Lost baby python! I'm freaking out! Help!

[Khay]

Hey, it's only been a day. Don't be so hasty to think the worse, even if that is probably where your mind keeps jumping.

We had a snake escape in the store for over a year, and they found him (quite fat!) and happy down in the food bags in the basement, near the dehumidifiers. Snakes can get everywhere. You just need to take a step back, breathe, and slowly start your search. It's been over 24 hours, I believe? He could have moved locations by now, and he may not even be up in your attic.

I hope you find your snake!

[wolfy-hound]

Most of the time, BPs don't seem to move that far from the cage. Remember a baby ball can coil up into a tiny ball the size of a lime(smaller maybe!) so they will fit into cracks and crevices you wouldn't think of.

I doubt he's climbed up to the attic. Have you looked INSIDE all the shoes, behind all the books/dvds/tapes on any shelves, behind any shelving that's not built in, under and behind the fridge(you'll have to check underneath then pull it out carefully to check the back), under the stove, inside every cabinet(including IN all the pots, pans, tupperware, etc)...?

They will also climb up under inside furniture, so have you pulled all the couch cushions, turned over any recliners/chairs to check inside and underneath?

Please don't use a glue trap. Then you'd be posting how to treat a python who's had half it's skin ripped off.

[ReptileJenna]

Wow, thanks for all the replies.

Well, I literally have taken everything upstairs apart (shelves, drawers, etc), and I'm positive that this skin I found is his, which points to the attic, since there is a nice little hole that looks like snake heaven from the outside right next to where he shed, but once you go in it is nearly impossible to get out.

Also, the attic is naturally around 80 to 75 degrees, so he won't be cold. However, I definitely am worried about his lungs and the air in there. It honestly is not fun to breathe, and I didn't have to slither through it.

I'm going to go check the pinkie traps, and I'll consider putting down chicken broth if you guys think it has a chance of working.

I do not really know what he was being fed, because I bought him from a family who just had bought him as well. I think they were feeding him pinkies, and he was so tiny I can't imagine him eating anything bigger.

I feel so depressed about all this, and my other snakes are mad at me because I've been in their room with the light on all night.

Thanks everyone for your help.

[ReptileJenna]

UPDATE:
Checked the traps, and I haven't found any snake in them. The pinkies are still there as well.

I'll just have to keep watching.

[Khay]

You'll find him! I have my fingers crossed for you.

[dr del]

UPDATE:
Checked the traps, and I haven't found any snake in them. The pinkies are still there as well.

I'll just have to keep watching.

Please tell me you didn't take the idiotic advice about using glue traps?


dr del

[ReptileJenna]

Please tell me you didn't take the idiotic advice about using glue traps?


dr del

No, and I didn't really plan to once I thought about it. However, I thought I remember once reading about something that was safe for snakes and animals, so I was considering looking for it online to see if there was such a thing.

Now I know why people by Burmese Pythons and Boa Constrictors. You have a better chance of finding if it gets out and they are two fat for a minuscule hole in the wall or to slide under doors.

[Inarikins]

Please tell me you didn't take the idiotic advice about using glue traps?


dr del

There was a link to a topic about non-sticky snake traps that look like they would work really well. I think it was on page 2 or 3.

[jbean7916]

UPDATE:
Checked the traps, and I haven't found any snake in them. The pinkies are still there as well.

I'll just have to keep watching.

Pinkie rats or pinkie mice? A mouse that small might not even catch his eye. they are too small for even hatching ball pythons.

sent from my EVO

[Jazi]

Also temember that balls are shy, nocturnal creatures attracted to tight warm places. If you have the traps out in the open (of the attic) and it's still daylight, he could very well have decided the food is too exposed to be tempting and gone to find somewhere else to curl up instead. Make sure the traps are somewhere you can find/get them but also not in the middle of an open space where he wouldn't want to go. If you have heat sources, traps near those will likely attract him better.

I dunno the risk for leaving bps out, but when I had rodents that got loose I checked every hour and very rarely found them farther than under the radiator next to the cage. If you don't have any animals that will eat a bp and there's not as much risk of electricution/them hurting themselves as is for rodents, then you might be able to wait until night or even next morning, though I'll leave that up to the more expierenced bp owners to tell you.

If you really want to be thourough (and messy), you can put down a bit of flour in places he's likely to be. If you find slither marks, you'll have a better idea of where he is. That you can definitely leave until the next morning to check since he's going to be active mainly at night. Remember he's probably startled to find himself suddenly out of his cage that was fine tuned to his needs and is likely to be looking for a good replica. :3