The most hopeless escape case *ever*

[Salamander Rising]

The smart guy who fiddled with his locks finally did it.

He squeezed out of the gap he created some time between last and midnight tonight and I have hunted everywhere.

Here's the big problem; the house is a house log almost 300 years old, there are holes everywhere, 'false walls' where layers of clapboard and siding were added later in the history of the house and the bottoms of those additions are NOT sealed from the outside.

We have torn apart both rooms where the snakes are.

Upended fridges and stoves.

Took down a 'wet wall panel' and looked back in the plumbing space.

Gone down into the dirt dug Root Cellar Of Horror, just in case.

Looked in every box, piece of clothing, looked up, looked down, looked all over the other snakes' racks.

He's just nowhere to be seen.

He's a bright yellow Pastel almost 4 feet long and weighs over 1700 grams so we're not looking for a little camouflaged snake, here.

I've got a drinking bowl with flour around it.

Foil/plastic laid down does no good because I'm too hard of hearing to know if he goes over it.

I'm am just devastated.

This is my beloved 'lap snake' Alice who is like a dog with scales.

He's hopeless when it comes to being a 'real snake'.

I am going to leave out a dead mouse *but* he only eats his mice if they're very warm and won't touch them, cold.

I don't know what else to do but pray.

I could beat myself for leaving that one key in.

It's the one he 'picked' and that gave him a difficult but apparently doable way out of his tank/with Lucy lid.

If he's gotten into the walls and goes outside, would he venture into the open?

My dad or my neighbor will kill him on sight if he does.

[neither of them know I have snakes and they are SO phobic I'd rather not tell them to 'be on the lookout' unless you all think it's possible he'll surface outside in the open yards]

I hate myself.

[rebelrachel13]

Not your fault, it happens to the best of us. To err is human, to escape is snake.

But anyway, beating yourself up over it won't help you find him! Calm down, take a breath, listen. How long has he been missing? Make sure you look near his cage (I'm sure you did, but keep looking). Many escapes are found really close to the enclosure. When I first got my boa, she escaped and I tore apart the house for hours looking for her. She was behind the hood of the aquarium.

Good luck and keep us updated. Don't be too hard on yourself, or your house. I bet he'll turn up

[Salamander Rising]

Not your fault, it happens to the best of us. To err is human, to escape is snake.

But anyway, beating yourself up over it won't help you find him! Calm down, take a breath, listen. How long has he been missing? Make sure you look near his cage (I'm sure you did, but keep looking). Many escapes are found really close to the enclosure. When I first got my boa, she escaped and I tore apart the house for hours looking for her. She was behind the hood of the aquarium.

Good luck and keep us updated. Don't be too hard on yourself, or your house. I bet he'll turn up

Having read so many escape stories, the first place was everywhere near his house.

That was easy because his tank is on a table and it's easy to look under/around.

No snake....

Then the search went into a progressively wider sweep finally ending with the dragging and searching of appliances.

I'm terrified that the black rat snake who lives in the walls will get him before I do.

It's 4 feet long but very slim [sub adult] and I know they'll eat snakes even though Alice is *way* too big for him, theoretically.

I've never lost a pet before and the not knowing is killing me.

He could've gotten out anywhere between Thursday night and 5 hours ago.
I saw him lounging on his deck during that time span but cannot remember *when* exactly.

What's worse is that he's not a typical BP.
He's fearless and bold to the point of recklessness.
I can easily imagine him going off on a "big adventure" instead of freaking out and balling up somewhere "safe".

This is a waking nightmare.

What if he gets too cold to move and just lays somewhere and dies?

The nights are still really chilly, here.

[Sama]

You will shocked at the small spaces they will hide in. My sister's corn snake hid in a box of dog biscuits, not just in the box but under the treats, he is a fully grown orange corn snake and although we looked there we had no clue he was in the box. What we ended up doing was reading in the room his cage was in and eventually we heard the treats rattling and there he was, we actually had to dig in the box to see him.

