7-Foot Snake Pulled Out Of Mini Cooper After Boa Constrictor Slithered Behind Body Panel (VIDEO)

WSVN-TV -

Snakes alive! No, seriously, there's a live snake in the car!

A Florida woman had an unusual request when she pulled into the Vista BMW in Coconut Creek on Monday morning. Her 7-foot-long pet boa constrictor had gotten loose in her Mini Cooper, and she needed help pulling it out.

"My son and my wife are herpetologists, and we've had snakes as pets, so everyone in the dealership knows to call me when there is a snake involved," Vista employee Mitch Packer told WSVN.

Packer in turn called Chris Braun, a mechanic, who gamely extracted the creature despite a dislike of snakes, according to the station.

As Vista BMW service adviser Jim Cocchiola videotaped the event, Braun removed a taillight cover and pulled the very large boa out of the car's rear body panel.

While the ending to this snake tale was relatively benign, a woman in Cocoa, Fla., was decidedly less calm after watching a wild snake disappear into her car's wheel well in January. A couple in South Africa were also terrified to discover a 16-foot rock python had ensconced itself in their car's engine.

AOL autos notes that snakes have been known to use cars as a protective hideout, especially if the vehicles are parked on an appealing patch of warm asphalt. The blog recommends parking away from tall grass or wooded areas -- where snakes may linger -- in order to avoid unwanted stowaways.