"Don't Eat Salad": Snake Found in Lettuce at Grocery Store Leaves Mzansi Amused and Horrified

• A large worm-like creature spotted through plastic packaging at a Sidwell wholesale store turned out to be a snake
• Mark Marshall shared the discovery in the Sandula Conservation Facebook group, identifying the reptile as a harmless slug eater
• The post sparked a wave of reactions from South Africans who said they would never look at salad the same way again

A routine shelf-stacking shift at a wholesale store in Sidwell took an unexpected turn when staff unpacking lettuce noticed something moving inside the plastic wrapping.

What initially looked like a large worm turned out to be a snake. The discovery was shared on 4 October 2026 by Mark Marshall in the Sandula Conservation Facebook group, where it quickly caught the attention of nature lovers and squeamish shoppers alike.

Slug eater hiding in the greens

Marshall identified the snake as a slug eater, a species that is completely harmless to humans and actually useful in gardens for keeping snail populations in check. He used the moment as a gentle reminder that not everything wriggling in your produce bag is a worm. Marshall wrote:

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"Next time you accidentally find a worm in your lettuce, look closely. It may be a small snake."

The slug eater likely hitched a ride during harvesting, tucked in among the leaves before the lettuce was packaged and transported to the store.

View the Facebook post below:

Mzansi reacts to the leafy surprise

The post left South Africans, who saw it on the page, equal parts amused and horrified. Some joked about swearing off salad entirely, while others marvelled at how long the creature might have been in there.

Marieta Viljoen Gerber wrote:

"It's not a worm, it's a snake."

Lucelle Ingram-Mitha said:

"Shame, I wonder how long it's been there."

Gail Fouche reacted:

"...I'll never look at lettuce the same way again."

Melody Scheepers Kemp had perhaps the most dramatic response:

"Save yourself! Don't eat salad!"

More Briefly News stories on snakes

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• Renewable energy workers near Upington trained to identify and relocate Cape cobras and puff adders, plus snakebite first aid for remote-site emergencies.
• A Gqeberha snake catcher removed an unusually large boomslang from a Sunridge home after a homeowner called it in.
• A woman was bitten on the mouth by a snake during an indoor live show. Slangboere’s viral Facebook clip sparked strong reactions from South Africans online.

Source: Briefly News