anyone else have this problem?

yesterday morning when I went to check on Gucci (almost 2 years old now I think), I could not find him. so of course, I started freaking out! I finally found him behind the styrofoam backing in my exoterra 36x18x18 tank.

this morning I was woken up by the noise of styrofoam against glass, which I found out is very loud and annoying, and found him in the same spot!

do I need to take him out, or will he find a way to get back into the actual tank part?... I honestly don't know how he got back there because the little slit used for wires to go back and forth are sooo tiny!!

so anyone else have this happen, and if so, what have you guys done to fix it?

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Remove the snake and everything else from the cage, clean the cage, and use some non-toxic/aquarium safe silicone glue to adhere the background into place. Allow 24 hrs to cure and be free of any odors and replace the snake. Problem fixed.

I have the same tank. Do you think he could have gotten in through the slots at the bottom of the styrofoam? I've worried about that myself, but so far my BP hasn't gotten back there.

I would move him back into the tank part. You can try stuffing those slots with paper towel or newspaper--I've done that with a previous Exo Terra tank I had to keep crickets from getting behind the background. I wouldn't use glue or silicone to adhere the background to the glass unless you're not using the slots for wires (which it looks like you are) and don't need to get back there again.

Good luck! I don't know what will prove trickier to keep in an Exo Terra tank, snakes or crickets...

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Originally Posted by Thalasuchus

I have the same tank. Do you think he could have gotten in through the slots at the bottom of the styrofoam? I've worried about that myself, but so far my BP hasn't gotten back there.

I would move him back into the tank part. You can try stuffing those slots with paper towel or newspaper--I've done that with a previous Exo Terra tank I had to keep crickets from getting behind the background. I wouldn't use glue or silicone to adhere the background to the glass unless you're not using the slots for wires (which it looks like you are) and don't need to get back there again.

Good luck! I don't know what will prove trickier to keep in an Exo Terra tank, snakes or crickets...

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I definitely think he's getting through the slots on the bottom, but I have no clue how he could fit through there!! I will have to try stuffing it, I guess. thank you!


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For smaller BPs, if they can fit their heads into a hole, they can squeeze most of their bodies through it as well.

I have my mussurana in a similar tank. she would do the same. What i finally did was grab some strips of Velcro, I really wanted mushroom lock but didn't feel like going out of my way. I flipped the back ground so the slots were at the top and velcro'd it to the glass, and made sure I had good bit of substrate against the bottom. Now I know, all over the place people say don't put tape in your snakes tank, so be aware of this. But i really didn't want to go the silicone route. I didn't want it to be permanent, and some times that stuff still stinks +24hrs later. She hasn't gotten back there since, but does give me dirty looks for stealing her favorite hiding spot. A BP may manage to still pry apart Velcro if they're able to get a good leverage on the slots up top.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Nic Bednarz

I have my mussurana in a similar tank. she would do the same. What i finally did was grab some strips of Velcro, I really wanted mushroom lock but didn't feel like going out of my way. I flipped the back ground so the slots were at the top and velcro'd it to the glass, and made sure I had good bit of substrate against the bottom. Now I know, all over the place people say don't put tape in your snakes tank, so be aware of this. But i really didn't want to go the silicone route. I didn't want it to be permanent, and some times that stuff still stinks +24hrs later. She hasn't gotten back there since, but does give me dirty looks for stealing her favorite hiding spot. A BP may manage to still pry apart Velcro if they're able to get a good leverage on the slots up top.

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To add to this, you can also get non-selfstick velcro, the kind without the adhesive backing, and glue it to the tank and to the styrofoam instead. a little more work and obviously the 24-hour cure time, but you can always access the back panel if you need to, and your snake won't get stuck to already-dried glue if he does manage to find his way there in the first place. Just don't use hot glue, as instant as the bond is, hot glue will melt the styrofoam and burn your finers when you try to press the glass-piece into its bonding position. But standard crazy glue would work fine, if you give it enough time to cure and ventilate before putting your snake back in. (Minimum of 24hours, to be safe. Those fumes are killer!)

Ajja has done this twice, and I know for a fact she's using the slot at the bottom of the background. She's 3ft+ and about 1500 grams. If she can get back there...

You REALLY don't want to leave your BP back there. I came home a few weeks ago to find Ajja back there. I don't know how long she had been there, but she was FREEZING. since then I've had stacking stones or the base of a fake plant wedged in there. I'd try that before gluing or Velcro. Both of those will be an absolute nightmare to clean, not to mention what a beast it's going to be if you ever have to deal with mites.

If you can't find stacking stones locally, LLL has them on their website.

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awesome, thanks guys!!


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If there is a snug place to jam themselves into, a ball will find it and use it. Why do you think we get so many threads about people finding their ball jammed up inside a tank decoration they had to break to get them back out of?

Sneaky little devils!

Gale