Help!

[Trey Yeoman]

My ball python got out last night... I had turned off the lamp on the cool side to start the "day/night" cycles... because I only have the light on in the day... because I don't really need to look at her at night... but somehow... she got out of the cage... and ended up in my closet... at the highest point... in the most complicated place she could be... luckily after hours of searching I foudn her.. and she wasn't hurt... but I put her back in the cage and realized that she had slithered up out of a hole that I had cut for the lamp to grip the cage... please tell me that ball pythons being houdini's is a common thing... and that mine isn't like.. sick or something.. and when I put her back in the aquariam... she like... slithered around and ended up back at the top of the cage, (i guess how she remembered getting out last night)... but she didnt do anyhting because I had turned the light on... she got up to the hole and then backed off cause I guess it was too hot... I took a picture of her doing it...
please help...

[llovelace]

Loose the light & get a new lid.

[WingedWolfPsion]

Yes, an undertank heater controlled by a thermostat will provide better heating, it won't drive out the humidity the way a lamp does, and of course, you can't keep using an insecure lid.

And yes, ball pythons are inquisitive predators that will find any way out that they can. They're also strong, and they can and will injure themselves in the process of escaping through an opening which is too small, or has sharp edges.

[Jeo123]

Maybe it's just the angle... but isn't that half log a little small for her?

[corgigirl9]

agree with above Esp the UTH but yes give them the tiniest hole to escape outta... an they will. I Always found all my escapees quickly knock on wood... I switched to a rack due to growing collection but havnt had any escape since.