Escape!

[kgrah1]

My snake got out the other night while I was asleep. I've searched and couldn't find her, so I laid down some plastic bags so I can hear her when she moves over them. I've set out water in the room her tank is in, and it's the only source I know of that she can reach by herself. Later tonight, I'm going to spread some baby powder on the floor so when she goes out to hunt(She usually eats every four-five days, it's been a week), I can see where she's going and hopefully follow the trail to her hideout. The only way for her to flee where I can't follow is in a crawlspace under the bathtub, which I've blocked off. Is there anything else I need to do? Do balls have a homing instinct that would draw them back to the tank? She is only ever fed in her tank.

[DVirginiana]

First off, use something like flour or cornstarch. Baby powder has a smell to it that might discourage her from crawling through it and defeat the purpose.
Are you ABSOLUTELY sure she isn't in that crawlspace right now? If she is, you don't want to block it off and trap her in.

If you have a heat pad or lamp that you could place so that it warms an area of the floor near the tank, that would be a good idea. Also maybe getting a handful of her bedding so it has the smell she's used to. Keep the water near that. Also, thaw out a feeder and put it under the lamp as well. If she's hungry there's a good chance she'll smell it and come looking.

I might pick up the trashbags... I just have a feeling that could freak her out and cause her not to go near them. Most trashbags have a really mild perfume to them in addition to having a bizarre texture that the snake would find off-putting.

Also, when you put down the flour/cornstarch, keep in mind that they generally won't go out in the open, but prefer to crawl along baseboards and walls. Additionally, they generally will hide VERY close to the location of escape. That might help you narrow down where she's at.

Lastly, how are you securing your enclosure? Once you find her, it'll be important to make sure she doesn't get out again.

[Monty's_Mom]

Look behind the fridge, some threads about escaped snakes are found there because it is warm there. If you have a separate freezer, same idea. Perhaps around the hot water tank if you have one too.

[KitaCat]

If you have base board heaters, check those as well.

I hope you find her!

[kgrah1]

I was told that the plastic bags(the generic 'THANKYOU' ones you get at the grocery store) were as close to a humane trap as you could get for snakes, as the noise would alert you. The snake, lacking ears, would have no reason to find the noise alarming. Supposedly. It's generally around 90ish degrees in this building in the summer, and we have no AC. The humidity's pretty bad too, so I'm honestly not sure what the appeal of a heat lamp would be for her in this weather. I have also been told to put her tank on the floor where she can find it(it's on top of a dresser) or leave a heat pad laying around to draw her in. I'll put some flour down instead of baby powder, I didn't know about the smell thing. She got out because I forgot to put the clips back on her lid after putting her back and going to bed, I don't think she's strong enough yet to break the clip on her own. She's barely a year old, and small at that. The heaters we have are crusty radiators which are secured to a wall, and have to be taken apart to be serviced.

I don't mean to sound like I'm shooting down suggestions on the pretense that I know better(I know very little and need help). I'm not very good at wording things.

I'll check the crawlspace as well as I can. I can only fit my arm and shoulder down the hole, so I'd need to rip out the bathtub and part of the wall if she's stuck down there.

Also, if I suspect she's in a room I can't search easily, would making the room excessively cold herd her out of it? My brother's room is across the hall. None of the lights work and the floor is splattered with urine. She's got shed skin stuck over her eyecaps, and I'd hate to force her to navigate something even my deadened nose has trouble with.

I really, really appreciate the help. Thank you.

[DVirginiana]

My main concern with the trashbags is the texture. My snakes get freaked out by the texture of certain types of carpet even and can be weird about going onto new surfaces, so I would worry that she'd just not touch the trashbags at all.

If you can make the area you think she's in cool and create a hotspot that might work. It doesn't have to be excessively cold or anything, just enough that she'd be drawn to the hotspot.