Wisconsin Car Owner Looks Under Hood, Finds This

A Wisconsin motorist was having car trouble when he pulled over to find a slithering surprise, per the AP. Chris Nguyen opened the hood of his mother's SUV and discovered a 4-foot-long ball python, a breed native to Africa. Police in Omro responded, but ended up calling Menasha snake rescuer Steve Keller for help. (See the department's Facebook post.) WLUK-TV reports that it took hours to free the snake, which had wrapped itself around the engine. Turns out, the snake had escaped from its owner more than a month ago. It's illegal to have such a snake in Omro, so the owner was fined $313. Police, however, say they'll dismiss the ticket if the owner pays for the SUV's damages, which fittingly include a displaced serpentine belt. Keller, meanwhile, is adopting the snake.

(More snakes stories.)