Worst nightmare - escaped snake!

[WhompingWillow]

All, I could really use some tips and positive vibes right now. About 30 minutes ago I discovered that our Bredli's lid wasn't fully on. My husband forgot to close her lid after misting her tank last night. She is not in her cage. I have no idea where she is and I am praying that a dog didn't get her last night. So far I've blocked off and gone through our room where we keep the snakes with no luck. I'm about to go through it again inch by inch before moving on to the rest of the house.

If she were a ball python I'd be less concerned, as they tend to pick a spot close by and just sit there. Does anyone have any advice as to how to try to track her down? Any idea how far she might go? She is only about 100 grams, so slender but long. Tonight is feeding night and I know she's hungry, so I'm hoping maybe the scent will draw her out?

ARRRGH this is basically my worst nightmare. I am so bummed out and pretty upset with my husband, as he had a crappy attitude last night while misting and obviously wasn't paying attention.

[distaff]

Positive thoughts heading your way. Wish I could help with info. - I don't own a Bredli. Maybe they go down? Maybe they like up? Mine seem to gravitate toward closets - even if the space is bone chilling cold. I actually worry more about forgotten mouse traps than my three dogs. They sniff the snakes all the time, and are like...meh.

Good luck!
Keep us posted.

[67temp]

Good luck and I hope you find her quick. I've never had a carpet get out but I would probably check things up high that they could perch on. It's amazing how they can hold onto things with their tail. So if your checking things like drapes, don't just check the curtain rod but also check the fabric all the way down.

[Toad37]

Positive thoughts heading your way. Wish I could help with info. - I don't own a Bredli. Maybe they go down? Maybe they like up? Mine seem to gravitate toward closets - even if the space is bone chilling cold. I actually worry more about forgotten mouse traps than my three dogs. They sniff the snakes all the time, and are like...meh.

Good luck!
Keep us posted.

I would triple check the closet. They're semi arboreal so there's a chance she could've went up on the hangers, even inside a hanging shirt or something like that. Good luck! Hope you find her soon!

[Bogertophis]

So sorry about your nightmare...I'm with the others here...look up! I hope you can draw her out with the scent of food, but hiding may be too seductive?

I used to play "hide & seek" with my snakes in a safe & fairly empty room, one at a time for exercise: I once found a rat snake inside a coat hanging in the closet
and the only thing I saw was the tail tip coming out from a buttonhole! The snake was having fun hanging out with the coat vertically inside...LOL.

Don't know what kind of dog you have or how much you can control & trust, but dogs or cats (ON LEASHES) can often help us find "lost" snakes. Good luck!!!

[Bodie]

Yeah....I know the feeling. It sucks. Definitely sending you some positive vibes. Hope you find her. As others have said, keep us posted.

[EL-Ziggy]

Sorry your Bredli got out for a stroll Willow. I'd look upward more than downward when searching for a carpet but exhaust all your options. Maybe try keeping the lid off of his enclosure and leaving a meal in there overnight. I hope you find her SOON.

[WhompingWillow]

Thank you everyone. So far no luck. We are tearing our room apart piece by piece. I've also checked the kids' rooms. I will get to the upper half of our closet next. I'm hoping she stayed in our room because it's warmer than anywhere else in the house by far. We are leaving the lid of her tank off, too.

This is the state of our room right now. Not a good place for a snake to escape. 1,000 hiding spots.

Sent from my H3123 using Tapatalk

[Skeptiball]

One of my ball pythons, Whiskey, got out the other night while I was at work. I absentmindedly forgot to secure the lid to his tank and the little 165 gram Houdini took full advantage of that. My wife texted me about half way through my shift and said that one of my snakes was out, and in our master bath. He had slipped into a little 2 inch wide gap under the bathroom cabinet. Every time my wife approached him, he'd pull back into his hiding spot. I asked her to rolled up some towels and placed them under our closet door and bedroom door and I would search for him when I got home later that night. My thinking was that when the room was dark, he'd come out to explore - I, luckily was correct. When I got home he was "strolling" along the tiles near the toilet. I easily picked him up, gave him a quick once over, placed him back in his tank, and made sure to secure the lid and went to bed. I did a through exam later in the morning and he was fine.

My advice would be to make the room(s) as dark as possible, and maybe the little bugger will come out. Good luck.

[Bogertophis]

One of my ball pythons, Whiskey, got out the other night while I was at work. I absentmindedly forgot to secure the lid to his tank and the little 165 gram Houdini took full advantage of that. My wife texted me about half way through my shift and said that one of my snakes was out, and in our master bath. He had slipped into a little 2 inch wide gap under the bathroom cabinet. Every time my wife approached him, he'd pull back into his hiding spot. I asked her to rolled up some towels and placed them under our closet door and bedroom door and I would search for him when I got home later that night. My thinking was that when the room was dark, he'd come out to explore - I, luckily was correct. When I got home he was "strolling" along the tiles near the toilet. I easily picked him up, gave him a quick once over, placed him back in his tank, and made sure to secure the lid and went to bed. I did a through exam later in the morning and he was fine.

My advice would be to make the room(s) as dark as possible, and maybe the little bugger will come out. Good luck.

Lots of people don't know about those gaps under bath & kitchen cabinets, at least not until their snake finds out about them first!
(I found out many years ago, when my adult bull snake got loose, found it & brumated for 6 mos. before coming back out.)
I'm so glad you got your snake back so quickly.