Escape and near-tragedy

If I were you, I would move your CP to a glass tank with locks.

I used tub with my CP at the start. It was locked, clipped all around the sides. He escaped.

I tried again adding every inch of the tub lid was clipped. He escaped again.

Both times I found him hiding in a nearby stack of clothes for donations, so I got lucky. That tub was like Alcatraz: somehow, he escaped. To this day, I could not figure it out. The clips were still in the same place. The air holes were smaller than his head. He managed to squeeze himself out, no scratches, no injuries found.

My Bender is now in a 29 gallon tall tank. He spends half his day perched and waiting for food, the other half trying to get out of the tank through the top mesh lid (locked) to get to food. I have 2 corns , a king and a woman who are just as food motivated, but they at least go sleep in their hides or do something else. Nope, not Bender. He is always waiting or trying to break out.

On a side note, Bender is very observant of what is going on outside his tank. I think tall glass tanks would be more suitable for this species.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Cheesenugget

...

My Bender is now in a 29 gallon tall tank. He spends half his day perched and waiting for food, the other half trying to get out of the tank through the top mesh lid (locked) to get to food. I have 2 corns , a king and a woman who are just as food motivated, but they at least go sleep in their hides or do something else. Nope, not Bender. He is always waiting or trying to break out.

On a side note, Bender is very observant of what is going on outside his tank. I think tall glass tanks would be more suitable for this species.

---

Correction on typo: 2 corns, 2 kings and a woma. Not woman. Haha.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Cheesenugget

If I were you, I would move your CP to a glass tank with locks.

I used tub with my CP at the start. It was locked, clipped all around the sides. He escaped.

I tried again adding every inch of the tub lid was clipped. He escaped again.

Both times I found him hiding in a nearby stack of clothes for donations, so I got lucky. That tub was like Alcatraz: somehow, he escaped. To this day, I could not figure it out. The clips were still in the same place. The air holes were smaller than his head. He managed to squeeze himself out, no scratches, no injuries found.

My Bender is now in a 29 gallon tall tank. He spends half his day perched and waiting for food, the other half trying to get out of the tank through the top mesh lid (locked) to get to food. I have 2 corns , a king and a woman who are just as food motivated, but they at least go sleep in their hides or do something else. Nope, not Bender. He is always waiting or trying to break out.

On a side note, Bender is very observant of what is going on outside his tank. I think tall glass tanks would be more suitable for this species.

---

I totally agree...my Aussie Spotted python enjoys living in a tall glass tank with very secure* screen top also. (* I build my own with wood frame & 1/4" hardware "cloth"-aka welded wire- and the 4 corners of the lid are actually chained to the base that the tank sits on. No snake of mine ever escaped tops that were locked this way, & I used to keep hots this way too...failure is not an option.)

I completely agree about putting my Children's Pythons into locking glass enclosures; after Miso's accident, Ozzy, Miso's brother, was immediately transferred to one, as was Cricket, my Antaresia perthensis (Pygmy Python). I was never a big fan of glass tanks, but in the case of Antaresia, I am now a convert. Miso is still in her little 'hospital' tub but I think it's time to transition her. She isn't exploring at all; I think she is still in recovery mode. But I want to be certain she stays safe.

I also agree that these little guys really seem to appreciate climbing. In Miso's case I need to think about that. Given that she suffered significant back injuries and I'm still not 100% sure about her strength, ability to coil and grip, etc. then I want to avoid an environment where she risks taking any sort of a fall - so maybe I need to look into something like a long, low Exo-terra.

I'm still shocked at the shared escape experiences that Cheesenugget and I have had with Children's Pythons in supposedly secure tubs with multiple clips. I would LOVE to know how the little monsters managed it but am not willing to take the injury risk of putting them in a tub again to observe how they get out.

I agree, I'd avoid allowing Miso any opportunity to fall, but driftwood or branches don't have to be tall for a snake to enjoy them...just start "low & slow" to give her time
to fully recover. FYI, my spotted python has been in a glass tank for as long as I've had her...about 10+ years. A humid hide is all she requires, not minimal air-flow for
humidity, & she spends a lot of her time high up on her tall driftwood & branches.

Miso had her follow-up visit at the vet today and the vet said that even though she has great confidence in the recovery capacity and resilience of snakes, she is still shocked at how well Miso is doing.

The clinic is of course practicing COVID restrictions, so are doing parking-lot dropoff and pickup of patients, with phone consultations as needed during exams. But they were all so happy to see Miso's progress that the vet and two techs came out to the parking lot to cheer as they handed her back to me. It was really sweet.

She has a very slight kink in her lower back. Because of that we're assuming she may be prone to constipation, so they recommended a warm soak once or twice a week. Thankfully Miso really enjoys drinking water, so keeping her hydrated will help too.

The vet also recommended that while climbing should be avoided for the next six months or so to prevent falls, it's important to give Miso lots of opportunities to stretch, crawl, and do low climbing in order to fully regain her muscle strength.

Obviously I'm very happy and super-grateful for a great reptile veterinarian and for the fact that little Miso is such a fighter. Thanks again for your good wishes; I am convinced they helped!

That is such awesome news!!!

I literally have goosebumps head to toe right now!!!
That's so cool what the vet and techs did, I love that!!!

Miso is lucky to have you!!!!!

From what you described of Miso's accident, I'm honestly surprised too, but very happy (!) at how well she appears to be coming thru this. And you also have a terrific
vet (including staff) to help too. As Craig said, Miso is lucky to have you watching over her. :gj:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Bogertophis

From what you described of Miso's accident, I'm honestly surprised too, but very happy (!) at how well she appears to be coming thru this. And you also have a terrific
vet (including staff) to help too. As Craig said, Miso is lucky to have you watching over her. :gj:

---

I spent a lot of years as a vet tech, and have seen a few pretty miraculous recoveries. I have to say this is one of them. I can't even bring myself to provide the true details of what Miso's condition was like in the first hours and days after that accident - I'll just say I agree with her veterinarian that this is both wonderful and a bit shocking.

Here she is a day ago wondering why I'm being emotional when all she wants is a mouse. FYI the blue cloth is because so many of my snakes seem to really enjoy soft cloth that I often put a square in their enclosures so they can sit on it; I remove and replace or wash as needed. I just cut up (for the smaller snakes) those soft blue microfiber cloths that you can get in big packages for washing cars, etc.

[IMG]https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil...iso_august.jpg[/IMG]

You'd never know that anything had "happened" to her. :D Maybe it's her magic blankie?