Arizona Chevy Silverado HD Owner Finds Boa Constrictor In Pickup Engine Bay

After likely escaping from its owner, a large boa constrictor took refuge inside a Chevy Silverado HD engine bay in Mesa, Arizona, probably enjoying the residual warmth inside as the November nights drop down into the upper 40s or low 50s in the desert state.

Both the serpent and the Chevy Silverado HD owner, Aaron Ricks, got a shock the next day when Ricks drove the pickup to work in Scottsdale, Arizona, according to a story by Fox 10. 

Following her unexpected ride, the boa constrictor – later found to be a female – stuck her head out under the engine to look around, at which point Ricks, on his lunch break at the time, spotted her. He approached the truck to check on what he thought was a snagged grocery bag, and said he “was totally shocked to see this big ol’ snake looking down and looking right back at me.”

A call to the police about his engine bay snake infestation saw Ricks’ call transferred to the Scottsdale Fire Department, which dispatched firefighters to the scene. According to the pickup owner, “at first they were very skeptical. They said they didn’t believe there would be a snake in the truck.”

Firefighters Rescuing The Snake

The scales fell from the firefighters’ eyes when they got a look at Ricks’ unwanted passenger. At this point, according to the Department’s Facebook page, “the crew carefully removed the vehicle’s undercarriage skid plate to access and safely extract the snake.” The post further remarked, “thankfully, the snake was unharmed during the process.”

Transferred to a box, the boa constrictor got another ride, this time to the Arizona Herpetological Sanctuary. Given the serpent’s healthy, well-fed condition, it is believed to be an escaped pet. Mason Brill, one of several reptile keepers at the Sanctuary, noted that “if there is an owner that wants to come forward and claim this animal, they will have the ability to reach out to us, and we’ll try to set something up.” Otherwise, the snake will be adopted out or, as a last resort, made a lifetime resident at the Sanctuary.

Mason Brill With The Boa

Brill also pointed out that the boa survived her ride in the Chevy Silverado HD engine bay nearly unharmed, unlike most engine-riding animals that “get caught in a belt, or they get essentially cooked.” He said the snake might have a very minor burn or two, but “this girl is pretty unscathed.”