I lost my BP! :(

[zreon]

Hey guys, sorry to make another "I lost my snake thread".

I was holding my baby bp on thursday night. I put her back in her cage as usual. I didn't come home until today around 4:00. I went to hold her for a little bit but to my shock she wasn't in her cage I keep her in a 40 gallon tank with a screen lid. Usually I put a book on the top, but I am in the process of switching rooms and forgot to put it on.

I stripped my entire room and most of the other room tonight trying to find her. I am in a 3 bedroom basement. My bedroom, which is pretty small, a larger room with a lot of boxes and furniture, and another work room with concrete floors.

I was reading other posts and was readint that snakes don't like cold on their bellies so i don't think she would of gone in the work room. I also don't think she would go up the stairs because all of the floors up there are wood, so that would also be cold.

In a few of the other topics, I read something about putting a dead mouse in a container in the room somewhere. How long should I keep this mouse out before it will start to rot? Also, should I place the mouse on a heatpad?

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
David

[_BoidFinatic_]

When my spotted python got loose, he went straight for the radiator. I had to coax him out slowly because he was coiled in it. Your BP would most likely be in a crack, crevice, hole, etc. Anything that it has trouble squeezing into makes it a more addictive place to hide.

[JLC]

Look for warm places such as a radiator, a computer tower, a tv or vcr player....anything that puts out heat might attract her. Also, when you're searching....if you came across any container, crack, crevice, or opening that you thought "Nah...she couldn't fit through/in there"...then check there! We simply can't conceive of what narrow, tight openings they can and will happily put themselves into.

[wildlifewarrior]

I wouldn't rule any place out after over 24 hours of being missing. Think like a snake, snakes like to feel secure, so it probably stuck to a wall for most of the trip, try walking the perimeter of every room, they like to jam up behind stuff like chairs, couches, entertainment systems, boxes etc.

You should also get clamps for the top of that cage, something other than just a book, a snake will capitalize on anything even a book placed only on one side of the top or niether side at all.

wildlifewarrior

[jwjjj56565]

Take a dead mouse and run it along your baseboards. Then you take a small container w/ a small hole cut in the lid ( just enough for your snake to fit through and put the mouse in it. Leave the container near the baseboard. Your soon to be hungry snake should follow the scent and gladly grab it's meal in this cozy little hideout. Hope this helps.


jwjjj

[zreon]

Thanks for the tips guys. I will try the mouse trick later and I will update you if I find it.

-David

[recycling goddess]

ah this sucks. when i lost my two of my snakes at once... it sucked big time! one was found in the basement (cement floor) but the cat may have taken it down there. the other was found under our 90 gallon salt water tank. now if i can give you an idea of how small that space is... we have a piece of plexiglass which we use for doors in bearded dragon enclosures and that barely fit under this tank!!!

i've also heard of putting some flour on the floor to find track marks in the morning.

from watching my balls behaviour - he likes to burrow. when i take him outside he's trying to get underneath stuff all the time. under plants, under rocks... under under under. whereas my boas are attempting to go up up up!

so keep that in mind as you are looking and i wish you the best of luck. i understand how you feel right now please keep us updated!

[Sapphire7]

Im sorry to hear this has happened to you. Check all around the emmidiate areas of your tank. My Snakey got out back when he was younger and was on a nearby bookshelf, lol. And if you stil cannot find him put a cage with live mouse on the ground and your snake should be interested in them. When I bred rats I kept them in these small cages (not tanks) and the snakes could really smell them. So I got a couple live feeder mice and stuck them in a spare cage and put them on the floor of the snake room(remember to shut your door) So your snake should also be attracted to the cage of food. This works, but make sure the bar spacing is just right so your snake doesnt get bitten by the mice, or tries to go inside them (DO NOT USE RATS). And so you snake does not try and forces his way into the cage put some cloths and towels around the cage(so the snake can hide in) and put one of his hides on the ground. Good luck!

[Rapture]

I have lost many a snake but fortunately they were wherever I thought they would be.

[SnakieMom]

Some places my snakes have turned up....
In the drawer of my saltwater tank, on top of the movies that are on the bottom of the bookcase - where it's really dark, under my fridge, inside the dishwasher, in between the dishwasher and the counter (I never thought Loki could make it in there, and you can't comprehend how tiny that space is until you see a snake there!).
I've also found Loki basking on a window ledge in bright daylight, and hanging out on my bowflex...at the very top where everyone could see him.

Luckily, I've never had to leave a mouse out, or sprinkle flour, but I've heard that they work very well on the more shy snakes.
Good luck in your search!