Let Me Be a Lesson to All

The family was over yesterday. I thought nothing of it at the time, but in hindsight I should have realized that three curious 5 year old boys wandering my basement spelled trouble. Fast forward to this afternoon. I come home from a day on the lake with friends and stroll downstairs to check on my snakes, fish, etc. I feed my large female. As she gulps down dinner, I check on my little male. My heart sank as I saw the top of the cage had been pushed open maybe 2-3". I overturned the hide boxes expecting to find my little guy obedient as ever.

Nothing.

I immediately broke out the flashlight and searched what seemed like every nook and cranny my labyrinth of a basement has to offer and came up empty handed. I'm planning on waiting until it gets dark and hope to catch the snake off guard. For now, he remains at large.

Please, keep your cages LOCKED. I let me guard down for a minute and look what happened. Please let me serve as an example. I'd hate to see anyone else go through this.

It sucks.

So sorry to hear about your escapee don't give you'll find him.

I'll send all good thoughts that you locate your missing snake. It's a truly horrible sensation to find one gone like that. We lost a young female awhile back due to me being overtired and forgetting 1 of the 4 clips that held her lid firmly in place - the guilt still is with me. I know how you are feeling and it truly does suck.

You might want to try putting down a dusting of flour and see if you find any indication of movement in the morning. Most of them are found very near to their enclosures so I hope that's what happens with yours.

We shared our story too much as you are, hoping it would help others avoid this kind of situation. My respect goes out to you for trying to help during this time of worry.

It happens...and in the few times it has happened with me, they're no more than a few feet away from their cages, the the one spot you don't expect them to be...rule NOTHING out...check everywhere.

I would look at any heat source possible first, being in the basement there probably isnt to many, furance, hot water tank. other then that look everywhere possible, when my big girl got out she was two feet away under a dresser...
Good luck with the search.

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Originally Posted by Tainted Glory

I immediately broke out the flashlight and searched what seemed like every nook and cranny my labyrinth of a basement

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like was said it happens. And pretty much it happens to everybody at some point. But do you have your laundry room/clothes in hampers down there? Look there, and look under and between things.

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Originally Posted by Tainted Glory

The family was over yesterday. I thought nothing of it at the time, but in hindsight I should have realized that three curious 5 year old boys wandering my basement spelled trouble. Fast forward to this afternoon. I come home from a day on the lake with friends and stroll downstairs to check on my snakes, fish, etc. I feed my large female. As she gulps down dinner, I check on my little male. My heart sank as I saw the top of the cage had been pushed open maybe 2-3". I overturned the hide boxes expecting to find my little guy obedient as ever.

Nothing.

I immediately broke out the flashlight and searched what seemed like every nook and cranny my labyrinth of a basement has to offer and came up empty handed. I'm planning on waiting until it gets dark and hope to catch the snake off guard. For now, he remains at large.

Please, keep your cages LOCKED. I let me guard down for a minute and look what happened. Please let me serve as an example. I'd hate to see anyone else go through this.

It sucks.

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Best of luck to you. From what I've read they can be hard to find but don't tend to go far. Is your basement sealed?

I've read some baiting techniques online. If it was feeding day he may be very interested in any rodents about the place....

If your truly dedicated to finding it, even if it involves a lot of money and possibly 30 minutes of clean up, sprinkle cat litter on the perimeter of the basement, and in the middle, to see where hes traveling. Ive heard this works, but sucks to clean up that much kitty litter.

I also don't know if your basements carpeted, might not work so good then.

i left my lid open about 5'' a couple of days ago, and went down stairs to get a drink... but my luck led me to find the snake asleep in its hide =)

i gotto be ultra alert with that in the comming month due to having my gran comming out to visit (shes scared of snakes *forgot the word* and i dont wanna give her a heart attack)

anyway, hope you all the best in finding the little scamp, and try joanna's trick with the flour that sounds sensible.

goodluck mate.

Just to update...I came home entirely too late tonight (3:00AM) so I just did a quick sweep. Tomorrow I am dedicating the morning to finding this guy. I am going to go room by room until he's back in his cage!

