Car wash finds snake under car seat
Car wash employee finds huge snake under seat-->By: Ray Doughty
Updated: May 16, 2012
Staffers at Oklahoma City's Super Clean Car Wash were detailing a car last week when the unexpected happened.
"One of the employees had moved the seat back to remove the trash on the floor and felt something that didn't fell right," owner Daniel Smelser said.
What he felt was a snake.
"When he touched that snake he ran across the lot," Smelser said. "It scared him good."
That's Smelser came to take a look.
While the employee grabbed the head with pliers, it wrapped around the seat leg and would not let go.
It took several men to finally pull the snake out.
The owner of the car had no idea it was even there.
"His brother had driven it 80 the previous day and he had drove it 80 miles that morning never knowing that snake was under the seat," Smelser said.
Wildlife Diversity Biologist Mark Howery said it's common for rat snakes to eat a big meal then camp out in a quiet place.
"Almost all of the off snake stories I've heard have involved rat snakes because they are good climbers," Howery said.
The car hadn't been used in weeks, making it prime real estate.
"The venomous snakes we have in Oklahoma are pretty distinctive. We have seven venomous snakes but before people get concerned about them they're not generally in urban areas," Howery said.
"One of the employees had moved the seat back to remove the trash on the floor and felt something that didn't fell right," owner Daniel Smelser said.
What he felt was a snake.
"When he touched that snake he ran across the lot," Smelser said. "It scared him good."
That's Smelser came to take a look.
While the employee grabbed the head with pliers, it wrapped around the seat leg and would not let go.
It took several men to finally pull the snake out.
The owner of the car had no idea it was even there.
"His brother had driven it 80 the previous day and he had drove it 80 miles that morning never knowing that snake was under the seat," Smelser said.
Wildlife Diversity Biologist Mark Howery said it's common for rat snakes to eat a big meal then camp out in a quiet place.
"Almost all of the off snake stories I've heard have involved rat snakes because they are good climbers," Howery said.
The car hadn't been used in weeks, making it prime real estate.
"The venomous snakes we have in Oklahoma are pretty distinctive. We have seven venomous snakes but before people get concerned about them they're not generally in urban areas," Howery said.
