Escaped baby Kingsnake! Help!

[Turds1987]

Hi all! New snake owner and new to this forum. My young california kingsnake (4-5 months old) got out of her tank last night. It's a 10 gallon tank with clips on the lid, but I guess she managed to push through. I took out her hides, took out her bedding as well, and pretty much confirmed she's no longer there. She's about 16 inches long if I had to guess.

I keep her in the living room of my apartment, so there's so many places she could be hiding! We emptied the closet, took the cushions off the mattress, looked behind the fridge; we had no luck finding her.

Any advice on how to lure her out? I left her heat lamp on all night near where her tank is in the hopes she'd be looking for heat, but she didn't show up.

[millertime89]

http://i.imgur.com/b2UZDEN.png

[reptiledude987]

They usually dont go too far but can tuck themselves into some really tiny spaces. just keep looking. Good luck!

[elkied243]

Maybe place a pinkie in the heat area to lure her out? But don't leave it there too long...they tend to rot very quickly. I read somewhere else to make every where else in the house as cold as possible with the exception of the one heated area which you already have.

I used to put flour along the walls in hopes of getting some tracks, along with tape (sticky side up). Good luck :)

[Albert Clark]

Stay calm and look in all the places you don't think she could be. She is so tiny that she could be anywhere. Do you have any other pets like cats or dogs? If so, be aware that they may find her before you do. Be careful and good luck!

[reptiledude987]

Maybe place a pinkie in the heat area to lure her out? But don't leave it there too long...they tend to rot very quickly. I read somewhere else to make every where else in the house as cold as possible with the exception of the one heated area which you already have.

I used to put flour along the walls in hopes of getting some tracks, along with tape (sticky side up). Good luck :)
DO NOT USE TAPE!! If it does go over the tape removing it will give you a whole new set of problems. What if it got on the tape rolled and got tape on its eyes? It could loose an eye removing the tape! the other tips and tricks listed here are all good just please NO TAPE.

[elkied243]

Well I only used very small pieces to see if they were moved, nothing heavy duty never thought it'd do any harm but you're probably right. Good to know

[Bloutitt]

Ive had this happen I create a couple "hot spots" throughout the house and keep the rest of my house cool :D Dont worry im sure you will find her! Goodluck and keep us posted!

[bigsnakegirl785]

The only two escapes I've had I found my snakes pretty quickly (within 20 minutes), even the tiny garter, by being very very thorough in my search. When the ball escaped, he was curled up under the TV. The garter was under a guitar case. Neither of them were found in warm spots, just dark and enclosed.

I've also heard of people finding their snake in their guitar (which was standing upright on a stand).

Lift everything you see, look inside everything. Get a flashlight and shine it in crevices, but be careful when lifting heavy things so that you don't squish it.

[Turds1987]

Hi all,

There was a mistake in my first post, she's actually been missing for 3-4 days. We were out of town so there's no way to tell when she actually got out, which makes me worry that she had more time to get somewhere further away.

We carefully searched through every crack and crevice of our living room, and we're going to check the bedroom/closet tonight. There are just so many places she could be!

I set up a 'hot spot' with her hides and a pinkie last night, along with sprinkling some flour around the floor to try and track her. Unfortunately, this morning there was still no sign of her :(

We're being hopeful that she turns up eventually, but it's just so stressful!

[Bloutitt]

Hi all,

There was a mistake in my first post, she's actually been missing for 3-4 days. We were out of town so there's no way to tell when she actually got out, which makes me worry that she had more time to get somewhere further away.

We carefully searched through every crack and crevice of our living room, and we're going to check the bedroom/closet tonight. There are just so many places she could be!

I set up a 'hot spot' with her hides and a pinkie last night, along with sprinkling some flour around the floor to try and track her. Unfortunately, this morning there was still no sign of her :(

We're being hopeful that she turns up eventually, but it's just so stressful!

Good place to check is furnace registers also!

Cheers hopefully she will come back dont give up!

[bigsnakegirl785]

Maybe try heating up the pinkie so that the smell permeates the house? Not enough to cook it in case she eats it while you're not looking, but enough that she could smell it throughout the house. And set several in different places with differing amounts of smell so you don't confuse her too much.

