What do I do if I lose my snake?

Let me start off by saying I did not lose my snake I am just curious. If I was to lose my Ball Python how would I get him back? Like could I lure him to a certain spot with a rat ( frozen thawed ofcourse )?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by dylanhagler

Let me start off by saying I did not lose my snake I am just curious. If I was to lose my Ball Python how would I get him back? Like could I lure him to a certain spot with a rat ( frozen thawed ofcourse )?

---

Basically you lost your snake. There is no reason to just ask this out of a what if scenario. It all depends where it happened and where your at and many different scenarios.

What happened?

I haven't lost a snake either, but it's a question that's crossed my mind...what would I do if...? I would guess luring him/her with food in a snug hide, but experience is the best teacher. I'm sure people here have lots of stories and ideas they've actually tried.


Sent from my TARDIS using Tapatalk

its a hypothetical question. nothing happened. just want to make that clear because the first response missed it.

it depends on a lot of circumstances, but generally its difficult. like when its an appartment or a single family home, and you do not know which room it may be in, you might put salt or lego stones or something else in lines across the doorways, so that you can later see if it moved from one room to another, to narrow it down.

but then you basically need to search everywhere, take stuff apart, look behind stuff, move furniture, and just search room by room.

to assist a snake that is lost but may be around somewhere, water is more important than food. they can survive months without food, but no access to water will kill them much faster.

either you find the snake soon, or it turns into a difficult problem with its individual aspects to it, and asking about the specific problem in this forum will help a lot.

Neal didn't miss anything. He, like I don't see why you would post such a question if the situation didn't actually exist.

If it were me who hypothetically lost my snake I would use the "search" feature to read all the ways that have been suggested over and over again so I didn't have to post at all.

If you lost your snake don't be shy about it. It happens often. Like I said try the "search" feature and you will see.

If you did lose your snake the truth is going to allow us to help you much more that hypotheticals.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Neal

Basically you lost your snake. There is no reason to just ask this out of a what if scenario. It all depends where it happened and where your at and many different scenarios.

What happened?

---

Let me straighten this out. Like I said in the description you know the thing that explains word for word what happened i didn't lose my snake i just want to know what happened if i did and i can post whatever i want whenever i want and if you don't want to answer the question then don't reply i do not want nor do i need your criticism.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Pythonfriend

its a hypothetical question. nothing happened. just want to make that clear because the first response missed it.

it depends on a lot of circumstances, but generally its difficult. like when its an appartment or a single family home, and you do not know which room it may be in, you might put salt or lego stones or something else in lines across the doorways, so that you can later see if it moved from one room to another, to narrow it down.

but then you basically need to search everywhere, take stuff apart, look behind stuff, move furniture, and just search room by room.

to assist a snake that is lost but may be around somewhere, water is more important than food. they can survive months without food, but no access to water will kill them much faster.

either you find the snake soon, or it turns into a difficult problem with its individual aspects to it, and asking about the specific problem in this forum will help a lot.

---

I actually did not miss the question. I got the question perfectly fine, I'm just not as naive as other people to think it's just a question. His response proves my point exactly in this matter. If your snake escapes, then just admit it, nothing to be shamed of. It happens. Snakes may not be teachable smart, but they're still crafty.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by KMG

Neal didn't miss anything. He, like I don't see why you would post such a question if the situation didn't actually exist.

If it were me who hypothetically lost my snake I would use the "search" feature to read all the ways that have been suggested over and over again so I didn't have to post at all.

If you lost your snake don't be shy about it. It happens often. Like I said try the "search" feature and you will see.

If you did lose your snake the truth is going to allow us to help you much more that hypotheticals.

---

Exactly. Why post something like that if it's not an actual situation. Asking somebody what they would do if they won the lottery would be a hypothetical question. Asking what to do if a friend got arrested and may try to involve you isn't a hypothetical question. KMG hit the nail on the head, and I'm glad I'm not the only person that saw through this.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by dylanhagler

Let me straighten this out. Like I said in the description you know the thing that explains word for word what happened i didn't lose my snake i just want to know what happened if i did and i can post whatever i want whenever i want and if you don't want to answer the question then don't reply i do not want nor do i need your criticism.

---

For starters, if you didn't lose your snake you wouldn't have became all defensive like you have. I never said you can post whatever you want when you want. But kiddo let me tell you a fact. When you decide to post something in public, I can answer the question exactly how I like. If you don't like it then nobody is asking you to be here. I've already pegged you for a brat with your first post trying to talk about making money. How about you focus on school first? The fact of the matter is I've been here 5 years and I've dealt with plenty of your type and you guys always seem to disappear. Keep up your attitude and you'll be disliked on this forum. That's my word of advice.

Like I said use "search." What to do really depends on the situation so you can read about all types of animal escapes and what we recommend and what they did.

