Snake stuck!

I moved one of my snakes into a new home 2 weeks ago, a showcase cage, and he has wedged himself in the small space above the slideing glass door. He has only come out once. I put a f/t rat in there over night to see if he would come out but he has not. I have tried to pull him out but he just tightens up and I cant budge him, I need to get him feed. Any ideas?

Can you post a picture?

Sounds like he is very insecure. Leave him alone, provide a couple hides, and cover the sides and front.


You don't have a light on in there do you? I'm guessing all the sides are open.

Showcase cages are horrible for almost all ball pythons as they are stressful environments for a species that prefers to be in hiding.

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Originally Posted by Jessica Loesch

Showcase cages are horrible for almost all ball pythons as they are stressful environments for a species that prefers to be in hiding.

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I have to disagree, with this statement. I personally feel a showcase cage provides the most efficient heating,often has a real thermal gradient as well. and easily obtainable humidity without having to sacrifice ventilation.

I do agree that it sounds like yours is in need of hiding space and I would second the need for well fitting hides. Find something that is big enough for it to fit in but not much bigger than that opaque and solid. Place a few in on the hot spot and cool area and perhaps on in the middle and clutter it up some fake plants work wonders that way and then let it be no checking not poking about just quiet and stable for a few days then check to see where he is. They are timid and need time to adjust.

How is your husbandry? (temps and humidity?)

Agreed with kitedemon. You can't treat a showcase cage like a tub, but if you provide proper hiding spaces and cover throughout the whole cage, they can be very awesome for the BPs. But of course if you just did two little hides on either end and a lot of empty space in the middle the snake will be seriously stressed out!

Just throw a live mouse in there and it will come out...lol. JK dont listen to me. Do what was stated above but I do feed live and thats what I would do cause my girl is a pig. But sometimes what I would do is not advice I would give to others, because I dont know your snakes personality.

My comment was in relation to the general nature of showcase tanks. Generally they are too wide open without the proper things inside. It sounds like there is no where else to hide, thus my comment.

Thanks for the input guys, I knew better, and just after I made the post I thought to myself "he needs more hides!" With the new space I have now I had yet to put in more caves, threw in some cardboard boxes while my new hides are shipped, my 2 big females are right as rain but this smaller male has always been the finicky one. My temp and humidity are very easy to control in there new homes, thanks again for the help!

Jessica, that is not what you had said. What you stated is simply not true at all. 'showcase enclosures' like vision, boaphile, are the typical set up used by zoos, and have the longest track record of any other type of enclosure. The downsides effect the keeper not the animal. (cost, floor space, sagging, ect.) If I had the room I'd get rid of my rack in a split second. It is hardest to clean and heat of all my enclosures.

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Originally Posted by kitedemon

Jessica, that is not what you had said. What you stated is simply not true at all. 'showcase enclosures' like vision, boaphile, are the typical set up used by zoos, and have the longest track record of any other type of enclosure. The downsides effect the keeper not the animal. (cost, floor space, sagging, ect.) If I had the room I'd get rid of my rack in a split second. It is hardest to clean and heat of all my enclosures.

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By "showcase" I think open tank type enclosures, showing off the snake, which can be very stressful to ball pythons if they are actually "showcasing" the snake. Again, THUS MY COMMENT.

Sorry for taking the term literally, but no need to mash heads. Simply explaining my answers so the OP does not get confused by what I meant :P

It is a brand name. http://www.showcasecages.com very similar to a vision or boaphile. The place where the snake was is on top of the glass doors. This is a similar style to the one that housed the oldest, largest royal known. This is exactly as the op described. You were thinking a aquarium with sliding glass doors with a space on the top of them????

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Originally Posted by Carbonsnake

I moved one of my snakes into a new home 2 weeks ago, a showcase cage, and he has wedged himself in the small space above the slideing glass door. He has only come out once. I put a f/t rat in there over night to see if he would come out but he has not. I have tried to pull him out but he just tightens up and I cant budge him, I need to get him feed. Any ideas?

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I have a showcase cage and by that I mean I have a cage from http://www.showcasecages.com/, 2 cages to be exact. I have had the same problem with my ball python. The cage is great for the keeper but its got a few issues for the snake. Above the sliding door is one of them. First, do what everyone else has said. Get 2 identical tight fitting hides. Your snake is above the door because it thinks this is going to be safer than your hides. I had the same problem when I went up in hide size. Next don't worry about feeding your snake until the snake comes down. People get way to caught up on "I have to feed today". Your snake can easily go a few weeks without food. One day should not bother you so much. Finally the snake will come down on its own eventually. Buy a foam pipe insulator from a hardware store http://www.lowes.com/pd_21415-1410-S...rap&facetInfo=. When your snake comes down cut a piece of the foam to the width of the cage and ram it up in that opening. Then cut another one to width and ram that up there. That should be enough that your snake can't get up there and it should be tight enough that the snake can't get it out. Worked for me.

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Originally Posted by kitedemon

It is a brand name. http://www.showcasecages.com very similar to a vision or boaphile. The place where the snake was is on top of the glass doors. This is a similar style to the one that housed the oldest, largest royal known. This is exactly as the op described. You were thinking a aquarium with sliding glass doors with a space on the top of them????

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News to me, and I didn't envision any type of cage, I just envisioned "showcase" type of cage, in which "showcase" species may get placed in.

Why am I getting poked and proded here? You made your point. I'm not trying to be right, merely explaining what I was referring to since apparently I was thinking of something else.

Either way, the advice I gave wasn't wrong. Suggesting to make the snake feel more secure. So I don't see why it even matters.

Sorry Jessica, You are right I am wrong, I am touchy about the tubs are better debate especially as so few speak of the major draw backs of them especially for a small collection (under 10) I am tired repeating the how to get correct ambient temps with tubs band aids.

It's okay, I just didn't know about these type of cages.

:grouphug: