Lost Ball Python

[dragonkittymeowr]

I had my ball python out on the ground and she crawled under a blanket on the ground. I thought she would reappear but she didn't and now she is gone. (This happened yesterday.)

There is no gap under the door so she would not be able to slither out. There is a gap under the closet door.

I am afraid she went into the heater, but I do not see her. (It is difficult to search inside the heater, but I have opened the front panel.) I am not sure if I hear her slithering or it is just air moving. I am going to remove the duct cover to be sure, but I do not think there is a hole, it just covers pipes that go through the wall.

I have systematically began moving things out of my room. (Like very thoroughly looking in boxes, collapsing them. Throwing out old papers, nothing that a ball python could really hide inside.

She is kind of small (maybe 1.5 feet and 5 months old? I never measured her).

Can ball pythons get stuck? I thought she would reappear since it is her feeding day and she is not old enough to have that much fat stored. The only place I can think of is the heater.

Also do they end up inside trash cans? The only thing I threw out without checking was the trash, but I think I would have heard the crinkly bag sound if she went near the trash can.

I really want to find her because I am moving out in a month.

[Gc99]

Well, look even where you think there is no way she managed to get in, check under drawers, dark places and warm places. Keep us updated

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[dragonkittymeowr]

I just bought some tools and took apart the heating duct and she is inside, but I can't reach her. There are pipes parallel to the ground and she is underneath them.

[KWAddict]

I'm new to the hobby so this may not be the BEST idea but it's an idea none the less.

What do you think of using feeding tongs and luring her out? I know it's not good to handle them after they eat but it might be a way to get her out since it is feeding day.

Is there a potential for danger if she moved the opposite direction? Where exactly does this ductwork lead? Is there a sharp drop if she were to decide to venture further?


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[Gc99]

Good luck!

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[dragonkittymeowr]

Thanks for the reply, I made the spot a bit snake unfriendly (turned on a bright light and kept tapping it so she would move a bit on her own) and managed to move the insulation on the pipe up enough to gently pull her out.

She had a small wound on her head from rubbing too hard when shedding and it seems to have gotten a little bigger. Not sure if it happened when she squished herself into the heater or when I pulled her out.

I still have no idea if there is a hole near the wall. The duct sees to have not been open for a very very long time. (Everything was painted over and I spent some time scraping paint off to take off the bolts.) It is so disgusting inside that if there was a hole, it is covered up with grime and dust. But after I close up the duct, I am definitely taping up the small space at the bottom of the heater.

[KWAddict]

Glad the search and rescue mission was a success!

Speaking of search and rescue, I haven't heard anything about the Ocala Cobra lately.


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