Warehouse worker finds an albino corn snake loose among boxes — and adopts the escaped pet before it can be destroyed

A warehouse worker in South Africa is winning over Reddit after rescuing an escaped pet corn snake that somehow ended up loose at work.

Instead of letting the animal be destroyed, the worker kept it, set up a tank, and gave it a second chance.

The story was shared on Reddit's r/whatisthissnake community.

At first, the user guessed it might be "an Albion coral snake or maybe an albino house snake," but commenters quickly identified it as a harmless, non-native corn snake, likely a captive-bred "blizzard" morph.

"I am guessing someone tried to send him/her in a box before escaping, very cruel in my opinion so I'm keeping him/her," the user wrote.

In the comments, the poster said their workplace does not allow these animals to be shipped and that the snake "would have been killed had I not taken him."

They added that they already had "a tank set up with a lamp, water and some hides," and said the snake drank heavily before eating four pinkies.

Other users noted that reptile shipping can be done safely when handled properly, but said this situation appeared to involve poor — and possibly illegal — treatment.

Exotic pets are often bred, sold, transported, and discarded in ways that put animals under extreme stress. In this case, the snake appears to have escaped during shipment, a situation that could easily have ended in suffering or death.

Corn snakes are native to North America, not South Africa, so releasing one outdoors would have been irresponsible.

As commenters pointed out, non-native pets should never be set free, both for their own welfare and because introduced species can disrupt local ecosystems.

Reddit commenters were overwhelmingly relieved that the snake ended up with someone willing to help.

"Thanks for saving the little noodle," one person wrote.

Another added, "Oh my gosh I'm extra glad you found him then. Thank you for saving him!"

Later, another user joked that the snake may have escaped "so it could be with you instead. It's destiny!!"

To that, the poster replied: "Exactly what I was thinking."

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