[Kookie17]

Calm down, take a deep breath. Breathe in. Breathe out. Good.
Now, QUIETLY look in dark, small warm spaces. Look in shoes, (if he's 4 ft, not likely, but some boots are tall enough- if you're female.) Look in the spaces closest to his enclosure. Double check his enclosure. If it's cold where you are, shut the vents. that is a very likely place for him to go. Place a small, dark box or something similar big enough for him to fit in near a vent. Chances are, that's where he'll go. Making noise will not help you out, and it will only scare him more, making him retreat more. Once you've cleared a room, block it off (if possible) and move on. Make sure you check thoroughly. Don't think "this is to small a place" they can curl up really tight and fit in places you'd never imagine.
Don't leave any place unsearched. If he feeds live or fresh killed, make a trap so where the lid is a hinge and lets him in, but not out. (the opening flap will move inwards)
If you suspect he's in a room, move his enclosure in that room, lid off, and try to make the room slightly colder. The idea is, he will get cold, sense the heat, and retreat to his home. Maybe put flower around his enclosure, so that way, if he goes into it and comes out, you will at least know he was there. Check it at night, as ball pythons don't like bright lights. Maybe leave a food item in his enclosure to tempt him.
Sat up a trap? good. now search in closets and under beds. search in shoe boxes and storage bins. search in your clothes drawers. search in backpacks, purses and other bags.
Finish searching everywhere? Good. now take a well deserved break, and then start again. remember to be as quiet as possible. I know it is hard because you are panicking and upset and scared, but you can do it.
Depending on your living situation and your age, you may want to tell your dad about your snakes. Tell him that if he sees a snake, to not kill it, but to get you.
Most important, DON'T give up hope. It is possible he could turn up in a few months (let's hope it doesn't take that long). Ball pythons can go several weeks without food. As long as the temperature in your house doesn't get below 75, he should be fine. and remember to check small dark WARM places. Check behind the washer or dryer. Check under the sinks. Even check by the water heater and by the other snake enclosures. Any source of heat needs to be checked.
Good luck and I hope you find him soon.

P.S. I am glad i proof-read before posting, because I typed the "s" word instead of "shut the vents" whoops

[Salamander Rising]

Calm down, take a deep breath. Breathe in. Breathe out. Good.
Now, QUIETLY look in dark, small warm spaces. Look in shoes, (if he's 4 ft, not likely, but some boots are tall enough- if you're female.) Look in the spaces closest to his enclosure. Double check his enclosure. If it's cold where you are, shut the vents. that is a very likely place for him to go. Place a small, dark box or something similar big enough for him to fit in near a vent. Chances are, that's where he'll go. Making noise will not help you out, and it will only scare him more, making him retreat more. Once you've cleared a room, block it off (if possible) and move on. Make sure you check thoroughly. Don't think "this is to small a place" they can curl up really tight and fit in places you'd never imagine.
Don't leave any place unsearched. If he feeds live or fresh killed, make a trap so where the lid is a hinge and lets him in, but not out. (the opening flap will move inwards)
If you suspect he's in a room, move his enclosure in that room, lid off, and try to make the room slightly colder. The idea is, he will get cold, sense the heat, and retreat to his home. Maybe put flower around his enclosure, so that way, if he goes into it and comes out, you will at least know he was there. Check it at night, as ball pythons don't like bright lights. Maybe leave a food item in his enclosure to tempt him.
Sat up a trap? good. now search in closets and under beds. search in shoe boxes and storage bins. search in your clothes drawers. search in backpacks, purses and other bags.
Finish searching everywhere? Good. now take a well deserved break, and then start again. remember to be as quiet as possible. I know it is hard because you are panicking and upset and scared, but you can do it.
Depending on your living situation and your age, you may want to tell your dad about your snakes. Tell him that if he sees a snake, to not kill it, but to get you.
Most important, DON'T give up hope. It is possible he could turn up in a few months (let's hope it doesn't take that long). Ball pythons can go several weeks without food. As long as the temperature in your house doesn't get below 75, he should be fine. and remember to check small dark WARM places. Check behind the washer or dryer. Check under the sinks. Even check by the water heater and by the other snake enclosures. Any source of heat needs to be checked.
Good luck and I hope you find him soon.

P.S. I am glad i proof-read before posting, because I typed the "s" word instead of "shut the vents" whoops

This is a log house.
No vents anywhere.
We don't even have a furnace, just electric heat.

I can't get his tank down but I have a spare tank already wired for heat that I can put on the floor.

I don't know if a cold dead mouse will draw him, though.

He's pretty snotty about his food being very warm....

The kitchen/snake room adjoin and are separated by doors from everywhere else.

The steps to the upstairs are what scare me.

He's not a good climber, especially on slippery surfaces and the very old steps are worn smooth and shiny from hundreds of years of use so I don't think he went up the steps but worry he did.

If he got upstairs into the storage rooms, it's a lost cause.

Houses this old had no closets whatsoever and everything we own is in stacked up storage tubs and boxes.

