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
Half of Canadians have negative opinion of latest Liberal budget: poll
A new poll suggests the Liberals have not won over voters with their latest budget, though there is broad support for their plan to build millions of homes.
Twins from Toronto were Canada's top two female finishers at this year's Boston Marathon
When identical twin sisters Kim and Michelle Krezonoski were invited to compete against some of the world’s most elite female runners at last week’s Boston Marathon, they were in disbelief.
opinion Why you should protect your investments by naming a trusted contact person
Appointing a trusted person to help with financial obligations can give you peace of mind. In his personal finance column for CTVNews.ca, Christopher Liew outlines the key benefits of naming a confidant to take over your financial responsibilities, if the need ever arises.
Ottawa injects another $36M into vaccine injury compensation fund
The federal government has added $36.4 million to a program designed to support people who have been seriously injured or killed by vaccines since the end of 2020.
Senate expenses climbed to $7.2 million in 2023, up nearly 30%
Senators in Canada claimed $7.2 million in expenses in 2023, a nearly 30 per cent increase over the previous year.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
Accused of burglary at stepmother's home, U.S. senator says she wanted her father's ashes: charges
A Minnesota state senator and former broadcast meteorologist told police that she broke into her stepmother's home because her stepmother refused to give her items of sentimental value from her late father, including his ashes, according to burglary charges filed Tuesday.
Australian police arrest 7 alleged teen extremists linked to stabbing of a bishop in a Sydney church
Australian police arrested seven teenagers accused of following a violent extremist ideology in raids across Sydney on Wednesday, as a judge extended a ban on social media platform X sharing video of a knife attack on a bishop that started the criminal investigation.