Escape Artist

[MontyAndMelissa]

I've had Monty for almost a year now, I've had her hides the same for the last few months, and her ambient temp is 84 at night.

I am an insomniac who is desperately trying to correct the problem by forcing myself to sleep at a decent hour. It's 3am, and she is trying to get out of her tank. I can't sleep because I am deathly afraid that I will wake up in the morning to a missing snake. Her tank is secure, but in the back of my mind there is no such thing as secure enough. It's currently shut, with a seal, latched down, and has about 50 lbs of books on the lid.

Why is she trying so hard to escape? She usually comes out at night and adventures - I haven't been handling her as much lately because we are getting ready for a move and don't want to stress her out too much before the 7 hour drive. She was fed a large F/T rat on 2/12/15. So I know feeding time is coming up soon, but I wouldn't think she would be trying to get out that bad. She is pressing her nose fairly hard against the screen at the top (I have foil over the screen and I can hear it crinkle).

Help!

[DennisM]

?...Why is she trying so hard to escape?

it's what they do

[D1C]

get a lock and lock it.

[snake.named.fuzzy]

I worry about the same, hence why I check on Fuzzy a lot through out the day. I know that s/he can't get out but it helps to reassure myself.

Also, as mentioned, they always want to get out, like corn snakes. It's in their nature.

[MontyAndMelissa]

get a lock and lock it.

The only reason I refuse to lock my tank is because I live in California. If there is an earthquake and I need to move fast, I need to get her out.

[MontyAndMelissa]

Well, I fell asleep last night.. Er... This morning.... And woke up just now. She's asleep in her hide. Thank God.

[Reinz]

it's what they do

Yup!

[Nodnarb3do]

Yup!

I really like the mouse just hanging out in the corner.

[Reinz]

I really like the mouse just hanging out in the corner.

Haha, yeah, that was when I experimented with separate feeding enclosures for a few months.

I'm not a proponent.

[DVirginiana]

All snakes do that I think. I usually end up checking on mine to make sure everyone is closed in properly several times during the night; whenever I get up basically.
If you're sleeping in the same room as the snake tank, you could always put something small like a bell or something on the edge of the tank that would fall off or make noise should the snake actually be able to move the lid.