Crews ‘stumped’ about missing snake in Halifax apartment building

Wildlife expert Terry McLeod tells Global News the snake has evaded capture for a second day.

He said crews are stumped and have gone through the belongings in the apartment a few times.

Crews have wrapped up for the night and will return this weekend to continue the search for the slithery creature.

McLeod said the snake had just been fed when it went missing; he is hopeful its hunger will eventually push it to reveal himself.

“It’s worse than a needle in a haystack,” he said.

McLeod said crews will keep at their search until they hear otherwise from management.

HALIFAX – Residents in a Halifax apartment building are being warned about a snake on the loose.

A letter was slipped under the doors of some apartments at Harbour View Apartments at 2327 Brunswick Street stating a tenant had lost a small ball python snake, which is not venomous and considered docile.

Tenant Holly Winter, who received the notice Thursday afternoon, calls the incident ‘bizarre’.

“It was very strange. It seems like something out a play, or the beginning of a movie, a lost snake,” she said.

The notice tells residents not to leave their children and pets alone as a precaution.

Winter, who has a dog, said she will keep her eyes peeled until the animal is caught.

Other residents who live nearby say they had quite the shock when they heard about the missing snake.

“Honestly I don’t like snakes so I was really scared,” said Maneo Nkemta, who lives in the adjacent building.

“As far as I’m not in the building, I’m not too worried but I’m worried for the people in the building.”

McLeod Nuisance Wildlife and Guiding Services was at the building Thursday night looking for the slithery creature.

Owner Terry McLeod said tenants don’t have anything to worry about.

“It’s just like a garden snake. Every kid plays with a small snake. We all did when we were younger. It’s no danger to humans,” he said.

McLeod said there are three workers searching the apartment of the tenant who lost the snake.

“We’re going through clothes, sneakers, boots, cupboards, dishes, all the boxes, anything that’s in the apartment, we’re going through.”

McLeod said the focus is just on that one apartment; he said the units are individually sealed so there is little chance of the snake slipping away.

He estimates the snake is about two feet long and one inch wide.

McLeod told Global News late Thursday night that crews still had not found the snake after five hours of searching.

He said workers took apart a sofa and a mattress in their attempts to locate the animal.

Crews will be back Friday morning to continue the search.

HRM bylaws permit residents to own ball python snakes as pets.