A bunch of bananas at a New Hampshire grocery store was hiding a slithering stowaway last week, a scaly story that might get adapted for the big screen as "Snakes on a Plantain."
Employees at a Market Basket in Manchester got an unexpected surprise on Saturday when they discovered a hissing hitchhiker nestled among their shipment of bananas, according to a news release from the New Hampshire Fish and Game Law Enforcement Division.
Lt. Adam Cheney of NH Fish and Game told NBC News that his team is used to dealing with domestic reptiles, but this little one was an unexpected encounter.
"We're lucky enough that one of the workers at Market Basket was very familiar with reptiles," Cheney said.
The unwelcome traveler was an approximately 1.5-foot-long snake, a mildly venomous species native to Ecuador, according to NH Fish and Game Law Enforcement Division.
Cheney describes the uncommon encounter as similar to "opening a Christmas present."
"I've never seen an ornate cat-eyed snake before in 25 years," Cheney said. "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."
NH Fish and Game Law Enforcement Division said that the snake was unharmed and has since been rehomed with their partners at Rainforest Reptile Shows Inc., an educational organization specializing in exotic animal care.
Mack Ralbovsky, vice president of Rainforest Reptile Shows Inc., updated NBC News on what's next for their latest addition.
"This new hitchhiker friend will remain with Rainforest Reptile Shows and RRS Oasis for the remainder of its life," Ralbovsky said. "However, it is a venomous species, so we take extreme precautions when bringing them out for these outreach events."
Ralbovsky also assures consumers that they have nothing to worry about.
"Snakes in shipments are relatively uncommon and it's not something that consumers need to be concerned about," Ralbovsky explained. "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.”
Rainforest Reptile Inc. plans to post a video on their Facebook and YouTube accounts to update folks on how their newest addition is doing, and folks will have the opportunity to vote on its name.
The company on Facebook thanked officials "for ensuring a smooth and quick transition for our newest animal resident!"
"The Cat-eyed Snake that arrived today is a specialized species from Panama, Ecuador, and Colombia that primarily feeds on amphibians and lizards," it said. "As a nocturnal species, its care requires extra expertise and attention."
