampshire Fish and Game Law Enforcement Division, the unexpected stowaway was an Ornate cat-eyed snake, a species native to Ecuador – not your typical New England visitor. Lt. Adam Cheney, who’s been dealing with reptiles for 25 years, was stunned. “I’ve never seen one before!” he admitted.
Luckily, a Market Basket worker familiar with reptiles recognized the scaly hitchhiker and alerted authorities. The snake, about 1.5 feet long and mildly venomous, was carefully removed and safely rehomed. It now resides with Rainforest Reptile Shows Inc., an organization specializing in exotic animals.
Mack Ralbovsky of Rainforest Reptile Shows assured shoppers that such incidents are incredibly rare. The group even plans to let people vote on a name for their new reptilian resident.
