A snake just traveled nearly 5,000 kilometers without a passport or a ticket—hidden among a shipment of bananas. Employees at a grocery store in southern New Hampshire got an unexpected shock on Saturday when they discovered a venomous snake inside a box of fruit.
While unpacking a shipment of bananas at a Market Basket in Manchester, New Hampshire, an employee made a startling discovery—a live snake hidden inside the package. Mack Ralbovsky, Vice President of Rainforest Reptile Shows, confirmed that the organization specializing in reptile education and conservation took custody of the snake after the store contacted authorities. Fortunately, the employee who found it was unharmed.
The division said, “The hitchhiker turned out to be an Ornate Cat-eyed Snake, a mildly venomous snake species native to Ecuador.” According to Ralbovsky, while a bite from this snake isn't deadly to humans, it can still cause pain and swelling.
The snake was handed over to Rainforest Reptile Shows. According to USA TODAY, Mack Ralbovsky shared in an email that the snake is doing well as of Monday morning. It is currently housed in a temporary habitat while Rainforest Reptile Shows works with its nonprofit, RRS Oasis, to create a permanent space.
Ralbovsky noted that this nocturnal species primarily feeds on lizards and frogs. The organization is considering either adopting a specialty diet for the snake or encouraging it to eat small, frozen-thawed mice.
The snake will stay with Rainforest Reptile Shows and RRS Oasis from here on, and will probably be used to train officers on how to deal with dangerous reptile species.
Ornate Cat-Eyed SnakeThe Ornate Cat-Eyed Snake is a species native to parts of Central and South America, commonly found in eastern Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, and northern Peru. It thrives in diverse environments, from rainforests and dry forests to pastures and wetlands, often making its home near marshes, swamps, and lagoons, according to ReptilesofEcuador.com.
Despite its venomous nature, this snake is generally calm and rarely aggressive. However, if provoked or threatened, its bite can cause intense pain, swelling (edema), and hemorrhagic blistering in humans. In addition to its venom, the Ornate Cat-Eyed Snake has another defense mechanism—it can release a foul-smelling odor to deter predators.