BP got out a week ago. Advice needed

I've had a BP for a few years now, and for the first time I forgot to put the lid of her tank back on after feeding her. I fed her last Sunday 8 days ago, and when I did I forgot to put her tank lid back on. Long story short, she's recently been kept in a room we haven't used much the last few weeks, and didn't notice until yesterday for her next feeding that she was missing.I thouroughly looked through everything in that room and saw no signs of her. There's enough of a gap in the door to that room that she could have gotten out into the next room, but no luck finding her there either. So after looking everywhere on the main floor of the house, I ended up heating up a mouse and putting it in her terrarium, I then put the terrarium on the ground in the dining room (pretty centrally located). I put some flour around the doorways so if she moved from one room to the next overnight she'd leave a mark. I also left all of the doors open so wherever she is she'd hopefully smell the mouse. This morning, no luck. mouse is still in the tank, and no flour has been disturbed. Any advice on how to find the BP would be greatly appreciated. I feel sick to my stomach thinking how she's likely been out of her tank for a week now, and I have no idea where she went. The weather here has been very cold the last week (50s). I don't know that there's be anyway for her to get outside, but I have no idea where she could have gone.

Keep looking under couches and everywhere.. I lost mine a few weeks ago and did the whole flour and plastic bag and mouse trick but no luck for about a week then one night I got up and went to the kitchen and I found him on the floor next to the refrigerator. Keep looking and he'll show up.

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Do you normally go a week in between checking on your snake?? I refresh my snakes water and check on temps/humidity every single day.

I will keep looking. I plan to try pulling out my oven, and possibly refrigerator to see if I can find the BP. Im iffy about both as I don't want to hurt her by pulling them out. I'll keep trying the four method as it's cheap and pretty easy. Would it be worth trying a mouse every day, or every few days to try to lure her out? If so, what's the best way of trying to make that successful? last night I put her tank on the ground with the mouse inside, with the hopes of her going in and finding her old cave and just staying in. perhaps just on the ground would be good?

how long until I should be worried? Luckly, I know she ate a week ago, so isn't too ling without food yet, but also likely getting hungry. I'll bump up the house temp a couple degrees to try to get her to be more active?

No, this is not normal. My wife had her home office in the same room as the BP, and saw her every day until about a week and a half ago we started moving the office into a different room in the house, and haven't moved the snake yet. She does have a large water bowl, and is normally good on water for a bit longer than a week, but my wife also normally tops off the water bowl every few days. Neither of us have been in the room for the past week though (baby on the way, job being crazy...etc). We were planning on moving her tank to the new office this week.

Around the fridge would be a good place to check because it's a heat source.

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Anywhere warm and tight is where you should look. Im sorry this happened to you. Hope you find your snake soon.

I've read conflicting things online about house temp for best chances of them coming out at night. would a higher house temp be better, so they are more active, or lower, so they seak out a heat source?

I will be checking under the fridge, oven and dishwasher when I get home.

I'm sorry you lost your snake. A full week without noticing though? I check each of my enclosures daily. Water (full AND cleaned every other day), temps, humidity, make sure the heat sources and thermostats are functioning properly, etc...

I hope you find her. Good luck

Odds are if it got out - it isnt going to be cruising around your house. It will most likely be in a tight space somewhere warm and secluded. I have never lost a snake, but I have read this will be common amongst ball pythons that escape. As for the house temp getting her to come out, Im not sure.

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Originally Posted by craigafrechette

I'm sorry you lost your snake. A full week without noticing though? I check each of my enclosures daily. Water (full AND cleaned every other day), temps, humidity, make sure the heat sources and thermostats are functioning properly, etc...

I hope you find her. Good luck

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I know, a full week is an excessively long time to not check on the snake. This is very much out of the norm for me. I don't think I've ever gone more than 2 or maybe 3 days without checking on her before this. I accept all of the judgment I'm getting for not having checked on her sooner. I know that shouldn't have happened and feel terrible about it. All I care about right now is finding the snake and making sure she is okay.

