Escaped!

[jakebaker696]

Had a nightmare today, came home from work to find my Children's Python has escaped. It's about 9 months old, and when it was a bit smaller, it used to squeeze through the gaps between it's cage doors (sliding doors). I plugged the gap with folded tissue, it was a very tight fit & seemed to work well. Obviously there was an issue with what I could plug a door with as I need to be able to open the doors. Anyway, at some point between 9pm last night and 5pm today she seems to have pushed the tissue out and escaped. I've stripped the room down to the floorboards, carpet up & everything, but no luck. The door to "her room" was closed, but I figure if she can squeeze through the doors in her cage, chances are she can squeeze under the door to the room.

Now, I've set up a clickclack on the floor with water and a hide in it, no lid, and put the heatlamp next to it to give it some warmth. I plan to leave all the doors open within the house. She hasn't eaten for 3 weeks either so hopefully she'll be getting hungry, could I use this to my advantage by leaving a mouse out or anything?

Does anyone have any ideas/tips? I'm getting a bit anxious and desperate now. Thanks guys.

- - - Updated - - -

I'm not sure how I managed to put a smiley face in the post title but I don't seem able to remove it. I am definitely not smiling about this!

 

[Pythoninfinite]

OK, firstly, a heat lamp will deter your snake from coming out at night - total darkeness is what you want, and you need to wander the house with a torch once all lights are out. This is when it's likely to become most active. DO NOT leave all doors open, it is most likely still in the room where it's enclosure was, and you'll be much more likely to find it if you can keep it confined. CLOSE ALL doors, and pack the bottom of the doors to prevent the snake from wandering the house - there will be places it can go which will make it very difficult to retrieve.

Once you close the rooms off, and it has been dark for an hour or two, patrol each room with a torch and look carefully along skirtings, under beds, behind furniture etc. Do this about every half hour. Once the whole house is in darkness, follow this routine in the parts of the house that were lit prior to bedtime.

This is the most likely way you'll find it in the short term, but just be sure to watch where you step every step, more than one escapee has been pulped by a careless step...

Jamie

 

[Rowie]

If you have a heat mat, try putting that out with a hide on it. Maybe even try putting a rodent near or under it to lure her out.
Maybe even sprinkle some sand or powder around if you have tile or wood floors to see if you can find a slither trail if he moves over it. I'd also carefully check under the fridge or any warm appliance as well anywhere else small enough to crawl under such as bookshelves, couches, curtains etc.

 

[Albino93]

Being a 9 month old childrens python (very small), i reckon they could squeeze through/under anything. Even if it looks like nothing at all could squeeze through, check anyway. Id use the advice given above.
Good luck, hope u can find it.

 

[Schmubzle]

That happened to me too.
You have nothing to worry about
Your best bet is to make a bit of noise, as in push a few things around, then get rid of ALL noises (including any background noises like fridges etc) and listen. This happened with my diamond python. I found her by listening. you can sometimes hear their bodies against various objects.
If this doesn't work, get a big pack of like 10 pinky mice (cheap and they give off a good scent) and put them in various places where you think she could have hidden. If one disappears, you have narrowed the search right down! Good luck!!

 

[jakebaker696]

I checked last night, had all the lights off and went in every hour or so but no luck. Have the tank warm and open with a couple of dead mice in there to try and get her to come for food but no luck yet. Checked the fridge & washing machine but not there either.

Going to do an all nighter tonight to look for her, and will strip down the rooms near to the room she was in. Losing a bit of hope but I really want to find her, it's my first snake & I'd be gutted if she was gone for good. I'll keep you updated

 

[Justdragons]

some people have been known to find their python months later so dont stress to much yet.. goodluck.. did you try bit of light flour on the floors to see if she has moved around during the night? guess all those years of hide and seek as a kid are now coming in to play lol

 

[jakebaker696]

So I got home from work today & turned the air con on really cold to try & flush her out. Left it on for four hours & had another look around. She was just sat chilling on a shelf next to the TV in my room. The air con must have worked as she wasn't there before. It does seem that she can get under the doors though as both were closed & she was in a different room to her tank.

Found her now though, panic over. So relieved! Now just to work out how to effectively plug that gap between the tank doors...

Thanks for the help & ideas guys, much appreciated

 

[Gruni]

Go to your local aluminium and glass place and explain the situation I'm fairly sure they will have some product like a draft stopper that you could attach to the edge of one of the panes of glass.

 

[BIGBANG]

hey mate i use sticky back foam in between my glass doors on little snakes about 6mm thick and 10mm wide just sticks to one one the over lapping sides and pushes against the other, and allows the doors to slide freely still, and looks far better than tissues sticking out of your enclosure

 

[Rowie]

Great to hear you found him again! Bet that's a HUGE relief! Hopefully you'll find a solution for that gap so it won't happen again.

 

[Albino93]

Congrats on finding her, do u have a pic of the gap?, im a little curious to see it

 

[Stuart]

Have to love a good ending, congrats mate

 

[jakebaker696]

I don't no, will take one later if I remember, but its only about 1/3cm wide, 1/2cm tops. It's annoying because the reptile shop I got it from sold it as a children's python set up. Pretty irresponsible, surely they know that gap is escape-able?

 

[Gruni]

That sticky foam is your cheapest/easiest/quickest solution and if you do it properly it will look tidy.

 

[cathy1986]

I don't no, will take one later if I remember, but its only about 1/3cm wide, 1/2cm tops. It's annoying because the reptile shop I got it from sold it as a children's python set up. Pretty irresponsible, surely they know that gap is escape-able?

it would be fine for an adult snake

Cathy

 

[thesnakemaster]

Don't worry mate snakes are escape artists

 

[reb01]

Don't worry mate snakes are escape artists

Mainly due to our mistakes-leaving door open a little-not putting the lid on tub correctly etc...Best option as already explained,total darkness and check the rooms every hour or so,maybe even leave a mouse in the room it escaped from and with anyluck it may come out..

 

[Holly35]

Wow so glad you found her I have been in your shoes my corn snake woody when I first got him he was small good eater thank God!! he got out of his little cage I had for him I was so scared that my dogs would find him befor I would. Well I kept looking and I could not belive he was under my two other pillows that i had on my bed lol I glad I looked because I could have killed him by laying on my pillows. So yeah been thier and ya know I still don't know how he got up on my bed because my bed is kinda high so yeah makes me wonder to this day lol.

 

[jiemoulin]

I don't no, will take one later if I remember, but its only about 1/3cm wide, 1/2cm tops. It's annoying because the reptile shop I got it from sold it as a children's python set up. Pretty irresponsible, surely they know that gap is escape-able?

Glade to c u found him. ... Yes. I hav had my spotted get out took me. 3weeks of headakes. ,,, was just thinking aboutyour gap prob /// get some. Tubeing from the pet store. The type they use for the air stones in fish tanks. U can get differnt sizes. Cut it down middle. Nd sillican it on the glass or gap ..works for me. Nd can be removed. When not needed. And. U wouldnt know it was even there .... Cheers jEZzA...