Can't Get BP From Cabinet

[e1095]

Hi all. I'm new to this site so I apologize if I'm posting this in the wrong area or anything.

My 9 month old ball python went into a tiny hole in a bathroom cabinet about 52 hours ago. We cut a hole big enough for me to see in and for my boy to get out. Most of the time he's back in a spot I can't see but several times he has come right up to the hole and just hung out within sight.

Things I've already tried:
-leaving his favorite hides by the hole with and without a heatlamp above them
-frozen/thawed mice by hole
-a live mouse in a small cage
-leaving lights off
-leaving lights on (both room light and smaller lights)
-sitting in the room and talking to him
-leaving him alone for hours with my computer hidden in the corner to record and watch from afar

So far all of these things have called him closer to me and he has poked his head out a few inches but he always seems too timid to come out all the way. My question is: after trying all these things separately and some together, what would you recommend as a next step? The area he is in is too small to reach in so he has to come out on his own.

[Bogertophis]

Put a heating pad near enough to the hole so he'll sense the warmth, but far enough (at least his body length away) so he has to come all the way out to reach it.
Then try not to watch constantly but check quietly every so often...leave the room dark, use a small flashlight when you check. It would be better to use a heating PAD, NOT a heatlamp, since BPs feel safer in the dark. You can use a human heating pad like they sell in drugstores if you have one.

That's encouraging that he's peeked out for you...don't give up. Snakes feel safer when they can hide...they are both predator AND prey. Another thing you could do
is create a tunnel out of maybe corrugated cardboard, so that when he comes out of the hole, he can crawl thru the tunnel to get to the warming pad...so he never feels
exposed.

Be sure to regulate the heat so it's not too hot, not over 90*. And instead of a tunnel, if you have a thick branch, or even a rolled up towel that he could creep along
next to, that might help him feel bolder to come out.

IF you find him halfway out, DO NOT PULL him out, you can cause serious internal injuries & dislocations by pulling on a snake's body...be Patient! Good luck...

[e1095]

Those are great notes, and I have just the resources to try your tips. Yeah when he first found the hole I tried to stop him but I didn't want to pull too hard so I had to let him go in. The cabinet space is self contained (I know because he's such an explorer, if it led anywhere else he'd be long gone) so I'm fine with waiting. Thank you so much for the information, I'll try right away.

[Bogertophis]

I hope it works...it's hard to get a snake to "come when you call them"... Lots of bath & kitchen cupboards are built with crawl spaces under the front doors, out
of our vision but seen by snakes crawling on the floor, just a slight look upwards & they see a nice dark "cave"...right after we figure it out too late.

Might try rolling up a towel & placing it around the heat pad too, so he'll be visible to you but not feel so exposed by what appears to be a flat open area. I hope he
stops torturing you before too long...

[bcr229]

I would also put down a water bowl near the heat pad. I found several escapees when they came out to get a drink. Again, don't put it by the hole, put it a little ways away so the snake has to come all the way out to reach the bowl. If you put a hide next to the water bowl and pad your snake may decide to go there instead of back into the hole.

[Zincubus]

Maybe a hide on top of a heat mat ??
I got one of mine back by putting a little container by the skirting board with a little bowl of water and place a small heatpad UNDERNEATH .. I found the LTR snake asleep one morning on the warm area about 14 days after the escape .


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[e1095]

I would also put down a water bowl near the heat pad. I found several escapees when they came out to get a drink. Again, don't put it by the hole, put it a little ways away so the snake has to come all the way out to reach the bowl. If you put a hide next to the water bowl and pad your snake may decide to go there instead of back into the hole.

Oh my goodness I can't believe I didn't think to put his water bowl in there! This is my first time having an escaped snake so my only excuse is a mind overtaken with worry but that is a great addition! He drinks a lot of water (not in a concerning way though) so I just set his bowl near the above suggested tunnel, hides, and heat pad. Thank you!

[bcr229]

My only other suggestion is to put down something like a flat piece of aluminum foil or plastic grocery bag on the floor where the hole is, so that when he does crawl out you'll hear it rustling and you can nab him.

[e1095]

Maybe a hide on top of a heat mat ??
I got one of mine back by putting a little container by the skirting board with a little bowl of water and place a small heatpad UNDERNEATH .. I found the LTR snake asleep one morning on the warm area about 14 days after the escape .


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I set up a similar situation with my heatpad on top of a hide to keep it warm. I'm using a safe human heat pad since I can't detach the under tank heater from his tank, but when we've needed to travel in the car he has seemed to like this heat pad I'm using so hopefully it will work.

I am glad it worked for your snake but I REALLY hope mine doesn't stay in there for 14 days. We're on day 4 now and even knowing he's just right inside the cabinet I'm still so stressed. Thank you for the suggestion and information!

[Zincubus]

I set up a similar situation with my heatpad on top of a hide to keep it warm. I'm using a safe human heat pad since I can't detach the under tank heater from his tank, but when we've needed to travel in the car he has seemed to like this heat pad I'm using so hopefully it will work.

I am glad it worked for your snake but I REALLY hope mine doesn't stay in there for 14 days. We're on day 4 now and even knowing he's just right inside the cabinet I'm still so stressed. Thank you for the suggestion and information!

No worries. .. I started by leaving thawed pinky mouse overnight but I actually gave up on that after a week or so and left the heat and fresh water only . It seems the heat was the key .


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