I'm sure you've done this already...but just to be sure...and to also suggest a starting place for your renewed search tomorrow...


Start right at the cage...and begin your search in tight circles right around the cage, checking behind, underneath, and inside everything. They can squeeze themselves into and through the tightest/smallest spaces, so don't dismiss anything as "impossible" for him to go into or through. And don't forget to look up. They can climb much better than we usually give them credit for.

Slowly and methodically increase your circles away from the enclosure. It IS possible for him to have gotten to another room and be far away from his home...but in the large majority of cases, the lost snake is found within 10' of his own home.

Good luck!!!

i couldent leave my house nowing one was out, i would have to dedicate my life to finding him/her till she was back :P

your prop wake up to find him curled next to you in bed.

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Originally Posted by Tainted Glory

Just to update...I came home entirely too late tonight (3:00AM) so I just did a quick sweep. Tomorrow I am dedicating the morning to finding this guy. I am going to go room by room until he's back in his cage!

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Good luck! We've had a few of escapes over the years and both were within a few feet of their tub with one exception. . . .but then again she was always a explorer.

Please let us know when and where you find him.

Monday afternoon update.

I woke up bring and early and got right to work. I spent FOUR HOURS looking for him. My heart sank with every passing hour. I started right around the cage. Hell I even disassembled the bar the cages are lined up on to no avail. Not a thing was left unturned. I really have no idea what to do that this point. I constructed several mock-hides using old shoe boxes and scattered them around the basement. I also placed a number of water dishes in close proximity to the said hides. My hope is that he finds his way to water then posts up in the hide box nearby. Knock on wood. I'm going to do another late night search with hopes that the darkness will bring him out of hiding.

is there any way you can sent a hide or something with a rat/mouse(which ever you feed) bedding? that might help, or put one in a tub or box with holes in it and leave it down there.. maybe it will go to it. idk just some thoughts....

good luck.

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Originally Posted by Tainted Glory

Monday afternoon update.

I woke up bring and early and got right to work. I spent FOUR HOURS looking for him. My heart sank with every passing hour. I started right around the cage. Hell I even disassembled the bar the cages are lined up on to no avail. Not a thing was left unturned. I really have no idea what to do that this point. I constructed several mock-hides using old shoe boxes and scattered them around the basement. I also placed a number of water dishes in close proximity to the said hides. My hope is that he finds his way to water then posts up in the hide box nearby. Knock on wood. I'm going to do another late night search with hopes that the darkness will bring him out of hiding.

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I actually thought of that. I think tomorrow I'll get a live mouse and just keep it in a screen cage in the center of the room and wish for the best.

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Originally Posted by jar2476

is there any way you can sent a hide or something with a rat/mouse(which ever you feed) bedding? that might help, or put one in a tub or box with holes in it and leave it down there.. maybe it will go to it. idk just some thoughts....

good luck.

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It does happen and like Nate said, they are usually within a few feet of their enclosure. Work away from the cage in a circular motion. I know when one of my girl BP's got out she was about a foot away in my dresser right under where I have a heat mat for my corn snake which sits on top of my dresser.

Look EVERYWHERE and look in all the sports that give off any kind of heat or have heat near them.


Good luck!!!
*sends some good finding vibes to you and your snake*

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Originally Posted by Tainted Glory

I actually thought of that. I think tomorrow I'll get a live mouse and just keep it in a screen cage in the center of the room and wish for the best.

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Sounds like a plan to me...of the two that have broke loose over here I found one in between walls where my circuit breaker is (20ft from cage) and the other underneath my couch about 5 feet from the cage. Both separate instances, both scared the life out of me. Good luck.

Monday evening update.

More searching. No results. Shoeboxes were empty but I plan on doing another search in the dead of the night, hopefully I'll catch him cruising.

Try throwin out a heating pad or blanket (the ones we use) on low and see if he curls up in that for warmth...?

Just a thought.

