Houdini Snake

[The_Hanged_Man]

Argh! My Blizzard has just mysteriously vanished my it's enclosure. I was just going to open to lid to feed him (and it was firmly latched) and he was nowhere to be found!

Here's a picture of what I was using...



I've kept him in this very same enclosure for almost three months now, and for the life of me I can't figure out what happened. I last time I opened his cage was when I fed him four days ago, and I remember seeing him yesterday. Grrr!!! Has anyone had a similar thing happen to them? Any advice on getting wayward corns back? Thanks!

[Shelby]

I have had a corn mysteriously vanish before.. I now know that he got out through one of the little opening doors in the lid of the tank.

Are any of those ventilation holes big enough that your snake could squeeze through? Was the lid latched on both sides? Is the lid flexible enough that the snake could push up near the middle of the long sides (as far from both end latches as possible) and get out? Do you always make sure when you put the snake back in the cage that he doesn't slip out as you put the lid back on?

[Lobo_Reptiles]

I use that for my corns and I believe mine squeezed out on the corner where the lid is. If you lift it up it is really flimsy and very easy for a snake to get through. When you find her (which you will ) get yourself some little black clips with the silver handle looking things and put them around the problem spots on the edges. I haven't had any problems since with them. Good luck!

[Shelby]

I also use those clips. They are great and you can get them in any office supply store. They are called binder clips.

[IamKaervek]

When you find him and return him to the enclosure, sit and watch him for an hour or so - grab a book or something. He will likely try to make his escape again shortly after returning, and you knowing just how he did it will help you prevent it from happening with future animals. Having said that, have a plan ready for when you do return him, because he will remember how to get out, and he will do it again given the means.

Good luck, and keep us informed!

[mr~python]

check under the water bowl and comb threw the bedding. vanessa did that to me once and she was sitting happily underneath her waterbowl half covered with aspen.

[Razaiel]

she was sitting happily underneath her waterbowl half covered with aspen.

Since having corns now for a few weeks I've noticed they seem to like sitting underneath their substrate - my little Ball has never hidden under hers. We're fostering a couple of albinos and we never see them - fun when a mousey goes in though 2 heads suddenly pop out like bullets ...

I hope you find Blizzard soon.

[The_Hanged_Man]

Thanks for the replies all. My guess is now that he slipped through one of corners where it is a little flexible. Sigh, I thought that after 3 months it would have been safe but I guess not. I made straps for my ball pythons enclosure (you can sort of see them in the above pic) because I knew they were pretty strong. I never thought that tiny corn would be able to push up like that. Oh well, live and learn.

[Brandon.O]

Since having corns now for a few weeks I've noticed they seem to like sitting underneath their substrate - my little Ball has never hidden under hers. We're fostering a couple of albinos and we never see them - fun when a mousey goes in though 2 heads suddenly pop out like bullets ...

I hope you find Blizzard soon.

I hope your not feeding them in the same tank with eachother, that can lead to alot of problems.


Ihope you find your little houdini, my corn is the only snake that has got out before,luckily i was there in time to see her drop out of the tank and slither her llittle 16 inch body around my desk, she didnt get far before i grabbed her and piled up the books on her tank, shes never gotten out since.

A lid that doesnt leave much room to escape(at all) is peg baord, just cut it to fit the tank you are using. That would be kinda hard with the little thing you are using for a cage though, maybe you might switch to something like a ten gallon with a pegboard lid. They are much more secure

[Razaiel]

I hope your not feeding them in the same tank with eachother, that can lead to alot of problems.

Well I am feeding them in the same tank but I put a divider up between them so I can be sure each one has 2 each and won't both fight over the same one - I watch them until the second mouse is completely disappeared - I hope this is right - I've only had these corns for a month (they were rescues) so am not used to having more than One Snake One Tank - but these have always lived together with the people that had them before so seem to like being curled up together. Should I take one out to feed it? I did consider that but thought that it might freak it out to be somewhere else. Mice are F/T by the way