[Turds1987]

UPDATE:
It's been about a week and a half and I still haven't found her. BUT there has been a breakthrough. We've been leaving flour sprinkled around the tile in our apartment, and yesterday we finally saw snake tracks! It looks like she's around the kitchen area. We couldn't find her behind the fridge, but there's a lot of other places we can't get to that she might be hiding (like behind the stove or dishwasher). Tonight I'll rub a pinkie around the surfaces in the kitchen to try and lure her out. I'm just relieved that it's now likely she's still in the apartment. Hopefully I can get her sometime soon!

[reptiledude987]

Youre on the right track! Good luck I hope you find her soon.

[Rattlehead]

Nice! It's just matter of time man, good luck

[nyjon]

tie a pinky to a chair or a cabinet handle using string. hopefully it comes out to eat.

i lost my mbk for 6 months during most of the brutal winter here in new york. i found her in front of my driveway around april. they are pretty durable so dont give up hope. just be weary when moving furniture around to look for your snake, and keep the food coming. they have to come out to eat sooner or later :)

having said that, i had my mbk in a 10 gal fish tank also. after i got her back, i went with a sterilite tub, 4 top hinges :)

[REM955]

I saw another suggestion being posted earlier that I thought was pretty interesting.
Take a pinky and put it in a clean soda/pop bottle with the top open.
After eating it, she won't be able to squeeze out. =)

[Princess-dad]

I have seen a version of the soda bottle trap with a little twist on just a bottle . Take a two liter bottle cut the top off at the point were the bottle becomes consistent in size , taje the top part of the bottle you removed invert it put it back in the bottom of the bottle with the removed top now inside the bottle tape the bottle back together add small air holes insert food item and wait . The thinking was , I guess is that the snake will easily climb in but finding its way out especially if it eats is harder because of the lid hole now being inside the bottle . Please forgive my drawing skills .

[jossh27]

p-d i tried to figure out what was going on in that picture before reading your instructions and i was completely goosed. lol makes complete sense after reading what you wrote. good work

[Princess-dad]

p-d i tried to figure out what was going on in that picture before reading your instructions and i was completely goosed. lol makes complete sense after reading what you wrote. good work

Yep Rembrandt I am not . lol I should of gotten one of the many 2 litres I have not recycled yet and made a proper example . I got lazy I guess .

[sophiedufort]

I lose a snake every few days. They are masters at escaping and hiding in the weirdest places. They never go far from their original location. As some other members say, they will look for enclosed, dark spaces. I no longer go crazy and turn the room upside down, like I did when it first happened. What I do instead, I place purses and backpacks all around the room, unzipped. The next morning, it is almost guaranteed to find the lost snake in one of them. At night, they come out of their temporary hide and explore, get tired and go to sleep in a backpack or purse compartment.
A little snake will find the weirdest places to hide in. My 6 weeks old banana ball escaped yesterday. He just traveled fifteen inches, and got into an impossibly narrow place. I have a tall TV stand with drawers at the bottom and front doors at the top, that I keep open. The doors slide inside the piece of furniture when opened, and there is barely a quarter of an inch distance between the side wall and the door. That's where my baby went. He slid in there, and was happily going up and down in between the wall and the door, the narrowness of the space making it possible for him to explore an ample vertical surface without falling. It was sheer luck that my husband noticed him, and I just held my hand out and waited for the snake to come (he comes every time he sees an extended hand, and crawls up on it).
So, don't worry, you'll find your snake. It will come out looking for water, sooner or later.
Good luck!

[Wingbeats]

I lost my baby rainbow boa right after I first got her. I tried out a bunch of things, including putting hides out and whatnot.

And where did I find her a week later? Attempting to crawl back into her enclosure on the table. Little brat!

It goes to show - even after just a couple days in my care she learned where security and warmth was!

[AlexCrazy]

good luck with your snake.. i would do the ''hot spot'' trick.. with the pinky.. or you could even make a simple little trap.. not anything that can hurt him.. just some thing like a box with a hole in a way that he can slither in but wont be able to push back out.. there are hundreds of ideas on the net.. don't forget the bate and heat in the trap to make him go in :) hope i was of use.. XD i was just thinking out loud..
I now what it feels like too lose a pet.. my hamster opened his cage and was lost for almost a week.. and i have dogs! jaja!

