Rat snake pops out of car hood while mother was driving son to baseball practice
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (KY3/Gray News) - A woman in Missouri found a black rat snake in the hood of her car while driving her son to baseball practice.
The woman and her son attempted to “chase” the snake out of the vehicle with no luck, the Missouri Department of Conservation reported.
She was finally able to remove the snake with the help of her coworkers.
Francis Skalicky, with the Missouri Department of Conservation, said that the snake may have been seeking out warmth.
“They are cold-blooded animals,” Skalicky said. “They have to thermally regulate using the heat around them.”
Skalikcy said what may have been more likely was that the snake was looking for a good hiding place.
“It’s a hidden spot. This snake, when it crawls up in there, thinks it’s got a good hidey-hole,” he said. “It doesn’t know that this hidey-hole may be going 60 miles an hour down the road.”
The department said snakes can be attracted to warm, dark, and enclosed spaces. If you park your car outside, they said it’s always a good idea to check under your car’s hood in warmer weather.
If you find an animal in your car, you can your local conservation agent for help removing it.
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