Snake escape! Worst nightmare has begun.

[Quinnster]

Hi everyone

So, another thread about an escaped ball python. So yesterday, it startes getting dark outside and my snake comes out of hiding like usual, and crawls around. I'm always in my room doing things like watching tv, or on my laptop, and I always glance over at my enclosure to see my snake doing whatever in his tank. He's usually always crawling in the suction cup vines or on his climbing log, this is a usual thing. So I went to bed at 2 in the morning and woke up at 7, checked on his enclosure like I do every morning and he was completely gone.

I keep my door shut in my room every night, but he can easily crawl under the door. Do you think he would have gone under the door and slithered around the rest of the apartment?
My closet door was open, and I have a ton of stuff in there.
He can't be under my bed because there is no under the bed, theirs drawers under my bed.

I'm so nervous, I hope he didn't get hurt on his way out, it's a long drop to the floor. I'm so scared he went under my door and slithered around the apartment, or in my sisters really messy room.

Any tips or tricks to make him come out? I just need help :'(

[Archimedes]

Your very best bet is to keep calm.

Next, become your snake. Where in your room is warm and dark and a good spot to curl up tight? Piles of clothes? Dark cubbies between books? He probably hasn't gone far from his tank, so start around it and work systematically outwards.

[BrokenWReptiles]

With what i know with python escapes is they are usually within 20 feet of there enclosure. so just really check your room and if you have to leave for any reason block the underside of your door so he cant slither out while your gone. Hope this helps.

[BrokenWReptiles]

And when you find him put a wieght on top of his cage

[WritersWays21]

Quinnster,

They'll want to go somewhere warm and preferably dark and cramped, like their hide is. Check around radiators, floor vents, heaters, probably one that's not in plain view. Also, you can check dark corners where the warm water pipes/chimney perhaps are close to the wall. After that, I would check in laundry baskets or around loose blankets.

He's probably not hurt from the fall. My ball python likes to rest on my pony tail and one time he fell off. He wasn't very happy about it, but he was more scared than hurt. I am, however, concerned about your closet. I would take things out very carefully from the top and work your way down, trying not to pull out anything that would allow for a collapse of something near the bottom (think of it as advanced Jenga).

Snakes are notorious Houdini's. I'm guessing you have a screen top that sits instead of clicks. I would make the switch unless you can't find one that fits your terrarium, in which case I would advise a heavy towel on part of the screen; it will not only reduce your snake's chances of getting out, but also keep in heat and humidity during colder nights. If the extra heat and humidity becomes a problem, put heavy books on the sides or duct tape the sucker at night. MacGyver it in a way that suits your needs.

Hope this helps and good luck!

--WritersWays21

[Ginevive]

Escapes suck I have always known them to go to lower, tight places. One of mine escaped into our basement via a heating duct. I would be sure that there's no ductwork for the snake to get into, and go from there. Pretty unlikely in my book that the snake would be up on a high shelf. Your closet sounds like a great candidate for the snake being inside.. I always did a systematic search of my apartment when snakes would escape for me in the past. That was what led me to find one snake expired in my basement (it was winter; very devastating to me) and one coiled up, very much alive, inside the underpart of our living-room sofa.

I hope that you find your snake in unharmed condition.

[Quinnster]

*** UPDATE ***

So. Guess what? I got home today from work. And I happen to glance into my tank, and BAM. There he is. Half of his body is under the water bowl, and the other half (his head) is out in the open. I took out the water bowl and he completely made a burrow under the large water bowl.

I'm so glad he's okay. I made sure to secure his tank lid even more than it already was, so he doesn't even escape in the future.

Thank you all for the help. Thanks for taking the time to read this and help me out. I love you all <3

-Quinn

[Montypython696]

That's awesome! Glad he didn't actually get out! Mine has dug under the water bowl a few times, but I can normally tell when he does. Mainly because of the tilted water bowl and water everywhere.

[Ginevive]

Yay!!

[Luciferskeeper]

Glad your boy was ok!