Snake in the bread aisle: bizarre supermarket discovery exposes exotic pet problem

Shoppers hunting for bread at a UK supermarket got a little surprise when a baby corn snake was spotted slithering through the bread aisle. This unexpected discovery, however, has drawn attention to a much a bigger issue that exotic pet rescuers are currently facing. The little snake, now named Crumbs, was found at a Heron Foods store in Maryport, Cumbria. Staff noticed her before she was taken to a local vet and later moved to Pet Encounter, an animal education organisation based in nearby Workington.

It’s still a mystery how she ended up in the supermarket. There’s no confirmation that Crumbs was intentionally left behind, so she might have just escaped and wandered in. What we do know is that the organisation was already swamped with an unusually high number of snakes needing help and homes when Crumbs was discovered.

Pet Encounter takes in more snakes

So far in 2026, Pet Encounter has taken in 21 snakes, compared to only 14 for all of 2025. This increase means they’ve already taken in seven more snakes this year than last year, and there’s still time left in 2026.

These numbers reflect the snakes coming into their care. They don’t necessarily indicate a national rise in snake abandonment but do show the added strain on the Cumbria organisation. Pet Encounter focuses mainly on animal education, not just on being a typical reptile rescue center. So, dealing with animals like Crumbs adds a new layer to their work.

Crumbs receives veterinary care

After being found in the store, Crumbs was taken for a veterinary check up before arriving at Pet Encounter. The young corn snake got an examination and an electrolyte bath before making her way to the organisation. They named her Crumbs after the spot where she was found.

The unusual setting of her discovery made headlines, instead of being found in a garden or natural habitat, she ended up in a supermarket, right among the shelves of one of the most common shopping items, how she got to the bread aisle is still not known.

The demands of keeping exotic pets

Snakes need proper enclosures and environmental conditions suited to their species. Their owners must be ready to maintain those conditions for the snakes’ entire lives. So, owning an exotic pet often means dealing with specialist equipment and ongoing costs, not just the initial price of buying the animal.

This issue is crucial for rescue organisations, as an owner who can no longer provide proper care must find a suitable place for the animal. The growing workload at Pet Encounter has made them think about how they can keep helping animals while also focusing on education.

Other snakes found in unexpected places

Crumbs isn’t the only snake that’s been found in a strange spot. Pet Encounter has also dealt with a king snake that was discovered in a boiler cupboard after someone moved into a new home in Workington. Then there was a milk snake found on a pavement, which was also taken in by the organisation. These incidents show the range of situations where privately kept reptiles end up needing help.

Another local group, Little Beasties in Ulverston, has faced similar odd cases. They’ve rescued a royal python found in a wooded area near Slack Head and pulled a corn snake out of a drain at the Barrow Raiders rugby ground. The group has raised concerns about whether new owners fully understand what it takes to keep a snake before committing to the idea.

Discovering the Snake 

The sight of a tiny corn snake slithering through a supermarket bread aisle is unusual enough to spark conversation, but Crumbs’ story also draws attention to the influx of animals at local rescue groups.  While this doesn’t prove that snake abandonment is on the rise across Britain, and we still don’t know exactly how Crumbs ended up in that supermarket, her story shines a light on an ongoing issue.