SSSNEAKY

Grocery Store Employees Find Venomous Snake Slithering in Bananas

The South American stowaway traveled over 3,000 miles to reach a New Hampshire Market Basket.

Market Basket employees were in for a shock on Saturday when they discovered a scaly surprise nestled in a bunch of bananas. A venomous, 1.5-foot long snake was hiding within the produce and hitched a ride from Ecuador to Manchester, New Hampshire. The serpent—an ornate cat-eyed snake—typically eats frogs and lizards, so humans are generally safe. While a bite can cause pain and swelling, it isn’t fatal, and the employee who found it was unscathed. Rainforest Reptile Shows, an organization committed to rescuing and rehabilitating reptiles, has taken on the fanged friend. Today, it slithers safely in a temporary habitat. It may soon become a species ambassador and teach officers on how to safely handle others of its kind. On Facebook, fans can vote on its new name, where some have suggested “Chiquita” and “Anna Banana.”