Snake Surprises Store Employees by Slithering Out of Fresh Christmas Tree Shipment in Hawaii

The reptile, later confirmed to be a non-venomous gopher snake, is now in the custody of the Hawaii Department of Agriculture

It's beginning to look a lot like hiss-mas.

Employees of a Hilo, Hawaii store were shocked to discover a snake slithering around a shipment of fresh Christmas trees. The employees found the scaly stowaway on Saturday, Nov. 16, while unloading a box of trees in preparation for the holiday season.

In response, the staff members closed the box back up, preventing the snake's escape, and contacted the Hawaii Department of Agriculture (HDOA), according to an HDOA press release.

The HDOA's Plant Quarantine Branch swiftly contained the snake and identified it as a two-foot-long, non-venomous gopher snake. Gopher snakes, which can grow as large as seven feet, are indigenous to North America but not the island state of Hawaii.

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In a Facebook post, the HDOA said the snake "hitchhiked" its way to Hawaii but was not allowed to roam once it arrived. The reptiles live on a diet of small birds, lizards, and rodents. In Hawaii, a gopher snake could threaten the food chain because the species has no natural predators in the state. If the snake was allowed to wriggle freely through Hawaii, it could also put some endangered birds and small animals at risk.

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"Although Plant Quarantine inspectors open every container of Christmas trees and wreaths that arrive and conduct an inspection, we do not have the resources to inspect every item in each container," said Sharon Hurd, chairperson of the Hawaii Department of Agriculture, in the agency's press release. "We appreciate the store staff's quick containment of the snake and our Hilo staff's quick response."

Related: Professional Catches Venomous Snake Found at a 'Busy' Child Care Center with His Bare Hands

The Plant Quarantine Branch expects roughly 135 Christmas tree containers to arrive for the upcoming holiday season, and about 88 boxes — with approximately 46,450 trees — have already arrived.

HDOA added in its release that the snake has been secured and will be transported to Honolulu.