Last week, a group of bananas at a supermarket shop in New Hampshire were concealing a sly stowaway—a scaly tale that could be made into a movie called “Snakes on a Plantain.”
According to a news release from the New Hampshire Fish and Game Law Enforcement Division, workers at a Market Basket in Manchester were taken by surprise on Saturday when they found a hissing hitchhiker tucked up amid their cargo of bananas.
Although his squad is accustomed to handling domestic reptiles, Lt. Adam Cheney of NH Fish and Game told that this small one was an unexpected encounter.
“We’re lucky enough that one of the workers at Market Basket was very familiar with reptiles,” Cheney stated.
According to the NH Fish and Game Law Enforcement Division, the unwanted visitor was a mildly venomous snake that was native to Ecuador and measured around 1.5 feet in length.
Cheney compares the rare experience like “opening a Christmas present.”
“I’ve never seen an Ornate cat-eyed snake before in 25 years,” Cheney stated. “Everybody’s kind of interested if you’re into reptiles because you’ve never seen one, you don’t get the opportunity to unless you go down to South America.”
The snake remained unhurt, according to the NH Fish and Game Law Enforcement Division, and has since been placed with their partners at Rainforest Reptile Shows Inc., an educational institution that specializes in the care of exotic animals.
Rainforest Reptile Shows Inc. vice president Mack Ralbovsky provided an update on the future plans for their newest addition.
“This new hitchhiker friend will remain with Rainforest Reptile Shows and RRS Oasis for the remainder of its life,” Ralbovsky stated. “However, it is a venomous species, so we take extreme precautions when bringing them out for these outreach events.”
Tennessee Man Sentenced to 261 Years for Five Murders, Calls Himself a ‘Serial Killer’
Additionally, Ralbovsky reassures customers that they need not fear.
“Snakes in shipments are relatively uncommon and it’s not something that consumers need to be concerned about,” Ralbovsky added. “When any shipments come from tropical places, there is a chance that hitchhikers could be on board. However, it is typically small lizards, like anoles, frogs or invertebrates.”
In addition to giving people a chance to vote on the name of their newest addition, Rainforest Reptile Inc. intends to upload a video to their YouTube and Facebook profiles to provide an update on how the animal is doing.
“For ensuring a smooth and quick transition for our newest animal resident!” the company congratulated officials on Facebook.
“The Cat-eyed Snake that arrived today is a specialized species from Panama, Ecuador, and Colombia that primarily feeds on amphibians and lizards,” it stated. “As a nocturnal species, its care requires extra expertise and attention.”