No luck finding her yesterday. other than eating I looked non-stop yesterday from the time I got home to the time I went to bed. Checked every place I possibly could on both floors of my house. I was pretty confident I'd find her yesterday with the care I put into looking everywhere. Took over 5 hours to go over the house once, and my house isn't packed full of stuff. She has to be somewhere. I can't imagine her finding a way outside or into the basement. both of those places would be near impossible to find her. The basement is much more cluttered, and of course outside she could be anywhere. The basement door has only a 1/8" gap though, so I doubt she could have gone down, and there's no hole I know of that leads to outside.

Wish me luck on my 3rd day looking. I'll take any amount of criticism as you guys want to give, just please add a bit of advice on finding the snake with it. I'll keep looking and doing the flour method in case she moves at night. I put flour trails around the kitchen appliances last night and no luck. Eventually she has to show up, right?

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Originally Posted by Devastator007

I know, a full week is an excessively long time to not check on the snake. This is very much out of the norm for me. I don't think I've ever gone more than 2 or maybe 3 days without checking on her before this. I accept all of the judgment I'm getting for not having checked on her sooner. I know that shouldn't have happened and feel terrible about it. All I care about right now is finding the snake and making sure she is okay.

No luck finding her yesterday. other than eating I looked non-stop yesterday from the time I got home to the time I went to bed. Checked every place I possibly could on both floors of my house. I was pretty confident I'd find her yesterday with the care I put into looking everywhere. Took over 5 hours to go over the house once, and my house isn't packed full of stuff. She has to be somewhere. I can't imagine her finding a way outside or into the basement. both of those places would be near impossible to find her. The basement is much more cluttered, and of course outside she could be anywhere. The basement door has only a 1/8" gap though, so I doubt she could have gone down, and there's no hole I know of that leads to outside.

Wish me luck on my 3rd day looking. I'll take any amount of criticism as you guys want to give, just please add a bit of advice on finding the snake with it. I'll keep looking and doing the flour method in case she moves at night. I put flour trails around the kitchen appliances last night and no luck. Eventually she has to show up, right?

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I do wish you the best of luck finding your snake. I "lost" one of my juvenile corns a while back. I was holding him while sitting in my computer chair and he managed to find a tiny space underneath the chair that led into the mechanical parts of the chair underneath the seat. His head was barely in when I noticed, and when I tried to get him out he moved further in and managed to get a grip on something. I didn't want to pull him, so I eventually just let him climb in. I knew where he was, but had no clue what the inner workings of the chair looked like or when he would come out. I was also afraid to move the chair, because I was afraid something mechanical in there may injure or kill him. I wrapped the entire chair in a bedsheet over night so he couldn't escape and checked in the morning, no snake, he was still inside the chair. My anxiety got the best of me and I meticulously pulled the chair apart, destroying it in the meantime, but rescued the little guy with no harm but a little dirt and grease.
So I kinda understand where you're coming from.

Anyway, there was no judgement on my part. Just sharing and trying to steer you in that direction. Sorry if it came off judgy or insensitive. That was not my intent.
I have a feeling your snake will turn up, they often do.
I wish you the best of luck. Please keep us posted.

Snake found! After having looked for 3-4 hours a day for 5 days, I got lucky and she was just slithering around in the kitchen when I went to get a late night snack. She seems to be doing well. She was active and responsive, not lethargic at all. She got a nice drink once I put her back in her tank. Will offer her a nice mouse tomorrow, after giving her a day to get used to her old surrounding's and get comfortable. I'll also be moving her tank into the new office today, so no more chance of us going extended time without checking on her.

Thanks for all of the advice everyone! I'm just glad my snake is okay and safe. Maybe she even got a spare mouse or two that we've had running around the kitchen area. I was about to put out mouse traps, but not until the snake was back safe.

Awesome!!! I'm stoked for you and your snake that she was found and is doing well :gj:

Glad she's back safe and sound! Remember to put that lid on!