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
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
Multiple bridges in Calgary shut down for police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
Baby boom amongst nurses leads to maternity ward closure in Listowel, Ont.
The emergency room at Listowel’s hospital is open today, but come summer, their obstetrics unit will be temporarily closing its delivery rooms.
Humboldt Broncos bus crash survivor qualifies Canada for Paralympics in rowing event
Former Humboldt Broncos goaltender and bus crash survivor Jacob Wassermann has qualified Canada for a rowing event for the 2024 Paralympic games in Paris.
Krispy Kreme doughnuts coming to McDonald's in U.S., but not Canada
Canadians will be missing out on a sweet new partnership between McDonald's and Krispy Kreme, which will see doughnuts available at McDonald's locations across the U.S. by the end of 2026.
'We won't forget': How some Muslims view Poilievre's stance on Israel-Hamas war
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.