A woman was left shocked after finding a live snake attached to a pineapple she bought in Aldi.
Animal welfare officers were called out yesterday to take care of the reptile, which was flown half way around the world from Costa Rica to the Scottish supermarket.
The pineapple is believed to have been bought from the budget retailer in Edinburgh’s Hutchison Road.
The snake, which has now been named Ricky, was found wrapped around the crown of the exotic fruit.
Experts have yet to ascertain the exact species of snake, which is only a few inches long.
Scottish SPCA rescue officer Catherine Atterton was dispatched to collect the animal.
She said, “It’s not every day that we get called out to attend to snakes found in peculiar places.
“I know not long ago there was a wee lizard found on a head of broccoli so I was quite excited to see what had stowed away on this pineapple.
“We named him Ricky, as he’s come all the way from Costa Rica. As yet he’s not been identified but he’s in a good condition and is now being cared for by experts at Butterfly World in Edinburgh.
“We’re glad we were called out, as without proper care Ricky wouldn’t survive our climate. Now he’ll be able to recuperate from his adventures!”
An Aldi spokeswoman said: “This is the first time we, or our supplier, who supplies all major supermarkets, have received a complaint of this nature.
“All our fresh pineapples are transported in cold storage with additional processes in place to prevent such issues occurring. We are investigating this isolated incident with our supplier to understand how this could have happened.”
Anyone concerned about the welfare of an animal should contact the Scottish SPCA animal helpline on 03000 999 999.