Ball python in heating vent. Please help

my ball python Archie escaped from his terrarium today and is in my heating vent. I can see him poking his head up every so often.

Any ideas for luring him out? I don't have any f/t mice on hand.

Can you reach in and just grab him?

Now when you say heating vent, that's a very broad description. I'm still kind of confused.

it goes down too far. he gets spooked and goes in deeper.

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Originally Posted by Jey5636

it goes down too far. he gets spooked and goes in deeper.

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Heating vent in what? A trailer?

I'm in a three story house

let me try and get a picture of the vent up

Sounds like you may need a snack to entice him with.

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Originally Posted by Jey5636

I'm in a three story house

let me try and get a picture of the vent up

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And where are your vents at? We don't know what your house looks like is what I was trying to get at. Pictures would be the best bet.

http://i40.tinypic.com/skvs6r.jpg

Can you take a picture of the room and then the wall or ceiling or floor of the vent that way I can get an idea.

I've never been in a 3 story house with the exception of being in Europe and I'm sure the way they build houses is vastly different then ours.

In the 2 story houses that I've been in the vents are on the ceiling and that looks different from anything I've seen.

could i tie a mouse to a string and try and fish him out once he clamps on? he hasn't eaten in about 6 days.

yes I'm uploading one now

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Originally Posted by Jey5636

could i tie a mouse to a string and try and fish him out once he clamps on? he hasn't eaten in about 6 days.

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I have no idea because I don't know if you're pulling him straight like from a wall or if you're pulling him up through some kind of vent that may be on the floor. Then I highly think he'd hold on to it once you start pulling it.

http://i42.tinypic.com/fp5myb.jpg

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Originally Posted by Jey5636

http://i42.tinypic.com/fp5myb.jpg

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Oh man. Are you on the bottom or middle or top floor?

middle.

Middle. That is no good. use flashlight, see how far back he/she is in. Use like a hanger to bring it back or cant u unscrew the vent and open it?

"Snakes don't bite. Just humans."

Well if it were me I'd tear the vent open then go looking in there. Hell I'd even make my hand smell for good so it would bite and coil me then I'd grab it and pull it back, but that's me.

I'm just going to pray that he doesn't fall to the bottom floor through the vent because that would be about the worst possible scenario, other then that I don't want to think about it. All I can say is good luck.

Well right now I have a motion detector set up by the vent that will alert me of any movement. I have to sleep.

is the mouse as bait idea worth it? I will need to run to the pet store tomorrow if so.

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Originally Posted by Jey5636

Well right now I have a motion detector set up by the vent that will alert me of any movement. I have to sleep.

is the mouse as bait idea worth it? I will need to run to the pet store tomorrow if so.

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It's worth a shot but you need to monitor the mouse, also you can use a hairdryer to heat it up and blow the smell into the heating vent and hopefully your snake will come out.

If you can't reach him, baiting with a mouse is good idea. When he gets hungry, he'll come find it:)

Also might try setting up something warm outside the heating vent. Water bottle / heat pad. He may seek the heat as well.

Good luck!

Try this: Put his heat pad on top of something non-flammable on the floor just outside the vent, cover it with a shirt or pillowcase or something to give a surface between the pad and his belly, and then put his hide from his terrarium over it. If you can get a F/T mouse and lay it in there, too, then I think that's as good as you're going to get as far as snake bait.

Thank you all for the suggestions. I will be heading to the pet store to buy mice shortly.

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Originally Posted by Jey5636

Thank you all for the suggestions. I will be heading to the pet store to buy mice shortly.

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Any update with this situation?

he took the bait. I ripped the heating vent out of the wall and snatched him before he could take off. he is safe back in his enclosure enjoying the rest of his meal.
http://i39.tinypic.com/dpkaol.jpg

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jey5636

he took the bait. I ripped the heating vent out of the wall and snatched him before he could take off. he is safe back in his enclosure enjoying the rest of his meal.
http://i39.tinypic.com/dpkaol.jpg

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Good, I'm glad everything worked out.

That's great!! I'm so glad all is well.

:gj::gj::gj:

That was a close call, I'am glad it worked out.

Man, what an ordeal.

Good going :gj:

Nice.:thumbup:

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Haha. I'm so happy it worked out like it did. He now has a 15 pound weight on top of his enclosure in case he ever tries to slip out again.

They make clips that lock a tank shut for about 2 dollars.


That is miraculous! I would have placed many bets that he wouldn't have decided to eat in those circumstances. Congratulations and well done!

Good job. Now make that heating vent ball python-proof with some chicken wire mesh or a screen or something. (Because 15 lb. weight or not, there's always a next time.)

Glad it worked out

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