Neal, be nice.;) The OP is 13. A very well spoken 13.

Its nice to see a youngster that types/talks well nowadays, even a snappy one.

Welcome OP

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by KMG

Like I said use "search." What to do really depends on the situation so you can read about all types of animal escapes and what we recommend and what they did.

Neal, be nice.;) The OP is 13. A very well spoken 13.

Its nice to see a youngster that types/talks well nowadays, even a snappy one.

Welcome OP

---

I'll only place nice because of another member made a good point about the kid being well spoken. :P

Dylan, in all seriousness though you need to learn to respect your members that have been here.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Neal

I'll only place nice because of another member made a good point about the kid being well spoken. :P

Dylan, in all seriousness though you need to learn to respect your members that have been here.

---

I apologize for acting like a brat I just got a little upset whe you basically called me a liar and said that my post was pointless if that is not what you were trying to do I am sorry for stating so, I know you are on the site to help people and I would like to thank you for that. But I would like to say that honestly I did not lose my snake he just shed yesterday and I was holding him as I posted the question and though I respect your opinion and knowledge of people who have made a post saying the didnt lose their snake when they did I still do not believe a hypothetical post about losing your snake is pointless I posted it as a what if statement to help other member be able to see this if they lose a snake and to help me if I ever lose my snake. Don't take this the wrong way but though I do not agree with your statement I would still like to thank you for taking the time to share your opinion with me and like I said earlier I apologize for acting like a brat

I won't assume the OP lost a snake, and skip over all the above perceived nastiness...

A thin line of flour going across doorways, in front of hiding places, etc can be a good indicator. As the snake travels across the flour it will leave very distinct belly tracks you might not see with salt. Aside from that what the others stated is true: tear everything apart and don't leave a single stone unturned! They can curl up into amazingly tight little snake packages and hdie in very strange places.

I lost one of my BP's the very first day I brought her home. I tore through everything looking for her, but being a baby combined with how many great places there are to conceal a small snake...the search was fruitless. Setting out food didn't help because she was too freaked out to eat anyway. I was frantic with worry. What finally drew her out a week and a half later was her need for heat. After the kitchen had been dark and unpopulated for a while, I heard a thump in my beardie's terrarium. I went to investigate and found that she'd made her way up some shelves then dropped down into the terrarium ninja-style. That's how she earned her name, Cinnamon, after Cinnamon Carter in the old Mission Impossible show (oh dear, I've just dated myself). Lessons to be taken...

1. Never underestimate how quickly a snake can disappear.
2. Provide water as another member pointed out.
3. Heat is your friend. If you set up a dark, quiet area that is warm then odds are the snake will find it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I never lost a snake either but what i think i would try is putting a hide box with heat tape under it in the room i think he might be in and turn down the heat a bit in the house. Hopefully it wont ever happen though.

I've also heard (in the case of something that isn't large enough to physically harm you) that sleeping on the floor in a room you think the snake may be in for a night or two with the air low and the doorway sealed off that the snake will come to you for warmth.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Flint

I've also heard (in the case of something that isn't large enough to physically harm you) that sleeping on the floor in a room you think the snake may be in for a night or two with the air low and the doorway sealed off that the snake will come to you for warmth.

---

I would be scared of crushing it.

I lost my two with in a week of owning them. I tried so hard not to panic, the worst fear being my wife finding out LOL.

I found the male ASAP. The female however, took me a good 30 mins to find slithering in a box in a corner surrounded by other boxes.

Man I was happy to see that camp pattern lol.

I have lost my snakes before , two of them in fact, multiple times.

I always check the room thoroughly and then the house. If I do not find them then I usually just go about my day, my snakes usually show up beside their enclosure ready to go home.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

1.0 normal
1.0 spider
0.1 pastel

My spider always got out but never lost her ... but my boy pastel I didn't lose I got distracted and when I remembered he was gone ... I thought he went out side I looked everywhere some how he crawled back in the snake room and hid behind the rack .. when I found him it was like 2 weeks later I never thought to look there .. it was a bad couple of weeks I felt horrible to the point I thought I shouldn't even own anymore .. but it was a tough lessened learned and since then I make sure when I have one out my main focus is on them ... ... if u lose a snake look in warm places and vents ... and inside stuff they don't go far

kinda offtopic, or lets say: you think BPs are hard to find??? :rolleyes:

a cousin of mine once had a gecko escape, and no matter how hard they looked, they did not find it. not until they moved out 6 years later. it was one of those geckos that can walk on walls or the ceiling. it died while sitting on a wall behind a cupboard, and did not fall down, the remains were still hanging on the wall after all these years, covered by a layer of dust.

at least BPs dont walk on walls, that quite literally adds another dimension to a seach effort :gj:

Awesome way to welcome a new young person to the forum and the world of reptiles! Well done!

