Has this ever happened to anyone?

[Shanna]

Has this ever happened to anyone?

I had a jailbreak yesterday.

One of my BPs, a big normal 6 year old girl (the second BP I purchased as a baby in my 15 and growing collection) escaped her rack. I have her in a 41 quart Reptile Basics rack, with the little plastic peg stoppers. She must've got her nose through and forced her body out. I found the bent plastic peg stopper in front of her rack. She then traveled across the room to my Animal Plastics rack, climbs 5 shelves, goes behind the the tub with my Pastel Mystic Potion in it and pushes it open! Perhaps, it was the other ways around, but my AP rack drawers are pretty snug.

This is the only thing that makes sense. I didn't forget to close any drawers. My reptiles have their own room. I own a cat and dog, and that is one of my fears, that a snake would get out and one of my fur babies would get him/her.

This happened in a 10 hour window, I was in my Lady Cave the night before. I was completely confused when I went into the room, and found the drawers open. I found her sitting on the heat tape, behind the tubs, a shelf higher in the AP rack. She had pushed open two 15 quart tubs. I found the male on the heat tape in her in her drawer, behind her tub.

I really am not ready to start the breeding and I hope there wasn't a lock. I have a Pastel male (my first BP) in the same rack as her and a Super Enchi male in on the 3rd shelf from the bottom that she passed to get to the Pastel Mystic Potion! At least she has good taste!

I wonder in Reptile Basics would give me a good deal on a baby rack and heat tape to attempt to build an incubator in case I need it! But, I really hope I don't need it, at least for a few more years!

the culprit


her Boo


her rack


her rack now


his rack


the odds

[Stewart_Reptiles]

Nothing likely happened, even if it did it usually takes more than one time and more specifically being introduce at the right time for something to happen.

[butterballpython]

Without derailing this thread, I'd sure like to know about the frequency of escapes from these racks because I've been looking at racks and want something escape proof.

You're right, she does have good taste in males. You'll probably want to keep an eye on her girth, just in case.

[Shanna]

That's music to my ears, Deborah! I enjoy keeping my BPs and boas. I'm not at the point in the hobby where I'm interested in breeding yet, not sure if I'll every get to that point.

Is there anything else I could do, besides shoving a few CDs between the tub and shelf, to help prevent future escapes? I just about had a heart attack yesterday morning!

[Trisnake]

What an entertaining read LOL. I'm glad you didn't lose any of your snakes during the whole debacle. Make sure to post an update if she does wind up preggos

[redshepherd]

Without derailing this thread, I'd sure like to know about the frequency of escapes from these racks because I've been looking at racks and want something escape proof.

You're right, she does have good taste in males. You'll probably want to keep an eye on her girth, just in case.

Same, now I'm curious how often a ball can escape a rack.. I thought those were 100% escape proof. :o

[Stewart_Reptiles]

Is there anything else I could do, besides shoving a few CDs between the tub and shelf, to help prevent future escapes? I just about had a heart attack yesterday morning!

Same, now I'm curious how often a ball can escape a rack.. I thought those were 100% escape proof. :o

In 10 years none of my animals have push out their tub and escape not even my big 3500 or 4000 grams females.
I have AP racks and C-Serpents Rack.

Now one day (I was sick) and I forgot to close a tub and the female went and hide behind another tub pushing it out but that was my fault not a rack design issue.

So yeah 10 years and no escape at least it's been my experience. If the rack is well built there is no huge gap and you close your tub right there should not be any possibility that an animal escape.

Now there are people putting a bar or some type of pin in front of the tubs but I never felt a need for it.

[Shanna]

In 10 years none of my animals have push out their tub and escape not even my big 3500 or 4000 grams females.
I have AP racks and C-Serpents Rack.

Now there are people putting a bar or some type of pin in front of the tubs but I never felt a need for it.

I might try the bar if this happens again (the CDs are keeping her bin very snug) or move her to a tank with a sliding lock lid. I've kept most of my animals in racks, since 2010 and have never had this happen. I've only ever had one other jailbreak and that was over 6 years ago when my daughter forgot to lock the ExoTerra on her Kingsnake's tank.

Yep, I'll update if I end up with a clutch. I really hope I don't. *fingers crossed*