Neville Linton has recounted his ‘frightening’ experience after discovering a ladder snake curled up in some broccoli he bought from Aldi as part of his weekly shop. A grandad was terrified when he discovered a snake in some broccoli he bought from Aldi.
Neville Linton, 63, left the vegetable in his fridge for three days after the shopping trip before discovering the reptile when preparing a meal. According to TVBS, Neville Linton, of Birmingham, UK, went to an Aldi supermarket to restock his fridge and bought a bag of broccoli. 3 days later, when he removed the plastic packaging on the kitchen counter, he discovered a snake tucked up in one of the stems of the vegetable. After careful inspection, Neville Linton realized it was still alive!
Thoroughly frightened of the snake, Neville had relatives come to his aid and scoop it up.
He said: “It was pretty frightening. I’m not good with snakes. It’s lucky I didn’t just leave the broccoli out in the kitchen, or it would have been loose in the house.
“That would have been a huge risk for us because we have two vulnerable people living here.”
It was later taken to nearby Dudley Zoo where it was identified as a ladder snake. The species is from south-western Europe and, although not venomous, can give humans a nasty nip.
Neville, from Stourbriddge, spotted the little creature tucked up near the stem of the broccoli when he unwrapped the veg on his kitchen counter.
Quickly realising it was too big to be a caterpillar, he called for his sister Ann-Marie Tenkanemin, 57, who identified it as a snake.
The pair then drove it back to the Aldi store where Neville had bought the veg.
He said: “I thought she was joking at first, but I backed off when I saw it start moving. The guy in the shop was pretty frightened too.”
Neville has been offered compensation, but is pushing for more.
He says the amount offered does not compensate him for the risk to his disabled son and vulnerable mother-in-law, who live with him.
He added: “It’s just not good enough – the implications for us if it had got out in the house are huge.
“Plus, I’m phobic of snakes so there’s the emotional impact of that too.”
An Aldi spokesperson said: “Our supplier has never had a complaint of this nature and has robust processes in place to prevent such issues occurring. We are investigating this isolated incident and have apologised to Mr Linton that our usual high standards were not met.”
What Kind of Snake Was It?
According to Linton’s son, Donovan, 41, a specialist from the Dudley Zoo said the creature was a young ladder snake. Although they look scary and can deliver a nasty bite, they are not venomous. They are commonly found around Europe, including Spain, Portugal, and parts of Italy and France. They like temperate habitats with a lot of low shade such as hedges, forests, vineyards, rodent burrows, hollow trees, orchards, and boulders. Ladder snakes tend to be solitary, aggressive, and defensive in nature. They ward off attackers by snapping their sharp fangs and releasing a foul odor. Despite being carnivores, they don’t go after humans. Instead, they feed on rodents like mice and rabbits, birds, spiders, lizards, and insects. The broccoli-invading reptile now resides at the Dudley Zoo.
However, herpetologist Dr. Steven J. R. Allain identifies it as a viperine water snake, which is fortunately less dangerous. “Having reviewed the [actual] photo of the snake in the broccoli, I am not sure the zoo identified the species correctly,” Allain said. “To my expert eyes, the snake is in fact a viperine water snake (Natrix maura), which is a harmless fish-eating species found throughout southwestern Europe and northern Africa.”
He theorizes how it could have slithered its way into a broccoli. “Seeing as a large portion of the food grown and imported into the United Kingdom comes from the Mediterranean region, it is no surprise to find a species from this area turning up in some vegetables likely grown there. In my opinion, the snake was likely moving through the field at the time, before being scooped up by agricultural equipment, then seeking refuge within the broccoli.”
Not as Scary as They Look
“Viperine water snakes are dangerous only if you’re a fish (or a frog). They do not bite humans as a defense mechanism (they’d much rather play dead), and they are regarded as non-venomous to humans.”
Additionally, these snakes can go months without food, especially in cold temperatures like a fridge, which would lower their metabolism. But the snake in question wouldn’t have liked the switch from the Mediterranean warmth to a chilly, crisper drawer.
But whether the reptile was a viperine water snake or a ladder snake, Allain hopes to educate the public about this species. People may become less afraid if they knew more about these delicate and misunderstood creatures.
