Snakes in a drain: Victoria snake in drainpipe shedding skin and capture attempts

Victoria city workers are playing a real-life game of snakes and ladders.

Since finding what is believed to be a corn snake in a storm sewer pipe three days ago, they've been climbing underground repeatedly to try and bring the two-metre animal out safely.

There was hope that by setting a trap with a dead mouse and heat pads Thursday afternoon, the crews could catch the snake.

But when they checked Friday morning, they came up snake eyes: it appears the snake is molting and thus, less likely to move.

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"The understanding is once the molting process is finished, the snake gets back to its more conventional level of activity," Victoria city clerk Chris Coates said.

Coates says crews will keep checking on the snake daily.

Meanwhile, several people come forwardto claim the snake as their own.

One of them,Nicole Penrice, claimed in an email the snake's name is Mico, and it disappeared from her home three to four years ago.

"He use to climb in and out of our drains (he particularly liked the bathtub) but he always returned for food. One day he didn't return, and we haven't seen him since," she wrote.

"I haven't seen him since I was 18 but I always had a feeling that he'd be alright We frequently joked about how he'd be as large as [an] anaconda by the time we found him."

The CBC has not been able to make heads or (snake) tails of Penrice's claims.