Escapee Reptiles

[DeadCricket]

There was an idea to have a sticky on this topic and I think its a great idea! Whilst I know that my beloved python should eventually show up, I can't help but worry every night when there is no sign of him.

It would be great if people could post about where they found their reptiles so we can get a good list of places to look.

A few places I've heard of;

In the hood of their tank
Underneath their enclosure
Wrapped arround curtain rods
Behind drawers (how they get there is beyond me)
Wrapped around clothes hangers or on the rail in the cupboard
Between anything and the wall
Behind washing machines/dryers
In laundry baskets
On a bookshelf
Inside books (saw this one but no idea how it happened)
Behind couch cushions
Near another enclosure (especially that is warm on the outside)
On top of electrical equipment (dvd players or anything that gives off heat)

Some good tips for finding them;
Flour across doorways overnight so you can see if they crossed
Providing a heated hide on the floor
Live food in a cage
Plastic bags along the walls so you can hear any movement
Checking everything! Even if you don't think they could get in there
Rechecking the same spots, especially overnight as they are likely to move
Heating up the whole area to make them more active.

Please add to this guys and gals. I've yet to find my python even after trying a lot of this.

 

[snakes123]

My wheeleri was under my draws. He was just watching me look for him but I'm lucky I found him. Good luck with yours!

 

[JEMMI]

Turn the heater on and warm up your house at night then turn off all the lights and walk around with a torch.

 

[mattyg]

in my tool box

 

[longqi]

If the snake is a decent size and your dog is pretty quiet, it might be in the kennel digesting

 

[DeadCricket]

My dog is a bull mastif/bull arab and the snake is a spotted python, so maybe the other way around

 

[longqi]

On a more serious note

Most Fox Terriers seem to hate reptiles
They will often actively track them to kill them

Put a foxie on a lead and let it find the missing snake
Just be pretty quick if it finds it and get the foxie away

 

[HonestPirate]

Unless it's a scrubby you've lost in which case you might wanna rethink sending out the yapyap and borrowing a friend's Saint Bernard.

 

[DeadCricket]

Unfortunately it wen't missing in my room which contains several other reptiles. The poor foxie might have a heart attack with all the scents

 

[leamos]

best way to catch an escapee to the build a simply trap. All you need is a large storage tub, pvc pipe with 'scupper' fitting (spring loaded flap), smaller container setup for a rat or mouse that will fit inside the storage tub, and finally a small heat mat.

 

[DeadCricket]

How do you use the spring loaded flap? Hook it open or let them push in it but can't get out?

 

[mysnakesau]

Sorry if already mentioned, but these are places I have found my escapees...

Underneath DVD player - yes very squashy but he got in there.
Inside sub woofer speaker box
Showed up on top of stove after cooking lunch in oven - Check stove and oven before turning on. I was lucky.
Under the fridge.
Coiled up nice and tight & comfy around the cord where it comes out my incubator.
Inside daughter's wardrobe

Don't forget to look UP
On top of book case
Squashed in on top of books
On top of TV Unit.
Window Sill

Just a couple pics to show..

I always plant non-breakable, light-weight stuff up high. They are easily heard, when knocked down during the night.

 

[Hoges]

I lost my childreni a week ago. I fell asleep with the door open waiting for his dinner to thaw, woke up hours later, remodeled the whole unit looking for him. Just when i gave up and cracked a beer i heard him, he had got up into the fluro light above the reflector and was stuck trying to get back out. I had to pull the light apart to free him. The light hadn't been on and wasn't warm, crazy little fella.

 

[Bluetonguesblack]

A woman i know lost her large diamond cos her son left her bedroom door open after a visit. The snake had the run of the room most of the time. Well it was found a few days later about 30klms away at the sons home on top of the spare wheel of his ute, apparently caused a little bit of a scene when it was seen hanging its down allowing it to be seen by all.

 

[mungus]

It would be a classic photo if the snake decided it needed a toilet pit stop in the middle photo over the books

 

[spyder6052]

my coastal often goes "wandering" through the house ( must get around to making a door for her enclosure ) luckily she is too big to not be noticed, like mysnakesau i have founder in a cd/bookcase, wrapped around my computer(used all the cables to shed on) under the couch, under a whole heap of crap in the dining room and in the laundry cupboard

 

[JackTar]

I had an escaped Juvi water python just last week, I turned the room he was in upside down and could not find him. I then searched the rest of the house to no avail, I am away for work during the week and on Tuesday my wife rang me and told me she could see it above some sliding doors which seperate that room from the rest of the house I told her how to try an get it out but it got away and hid in the wall cavity.

On Thursday (my wifes ritual cleaning night) she was cleaning the main bathroom and she picked up a shower cap which she thought had water in it and was going to tip it out, well as you can imagine not water but a water python. Very lucky.

 

[Sarah11]

Hey i was the one with the lost python in the book!! it was a very small childreni...only a couple of months old and the book was on the shelf slightly open...quite an amusing sight

 

[mysnakesau]

...... luckily she is too big to not be noticed,....

Don't fall into false sense of security due to their size. I lost a 6ft python two years ago and haven't seen him since. They find a way to the outside world, chances are you won't see them again.

But of course, there is also that strong possibility they don't go un-noticed. My 9ft olive python learnt to open her door and got out twice in one night before I realised I didn't leave the door open - she opened it by pushing against the glass with her nose till it slid open. In fact three of my bigger pythons learnt how to open doors so have to keep locks on them. Stella (olive) was too big to sneak around the bar stools and we heard something dragging them about in the kitchen. My female intergrade always heads upwards and knocks things down, and same with intergrade gentleman. Wolley however, wasn't a little python yet he is gone forever.

 

[dannyoxford1994]

A while back my female baby coastal got out i found her in my fire place lucky there was no fire