Honestly I see nothing wrong with anything OP has posted. Everyone else snapped to the conclusion that he may have actually lost his snake, which isn't an alarming issue. You wouldn't really be able to lure your snake anywhere as they enjoy roaming around at late hours, and exploring the place.

As posted above, placing water bowls around the place will ensure your snake has ample water during their excursions. Doing things like pouring salt/sugar/flour along doorways and hallways allows you to track what direction your snake may have been going in. Using plastic bags can also give you a heads up if you happen to hear them rustling as a snake travels over them. People have suggested trying to lure a snake from their hiding places by using food as a tool. I have no idea if that would ever work, nor do I believe that would work in a timely manner.

The most you can do is provide water, and actually do the searching for your snake. They aren't exactly going to come back to you when called. Nor will they make noises of their own just because you are also making noise at them.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Recreation

I have lost my snakes before , two of them in fact, multiple times.

---

:confusd: How does this happen?


After many of yall get more time as forum members and participate more you will see why skepticism came into this thread. Often we get post like "my friend wants to know...," "my brother says...," "my friend does..." and they are usually people that are embarrassed to say what really needs to be said. The problem is when only half truths are given it can be very difficult to give and receive the correct assistance to a problem.

Snakes escape all the time and the forum helps the best they can in every situation. The best thing you can do in that situation is be open and honest. This is a very friendly place but when a post seems fishy it will for sure be tested.

I still wish people would learn to search. It would save their time and others. Especially on a what if question with an endless amount of options.

I can tell you what I did. About eight years ago I lost my Mexican Black King snake. I thought I had pushed his bin all the way in, but I must have left it out just enough for him to squeeze through. Came home and freaked out! Spent hours searching for him. Solution? I have two dogs and two cats. The second he made a move anywhere they were barking, and hissing, and making all kinds of noise. Took me about ten minutes to locate him hiding behind the toilet. Learned a valuable lesson about how to secure my racks, and have not lost a snake since.

My advice to you (and I'm assuming you're like me and would like to prepare for every eventuality) would be to put some water in an enclosed area during the day where you can trap it easily (like a bathroom or a sparsely furnished bedroom), and then buy a really cheap motion sensor. I would do it during the day when you are at home so you don't miss it. Then when you're guy sets it off you'll be able to slam that door closed with him/her inside and then will only have a much smaller area to search. You can buy a very cheap motion sensor with a light at your local Walmart. They used to sell one with a buzzer, but I'm not sure if they still have those. I used one once to figure out which dog was getting into the trash, but mine had a camera. I picked it up off of Amazon for around $60. Was really cheap and probably wouldn't have lasted long, but it lasted long enough for me to find out it was Mohan digging into the trash every time I went to class!

And I do believe that you haven't lost your snake yet. If you are 13 and you had lost your snake I think your parents would be the ones on this site demanding to know how to find it, and then I think that would be the end of your reptile keeping days in their house. Good for you for trying to be prepared! This is one of those things it is better to have a game plan ready than for it to happen and have no idea what to do. Kind of like having a plan for when the heat goes out in winter. It's just smart to be a step ahead.

Also, for a thirteen year old you have a great amount of poise in your writing, and as a girl who graduated with a BA in English who was foolish enough to try teaching Freshman English one year I know how poorly kids older than you write. I have a great deal of respect for that, and I like how proactive you are about your herp hobbying!

I will admit I have had snakes get out on 2 occasions in the 15 years I have owned snakes. The first time I was about 16 and fell asleep with my blood python and woke up to her gone... Yeah pretty stupid on my part lol. I found her about 10 mins after I awoke. She was under my bed in a duffle bag. I have been happy to say that is the only escapee I have had... well last night I had my adult male yellow belly in a tote for feeding. Well the fiancée came home crabbing about her day and he was left in there with his f/t for about a half hour. No biggy he doesn't always eat right away. Well going down there expecting to find him with his uneaten rat I open the bin. There is the rat... lol no snake. It took me about 45 minutes to locate him in the basement. I started along the walls because I would suspect they would feel safer moving along the walls. I ended up finding him in a box of old baby clothes.

Prepare for it to happen. Rather be safe than sorry. My animals are quarantined to the basement. There isn't anywhere for them to go that isn't accessible. I am proud to say I have never had one escape from there permanent enclosures.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by KMG

:confusd: How does this happen?


After many of yall get more time as forum members and participate more you will see why skepticism came into this thread. Often we get post like "my friend wants to know...," "my brother says...," "my friend does..." and they are usually people that are embarrassed to say what really needs to be said. The problem is when only half truths are given it can be very difficult to give and receive the correct assistance to a problem.

Snakes escape all the time and the forum helps the best they can in every situation. The best thing you can do in that situation is be open and honest. This is a very friendly place but when a post seems fishy it will for sure be tested.

