The man, a Mexican firefighter, looked "nervous" as he tried to leave Cologne Airport, officials say.
Jacob Edwards admits he had lost hope of Xanthe being found alive.
The person used a ladder to get the non-venomous snake, before it was taken to a vet.
"I've turned the house upside down a stupid number of times," says Xanthe's owner.
West Midlands Fire Service said this was not an average call-out.
David Claridge, from Bracknell, removed the reptile with a pair of barbecue tongs.
The python is believed to be the first snake in the world to receive the treatment.
Two adders have given birth with the assistance of staff members.
The high school student was not bitten, but wore the helmet for nearly an hour before the poisonous cottonmouth snake was removed.
