White snake captured after days on the loose in Manitoba

June 16 (UPI) -- Authorities in Manitoba said a white snake that was on the loose for multiple days was safely captured and is now receiving the proper care.

The snake was first spotted in the Fort Rouge area of Winnipeg on Saturday and was photographed by Breno Martins, who spotted the reptile slithering next to his home.

Police said it took two days of searching before they were able to capture the snake about 650 feet from where it was first spotted.

The white snake is believed to be a nonvenomous corn snake with unusual coloring. Jonas Watson, a veterinarian with Grant Park Animal Hospital, said the animal was treated for a small lesion on its side.

"The snake was surprisingly healthy and in very good spirits," Watson told CTV News. "A friendly snake, obviously an animal that's been handled by someone for a long time and was a very easy patient for us."

The snake was originally estimated by Winnipeg police to be about 8 feet long, but rescuers said it's actually much smaller -- just over 3 feet long.

"It was about 40 inches or so, so large for a corn snake, but not the beast the public was concerned about the last couple of days," Watson said.

The animal is believed to be an escaped pet.

"We presume that this was somebody's pet that had gotten loose somehow," Watson said. "There's a chance that someone set it free, but it looked like an animal that had been reasonably cared for."

The City of Winnipeg said the snake is being held as a stray pet and a new home will be found for the serpent if no owners come forward to claim it.