After providing what we thought was a perfect home for Felix, he escaped 2 days ago while we were out. Unfortunately, since he was up all morning with us, we thought he was just in his hide, then noticed during a misting the corner of the screen was popped up just over his tree branch!
Still can't figure out HOW on earth he popped all the clips, but after the things I read in these forums, it's not at all impossible...in fact, surprised he didn't do it sooner.
So I panicked & lifted his hides = nothing.
By that time he was about 8 hours gone and we tore the room apart on our hands & knees searching.
He's 7 months old, about 2 feet long.
Over the last 2 days, we've:
put flour on floor looking for tracks
put his old UTH on floor with his favorite hide over top (1st night)
Have his 2 heat lamps aimed at hides on the floor 24/7
Second night, added a thawed mouse to it
Have 2 other mice set up in boxes to lure him out to the smell..
Have a "snake trap" set up with a mouse in the bottle, big enough for him to get in but not out...they're not even moved (have these on plastic, too so we can hear)
(he refused his last meal, so he's going on 2 weeks w/o food now)
On top of all the mice, I dragged one along the baseboards & doorways to lure him to the food (trap)
put plastic shopping bags down everywhere, listening
Up many, many times in the night searching floor with flashlights...
tried to search one room at a time, then close it off & start again.
We live in a basement apt. & promised the people upstairs he'd NEVER escape, so they don't even know yet. It's unlikely that he actually went UP the stairs, right? We have the area where his tank was pretty stifling warm (for humans) but perfect for him...
We haven't tried laying out the water with flour on the pan next to it, or using pennies on the carpet or strips of (not too sticky) tape, but I suppose that's next.
I am starting to panic becasue if he's squeezed in somewhere cold, it's waay too cold down here for him....AND he'll be going blue soon, then "hibernating" for the next week or so while in shed...We HAVE to find him today! Or he'll end up pretty sick or even worse...and then we'll be smelling for him instead of looking.
On top of ALL of this, our apartment will be ready within a month or so & we HAVE to find him before we move!
Anything to try that we haven't tried yet? Is there ANYONE here around North Providence who could actually help us out? (worth a shot, right?)