Missing snake

[Aussielostegypt]

I think I'm going mad!

One of my Bredlis is missing.

I have two young ones who have been housed together since I got them in November. Yesterday, I took them out, separately, to give them some sun.

I know the glass, sliding doors were shut, as they were when I just went to say hi to the snakes. I recall one being in the enclosure when I put the second one back in, yesterday. There has never been a problem with them and they were often curled up sleeping together. They were the same size and length.

I live alone and no one has been in the house, since I had them out, yesterday.

So, my question here is could one have eaten the other. The one in the enclosure is sluggish like he has a full tummy. He feels fatter, but I could be imagining it.

God I hope I'm wrong and it pops it's little head up from somewhere, tonight.

 

[anna.jc]

oh no! I don't know anything about Bredli's but I hope he pops up somewhere!! (hopefully not out the other end of the other snake)

 

[dragonlover1]

I think I'm going mad!

One of my Bredlis is missing.

I have two young ones who have been housed together since I got them in November. Yesterday, I took them out, separately, to give them some sun.

I know the glass, sliding doors were shut, as they were when I just went to say hi to the snakes. I recall one being in the enclosure when I put the second one back in, yesterday. There has never been a problem with them and they were often curled up sleeping together. They were the same size and length.

I live alone and no one has been in the house, since I had them out, yesterday.

So, my question here is could one have eaten the other. The one in the enclosure is sluggish like he has a full tummy. He feels fatter, but I could be imagining it.

God I hope I'm wrong and it pops it's little head up from somewhere, tonight.

They're good at hiding I hope you find it soon

 

[Raymonde]

tips i have read elsewhere on the forum:
- Check the enclosure super thoroughly, they are really good at hiding
- Put flour on the floor in doors and places like that so you can see when it moves between rooms
- Put out a heat mat with a hide somewhere near where the snake was last seen
- Check under/in things that generate heat near the enclosure
- look for hidey holes near the enclosure, as sometimes they don't go very far
- turn off the lights for an hour or two then come back and see if you can find it exploring

i have read that snakes are know to eat each other if housed together which is why most people house their snakes separately (except when breeding), so it is possible that one ate the other...

But lets hope for the best that it got out and is hiding near by...

good luck, i hope you find it

 

[Aussielostegypt]

Thanks for the advice. I put it's hidey on the floor in front of the enclosure. I know it couldn't have got out, though, guess I just wanted to be assured that the little bloke didn't eat his sister. Just wishful thinking I know. There is no place for it to hide in the enclosure, I'm afraid.

 

[Darlyn]

If that's what has happened, bad luck.
How long since they were fed?

 

[Aussielostegypt]

I feed them once a week - due tomorrow - and they are growing well and shedding regularly.

I don't see it as bad luck, I see it as being sad. I was very fond of both of them.

 

[longqi]

how big are they?? how big is their food item? If they are of similar size it would be rare for them to eat each other if they are of similar size and one had eaten the other it wouldnt look a bit lethargic and a bit fat it would look nearly grotesque with a huge bulge in the stomach area

 

[PythonLegs]

Good news that they're due a feed. Best bet is a box with one small hole, just big enough for the snake to get in, with food inside, on a heat mat, on the floor.
As longqi said, doubtful that a bredli would eat another of similar size.

Different story if it was aspidites, though.

 

[Aussielostegypt]

The more I think about it the only explanation can be the the lad has devoured his sister. The enclosure was closed and they couldn't have slid the glass doors. I'm not going mad, they were both in there yesterday afternoon. They were exactly the same size and the only way to tell them apart was that one was a bit lighter than the other. It's the girl who's missing. Guess I'll just have to wait until the bugger excretes to be sure.

 

[Sutto82]

So is the male looking bigger in size? Fatter than usual?

 

[Aussielostegypt]

I think so, but not just in a lump like when they first eat a mouse.

 

[Darlyn]

If the male has eaten it's sister then it has ingested something of it's own size, surely it would
make a huge difference to it's appearance?

 

[PythonLegs]

If it had eaten a meal as big as itself, you'd know. Back to the drawing board.

 

[Bel03]

Can you post a pic.......maybe that will help to at least hopefully rule out.....that

 

[Aussielostegypt]

Thought I best eat humble pie and let you know that the escapee turned up two days later, on the kitchen window sill. Thank god for flyscreens. How she got free will remain a mystery and I will worry for some time to come about my mental state at the time. Meanwhile, I have learned from the experiece and I'm very aware of how I close doors on the three enclosures I have and whether all occupants can be seen as I'm closing them. Thank you all for your suggestions and confidence in the little bloke who I had suspected of eating his sister.

 

[Manda1032]

The more I think about it the only explanation can be the the lad has devoured his sister. The enclosure was closed and they couldn't have slid the glass doors. I'm not going mad, they were both in there yesterday afternoon. They were exactly the same size and the only way to tell them apart was that one was a bit lighter than the other. It's the girl who's missing. Guess I'll just have to wait until the bugger excretes to be sure.

Are you honestly 100% sure it cannot open the door because you have a lock or something in place. I say this because I have 2 snakes who can most definately open their doors. I have seen them! does the enclosure have openings for cords? are those openings blocked?

 

[Darlyn]

Hooray, excellent outcome!

 

[Aussielostegypt]

It has two glass sliding doors and there is no way they could get them open. No other holes for them to escape from. I had to have left one of the doors open a bit when I took the second one outside for some sun. I can't remember the door being open when I came to put it back in and I could have sworn that I saw the other in there when I set the one I'd taken outside back into the enclosure. I am just going to have to put it down to one of those moments that happen in our old age. It will not happen again, to be sure. Or if it does I won't be telling anyone.

 

[Manda1032]

like I said are you sure? Ophi my childreni knows exactly how to open a sliding glass door! and he always goes back to it and tries to open it every time!