When my sister's snake got out she left a heat light out and when she woke up the snake was curled up under it.

This is kind of interesting:

http://forum.kingsnake.com/escape/messages/72.html

He also makes reference to "Melissa Kaplan's ideas". You might check those out.

I've read a strategy that combines the heating pad idea and the scenting idea: Put out a box on a heating pad with a dead rodent in it (and perhaps a nice hide). Supposedly, there is a very high chance the snake will show up, eat the mouse, and then decide to stay and digest in the nice warm box. If you do this, be careful. I have a basic heating pad with three settings and even the lowest one will give temps over 90d if you set a box on it without any separator.

Tuesday morning update.

I spent the night in NYC. I came home in the wee hours of the morning to find my younger brother locked up in the bathroom. As the urgency of my situation grew, I decided to head downstairs to relieve myself. I wasn't even thinking of the snake, to be honest. As I flushed and turned to wash my hands, I couldn't help but notice something hanging on the edge of a bucket underneathe the sink (My basement has been dubbed "the zoo"). I bend down to get a closer look and see the fugitive hanging from the lip, looking up at me as guiltily as a fat kid who stole a cookie before supper. I was overcome with joy as I pulled him from the bucket and into his tank. He's a little cold, a little thirsty, and a little scared. I'm planning on feeding this afternoon. Thanks God this is over!

I'm so gald that you found him!!! That's great!

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Originally Posted by Tainted Glory

Tuesday morning update.

I spent the night in NYC. I came home in the wee hours of the morning to find my younger brother locked up in the bathroom. As the urgency of my situation grew, I decided to head downstairs to relieve myself. I wasn't even thinking of the snake, to be honest. As I flushed and turned to wash my hands, I couldn't help but notice something hanging on the edge of a bucket underneathe the sink (My basement has been dubbed "the zoo"). I bend down to get a closer look and see the fugitive hanging from the lip, looking up at me as guiltily as a fat kid who stole a cookie before supper. I was overcome with joy as I pulled him from the bucket and into his tank. He's a little cold, a little thirsty, and a little scared. I'm planning on feeding this afternoon. Thanks God this is over!

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Congrats on finding him. Thank god.

GREAT news!!! I'm so happy you found him!!


If it were me, I'd give him a week or so of quiet alone-time to get over his adventures before trying to feed him. Sort of like letting him "settle in" all over again. But I'm sure it won't hurt to try if you want. Just don't be too surprised if he doesn't eat.

Thats great news, I'm glad you found him in such a short period of time. They're always in the last place you look :)

He ate. I'm happy. New rack coming next Wednesday. New pastel male coming on Friday. Two large normal females coming the week after. Things are starting to look up!

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Originally Posted by Tainted Glory

He ate. I'm happy. New rack coming next Wednesday. New pastel male coming on Friday. Two large normal females coming the week after. Things are starting to look up!

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:clap:

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Originally Posted by Tainted Glory

I bend down to get a closer look and see the fugitive hanging from the lip, looking up at me as guiltily as a fat kid who stole a cookie before supper.

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awesome news! Its funny how sometimes you just can't help but think they have a look on their face.

Lucky too cuz placing sticky tape on the floor, sticky side up, sounded like a huge pain in the rear!

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Originally Posted by bearhart

Lucky too cuz placing sticky tape on the floor, sticky side up, sounded like a huge pain in the rear!

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that sounds like a horrible idea... tape getting caught on the snakes eye?!?! You'd have a blind snake in no time...:(

My first BP got out and traveled to the next room and placed herself on the toilet seat in our master bathroom. The wife got up at 3 am to use the bathroom and guess who was woke-up real fast.... get your snake out of my bathroom.


Richard

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Originally Posted by Gooseman

that sounds like a horrible idea... tape getting caught on the snakes eye?!?! You'd have a blind snake in no time...:(

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dunno. The guy that posted it says it worked great. I have to admit I wouldn't want to be in the position of trying to pull tape of my snake's eye. But, it doesn't seem like lightweight tape would have the adhesiveness to really create a huge problem.