Exotic snake found in car’s dashboard, prompting odd plea for help, NC rescuers say
Boas are not native to the United States, so questions are warranted when one is found stuck in a dashboard near Charlotte, North Carolina.
But how the 9-foot snake got stuck isn’t nearly as exciting as how it was freed.
The very strange saga came to light when Carolina Waterfowl Rescue in Indian Trail posted a call for help on Facebook at 1:49 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 6.
“Someone just pulled up at the rescue with a snake stuck in their dash. Is there a mobile mechanic or someone handy with cars that can help us take the dash apart,” the rescue posted.
“Who is willing to come out and help us get him out. None of us know how to take the dash part. ... It’s way up in there.”
The post got nearly 1,700 reactions and comments in the hours that followed, some aghast at the predicament and others offering odd ideas on how to get the snake out. (Eggs, heating pads, and turning the heat on high and opening the doors were among the suggestions.)
“I want to laugh but I know this isn’t funny,” Anna Blocker wrote on the rescue’s Facebook page.
“So I’m just curious if the snake and the car belong to the same person? Or did this snake just wander in off the street!” Juli Glas Cravens asked.
“I’m just impressed that you were able to safely drive your vehicle ... without wrecking it with 9 (foot) boa in it,” Tara Leanne said.
“Your best bet is to lure it out with a meal. I’d say lay the rat/bunny on something in the back seat so the snake can smell it,” Brandi Stroud wrote.
It was about five hours later when the nonprofit reported the snake, named Penelope, was untangled, removed and safely resting.
Video shared on social media shows volunteers did the job with a screwdriver and a lot of patience.
Penelope, a 16-year-old boa constrictor imperator, was in the process of being dropped off at the nonprofit rescue agency when the mishap occurred. The species is native to Central and South America and can reach 10 feet, experts say.
“An older couple contacted us about rehoming the snake because their son moved out and could no longer have her,” the rescue agency wrote on Facebook.
“We agreed to take in Penelope. They drove an hour to get there. Sometime during that ride, the snake escaped the pillowcase and climbed up into the dash. When they got to the rescue, they realized that the snake was gone and found her tail hanging out of the dash.”
The snake is now up for adoption. Any one interested is asked to contact adopt@cwrescue.org.
This story was originally published October 7, 2024 at 7:30 AM with the headline "Exotic snake found in car’s dashboard, prompting odd plea for help, NC rescuers say."