BP trap door trap?

Some may have seen from my earlier post that I stupidly let one of my BPs out last night. So far all I've seen of her are some urates left behind my fish tank sump, so at this point she could be anywhere.

My apartment is fairly cluttered and I have 2 cats, so I can't try the flour method to figure out where she's been.

She hasn't eaten in a while so I'm fairly confident she's hungry. I figured I would set up a small tub with some hides and substrate and a heat lamp, and just put a f/t rat in there for her to find.

Was gonna drill a hole in the tub for her to enter, but was considering maybe taping a piece of plastic or cardboard to the inside like a hatch, so that she can go in but not come out.

I'm not sure if this would discourage her to enter the tub in the first place, though, so maybe I shouldn't. I doubt I'll get her to go for a f/t rat big enough to fatten her to the point where she couldn't use the same exit if I didn't put a sort of trap door.

Any advice is welcome! Thanks, this has been a very stressful morning.

hahahaha a piece of tape/carboard from stopping her to exit thats funny! If i were you id try the flour method and attempt to lock cats up in a room till you do find her, because the snake will stand no chance.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by CORBIN911

hahahaha a piece of tape/carboard from stopping her to exit thats funny! If i were you id try the flour method and attempt to lock cats up in a room till you do find her, because the snake will stand no chance.

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I don't realistically have that option. My apartment is pretty wide open, in terms of room plan. Haven't seen her yet, really stressing.

I would STRONGLY recommend eliminating tape from any sort of MacGyver project that you are considering. The risk isn't worth the reward.

I'm aware of the risk but it's a tiny tiny bit to hold the thing in place, and the snake wouldn't touch it.

Regardless, this didn't work, the rat was just sitting there this morning. I think I'll leave it there for the day when I'm at work but I'm not hopeful at all.

This sucks, a lot.

What you could do, since its an apartment, slowly move furniture from 1 room to another, and eliminate a room at a time.

Clean out bedroom. Check nothing

Now clean out living room stuff to bedroom Check nothing!

so on and so forth and also if you have a IR gun, use it to find warm spots and check there.

Alot of times they are under furniture near registers or under kitchen utilities.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by CORBIN911

What you could do, since its an apartment, slowly move furniture from 1 room to another, and eliminate a room at a time.

Clean out bedroom. Check nothing

Now clean out living room stuff to bedroom Check nothing!

so on and so forth and also if you have a IR gun, use it to find warm spots and check there.

Alot of times they are under furniture near registers or under kitchen utilities.

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One problem with this is I have several pieces of furniture that are too big or heavy to move, including fish tanks on stands. I've been trying to be as methodical as possible. I have somebody coming to clean the apartment tomorrow and I'll be supervising so that might help, but my optimism is really starting to flag.

They always show up in time, my kids have lost snakes a few times in the house. I have cats and dogs and neither one have ever messed with a loose snake. The cat may find them for you, if you see the cat looking under stuff chances are that is where your snake is.