It's not everyday you go to the grocery store and find a venomous reptile in the produce section, but that's exactly what happened at one U.S. grocer.
According to the New Hampshire Fish and Game Law Enforcement Division, employees at a local grocery store discovered a "mildly venomous" Ornate Cat-eyed Snake that was hitchhiking in a shipment of bananas.
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Officials said the snake was ultimately unharmed and rehomed with the Rainforest Reptile Shows Inc., a regional animal show that presents throughout New England.
"Thank you to the alert employees and the great and always helpful staff at Rainforest Reptile Shows Inc," the New Hampshire Fish and Game Law Enforcement Division said in a statement.
The Ornate Cat-eyed Snake is native to the lowlands of western Ecuador, where it inhabits dry forest ecosystems, according to reptilesofecuador.com. However, it can also be found in other South American countries like Colombia and Peru.
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While venomous, experts say Cat-eyed Snakes are relatively calm and rarely attempt to bite humans, instead often choosing to imitate other far more dangerous snakes like vipers.
Cat-eyed Snaked are also notorious for their foul scent that comes from a substance they emit to deter predators, according to A-Z Animals.