There are several dressers up there but that's it.

Two large rooms are nearly impassable because we store everything up there.

If he did it's not hard to get into the attic and then all bets are off.

It's an archaeological dig up there.

300 years of families stuffing things up there and it's never been cleaned out.

I don't even go up there because the floors have 'surprise' broken boards and holes and wasps galore.

There are 12 rooms of "" in this place.

I have ripped everything apart twice already and need to rest.

I'm currently dealing with mercury poisoning and feel very, very ill and weak.

I need to rest some or I'll end up in the ER.

I still hate myself.

[Salamander Rising]

You will shocked at the small spaces they will hide in. My sister's corn snake hid in a box of dog biscuits, not just in the box but under the treats, he is a fully grown orange corn snake and although we looked there we had no clue he was in the box. What we ended up doing was reading in the room his cage was in and eventually we heard the treats rattling and there he was, we actually had to dig in the box to see him.

He can *just barely* stuff himself into a PetCo large "rock cave" so I know pretty much his limits if he's balled up.
He's pretty beefy.

Flattened out, I don't know.

[Salamander Rising]

Calm down, take a deep breath. Breathe in. Breathe out. Good.
Now, QUIETLY look in dark, small warm spaces. Look in shoes, (if he's 4 ft, not likely, but some boots are tall enough- if you're female.) Look in the spaces closest to his enclosure. Double check his enclosure. If it's cold where you are, shut the vents. that is a very likely place for him to go. Place a small, dark box or something similar big enough for him to fit in near a vent. Chances are, that's where he'll go. Making noise will not help you out, and it will only scare him more, making him retreat more. Once you've cleared a room, block it off (if possible) and move on. Make sure you check thoroughly. Don't think "this is to small a place" they can curl up really tight and fit in places you'd never imagine.
Don't leave any place unsearched. If he feeds live or fresh killed, make a trap so where the lid is a hinge and lets him in, but not out. (the opening flap will move inwards)
If you suspect he's in a room, move his enclosure in that room, lid off, and try to make the room slightly colder. The idea is, he will get cold, sense the heat, and retreat to his home. Maybe put flower around his enclosure, so that way, if he goes into it and comes out, you will at least know he was there. Check it at night, as ball pythons don't like bright lights. Maybe leave a food item in his enclosure to tempt him.
Sat up a trap? good. now search in closets and under beds. search in shoe boxes and storage bins. search in your clothes drawers. search in backpacks, purses and other bags.
Finish searching everywhere? Good. now take a well deserved break, and then start again. remember to be as quiet as possible. I know it is hard because you are panicking and upset and scared, but you can do it.
Depending on your living situation and your age, you may want to tell your dad about your snakes. Tell him that if he sees a snake, to not kill it, but to get you.
Most important, DON'T give up hope. It is possible he could turn up in a few months (let's hope it doesn't take that long). Ball pythons can go several weeks without food. As long as the temperature in your house doesn't get below 75, he should be fine. and remember to check small dark WARM places. Check behind the washer or dryer. Check under the sinks. Even check by the water heater and by the other snake enclosures. Any source of heat needs to be checked.
Good luck and I hope you find him soon.

P.S. I am glad i proof-read before posting, because I typed the "s" word instead of "shut the vents" whoops

P.S....even though I'm 50, my dad owns this house and is the most snake hating person you'll ever meet.
He kills all snakes, no matter type or size.
If I tell him I have snakes in here, I'm not entirely sure I won't wind up homeless.
They already think I'm "weird" because I love furry animals.
Scaly ones would put my parents right over the edge, I fear.

I know it's pathetic to be this old and still under his thumb but he set it up this way back when I had no choice but to accept the offer of the house that went with the mountain property he'd bought.

If I had to do it over again, I'd have said no but 22 years later, everything we own is here, including a very expensive machine shop hubby built.

I can't afford to get kicked out just because he's phobic.

[Salamander Rising]

If there's any "pet psychics" on BP, this is the boy I'm looking for:



[trying everything!]

[rlditmars]

You might want to try putting a heating pad like you would use for your back on the floor with some flour around it and putting a mouse on it. You would be amazed at how well a python can scent food. If he doesn't pick it up then swap it out daily so as not to get too bad. Make certain to put the setting low enough that if he does come out and lay on it, it wont burn him.

When I was just a lad I had a retic go missing for weeks. Mom was so happy when he turned up in her closet one morning. Yikes!

Best of luck finding Alice. BTW, a male named Alice, anything to do with "The Coop"?