I still wish people would learn to search. It would save their time and others. Especially on a what if question with an endless amount of options.

---

Disagree! - Since when is posting a "what if" scenario an admission of guilt. Does your "scenario" happen...sure it does. But it doesn't mean everyone is guilty of hiding behind a "what if" question. And so what if they are? Big deal! A person should never be afraid to post a question on this forum. If you don't like the post, move on to the next one.

Kudos to the OP. Keep the questions coming! That's how all of us learn. Most of the people are here to help or share experiences. Ignore those who jump to conclusions (without merit I might add) and try to put you down!

Good luck!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Saber402

Disagree! - Since when is posting a "what if" scenario an admission of guilt. Does your "scenario" happen...sure it does. But it doesn't mean everyone is guilty of hiding behind a "what if" question. And so what if they are? Big deal! A person should never be afraid to post a question on this forum. If you don't like the post, move on to the next one.

Kudos to the OP. Keep the questions coming! That's how all of us learn. Most of the people are here to help or share experiences. Ignore those who jump to conclusions (without merit I might add) and try to put you down!

Good luck!

---

I never said it was an admission of guilt. I just said it makes us skeptical. I like dealing with people that are truthful and not ashamed to take responsibility for their mistakes.

I don't believe the OP lost their snake but did in the beginning have my doubts.

I read the thread again. So Neal said the OP was a brat, you don't know Neal. He can be blunt. Even so, he and the OP settled that and the OP handled it fine.

Keep hanging out and you will see a heated thread get started. We all get along but in different degrees. Some of us really have firm beliefs and are not afraid to state them.

We have some real keyboard warriors here that have really given me a good laugh. This thread was not even a ripple. Nobody even got an infraction. :D

Have you asked permission to enter the quarantine room? That's where the good stuff ends up.:gj:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by KMG

I never said it was an admission of guilt. I just said it makes us skeptical. I like dealing with people that are truthful and not ashamed to take responsibility for their mistakes.

I don't believe the OP lost their snake but did in the beginning have my doubts.

I read the thread again. So Neal said the OP was a brat, you don't know Neal. He can be blunt. Even so, he and the OP settled that and the OP handled it fine.

Keep hanging out and you will see a heated thread get started. We all get along but in different degrees. Some of us really have firm beliefs and are not afraid to state them.

We have some real keyboard warriors here that have really given me a good laugh. This thread was not even a ripple. Nobody even got an infraction. :D

Have you asked permission to enter the quarantine room? That's where the good stuff ends up.:gj:

---

Wow, that apparently ruffled some feathers. No need to try to intimidate with the "heated thread" comment. I don't get intimidated my friend. I am laughing on that one as well!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Saber402

Wow, that apparently ruffled some feathers. No need to try to intimidate with the "heated thread" comment. I don't get intimidated my friend. I am laughing on that one as well!

---

No, no, no. I'm sorry. I didn't mean this thread. This one is not heated at all and my feathers are fine. I meant some threads really do get heated but this one is in no way one.

I see how it read to you. That was not my intention.

Dylan, you don't sound like someone "asking for a friend", you sound like a new parent, especially now that I know that you're a little younger than some of the forum members. You've gotten home and you're holding this amazing creature that you are suddenly responsible for, and you have all these questions about how to keep it safe and healthy. If you don't have a parent or friend or pediatrician/veterinarian you can ask, you go online to find answers, because no one else in your life wants to talk about your new baby's poop. This is the right place to ask these questions, though starting with the search tool isn't a bad idea.

KMG, what is this quarantine room you mention? And is it really worth a visit? :P

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by KMG

No, no, no. I'm sorry. I didn't mean this thread. This one is not heated at all and my feathers are fine. I meant some threads really do get heated but this one is in no way one.

I see how it read to you. That was not my intention.

---

Then all is good!

You know what's real fun? Losing a snake, then having that snake go to another rack and pushing out all of the tubs on that shelf in an effort to get to the heat tape in the back thereby freeing several more snakes. Believe me, it's a load of fun.

One thing that's good to do before losing your snake, is to seal off all of the holes and cracks in your walls so that they can't get into the wall or move to another room. A product called 'great stuff' is your friend in this endevor.

I've found one of the best ways to find a lost snake is a quiet room and a flashlight.

I had sisters in different tubs. Some how, one got out of her tub and into her sisters tub and they were both balled up in there.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Libby

KMG, what is this quarantine room you mention? And is it really worth a visit? :P

---

Click the "Forum" tab and then look under "Off Topic Cafe." There you will see the "Quarantine Room." You have to ask a mod for access to it. Just send a PM.

Threads that seem to hit a nerve, rants, funny humorous stuff. It contains it all. Its nothing bad as the rules still apply.

http://ball-pythons.net/forums/forum...uarantine-Room