Snake owner sought after reptile discovered alone on B.C. bus
The operator of a B.C. bus service is searching for the owner of a slithery stowaway he discovered during routine maintenance work last week.
Michael Hathaway, owner of Mountain Man Mike's, told CTV News he was checking the air conditioning vents on one of their buses Friday when he found a large corn snake.
"I looked down and I saw what I thought was a rubber snake on the floor," Hathaway said.
"I continued working down the line, and I came back to it and gave it a poke and realized that it was actually a live snake."
The owner grabbed a box and managed to scoop the snake up and carry it outside. Fortunately, he had some previous experience with snakes, though it dates all the way back to elementary school.
"We had a corn snake in my class when I was in Grade 6 as the class pet. That's really my only formal interaction with a snake," Hathaway said.
It's unclear how long the creature had been on board, but Hathaway believes it could have been alone on the bus for days in the summer heat.
Mountain Man Mike's shared a picture of the creature on Facebook Saturday in the hopes of tracking down the rightful owner – but Hathaway said his three kids, who are between the ages of four and 12, are having a ball caring for in the meantime.
"You find something cool at work, the first thing you want to do is share it with your kids," he told CTV News. "They were arguing over whose room it gets to sleep in and names and everything else. We think we've settled on Cream Corn as the name, although we're still back-and-forth."
Even Hathaway's wife, who was initially "quite skeptical" of the snake, has come around.
"Now they're actually super bonded," Hathaway said.
Mountain Man Mike's owner Michael Hathaway said his children have loved having a temporary reptile roommate. (Michael Hathaway)
Providing even a temporary home for the reptile proved to be quite a challenge, but the small community of Kaslo stepped up to help. Hathaway said they asked for assistance online and before they knew it, they had everything from a 4.5-foot tank to a heat lamp.
"The snake's pretty happy," he said of the current living conditions. "I am planning on going out and buying more supplies but I kind of want to see what's going to happen with the situation."
Anyone with information on the snake's owner can reach out to Mountain Man Mike's.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Another suspect arrested in Toronto Pearson airport gold heist: police
Another suspect is in custody in connection with the gold heist at Toronto Pearson International Airport last year, police say.
Poilievre-led government 'would never' use notwithstanding clause on abortion, his office says
A Conservative government led by Pierre Poilievre would not legislate on, nor use the notwithstanding clause, on abortion, his office says, as anti-abortion protesters gather on Parliament Hill.
Why these immigrants to Canada say they're thinking about leaving, or have already moved on
For some immigrants, their dreams of permanently settling in Canada have taken an unexpected twist.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Here are the ultraprocessed foods you most need to avoid, according to a 30-year study
Studies have shown that ultraprocessed foods can have a detrimental impact on health. But 30 years of research show they don’t all have the same impact.
From outer space? Sask. farmers baffled after discovering strange wreckage in field
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
Miss Teen USA steps down just days after Miss USA's resignation
Miss Teen USA resigned Wednesday, sending further shock waves through the pageant community just days after Miss USA said she would relinquish her crown.
Cyclist strikes child crossing the street to catch school bus in Montreal
A video circulating on social media of a young girl being hit by a bike has some calling for better safety and more caution when designing bike lanes in the city. The video shows a four-year-old girl crossing Jeanne-Mance Street in Montreal's Plateau neighbourhood to get on a school bus stopped on the opposite side of the street
BREAKING 6 injured in Sharbot Lake, Ont. crash; 2 in life-threatening condition
Ontario Provincial Police say six people have suffered severe injuries in a single-vehicle crash in Sharbot Lake, Ont, including two in life-threatening condition.