[Albert Clark]

When you do find it please be more careful! We have to stop or at least reduce the number of escapes we have as a nation. It reflects on all reptile keepers. Double check those lids, locks and clips. Remember we are being watched by the public and many snake haters.

[AlexCrazy]

I totally agree with Albert Clark! im not from USA.. but hat happens there goes to the rest of the world.. if someones snake causes a mayor incident.. form any place in the world.. now with all the technology we have.. anyone can make us snake lovers look bad.
this is not to make you feel bad.. just highlighting what Albert sead :)

[trailblazer295]

Good luck with the search.

I agree with the above posts. Story in the news here not longer ago about an African rock python that got out and ended up with the death of 2 young boys. Most of us keep snakes too small to dangerous to people but to people that are scared, hate or don't like them a 6" baby and a 6ft boa is the same to them. Part of the reason I picked PVC cages. No lids to push open and well my cat can't get in.

[bigsnakegirl785]

Good luck with the search.

I agree with the above posts. Story in the news here not longer ago about an African rock python that got out and ended up with the death of 2 young boys. Most of us keep snakes too small to dangerous to people but to people that are scared, hate or don't like them a 6" baby and a 6ft boa is the same to them. Part of the reason I picked PVC cages. No lids to push open and well my cat can't get in.

Whether or not that snake killed those kids is debatable. I personally don't believe it.

But it goes to show how easy it is to convince the general public that these are evil-man killing machines. Although we can't prevent all escapes, we should try to minimize them, especially larger constrictors and venomous. Not just for our public image, but for the safety of our snakes themselves. With proper enclosures and diligent locking, it's not hard to keep them in their enclosures 98% of the time.

[trailblazer295]

Whether or not that snake killed those kids is debatable. I personally don't believe it.

But it goes to show how easy it is to convince the general public that these are evil-man killing machines. Although we can't prevent all escapes, we should try to minimize them, especially larger constrictors and venomous. Not just for our public image, but for the safety of our snakes themselves. With proper enclosures and diligent locking, it's not hard to keep them in their enclosures 98% of the time.

I don't see the snake actively killing them I could see just the bulk and weight of the animal being enough to prevent them from breathing if it were to crawl over them.

For those of us with specialty built snake cages with locks there is no reason 100% of the time they can't get out. They have 1 door and lock, my 48x24 has 3 locks so there is nothing for the snake to move loose. Partly why I didn't go with a tank and screen lid.

[bigsnakegirl785]

I don't see the snake actively killing them I could see just the bulk and weight of the animal being enough to prevent them from breathing if it were to crawl over them.

For those of us with specialty built snake cages with locks there is no reason 100% of the time they can't get out. They have 1 door and lock, my 48x24 has 3 locks so there is nothing for the snake to move loose. Partly why I didn't go with a tank and screen lid.

Honestly, I don't even think that happened. I wasn't there, but knowing how crazy people can be I'm more inclined to think the snake was planted there. Maybe my opinion would be changed if I could have seen the scene of the crime idk. But I'm really doubtful, especially when every single story said the snake fell through the roof onto the kids, constricted them, and then tried to eat them, not that the snake falling on them killed them. I really only saw keepers thinking maybe the snake fell on them and then crawled away.

I wouldn't say 100%, but close to it. People can be forgetful, and not locking the enclosure could allow an escape. I know one of the two escapes I had was because I tried feeding my ball python half-asleep and forgot the latch his tub after I threw the rat away. We're only human, you can't expect people to lock the cages every time, just most of the time.

That said, we should take steps to minimize these errors and learn from any mistakes. It's not really acceptable to be having a snake escape every couple of days like another poster claimed. If that's happening, you should be taking steps to make sure it stops.

[trailblazer295]

Honestly, I don't even think that happened. I wasn't there, but knowing how crazy people can be I'm more inclined to think the snake was planted there. Maybe my opinion would be changed if I could have seen the scene of the crime idk. But I'm really doubtful, especially when every single story said the snake fell through the roof onto the kids, constricted them, and then tried to eat them, not that the snake falling on them killed them. I really only saw keepers thinking maybe the snake fell on them and then crawled away.

I wouldn't say 100%, but close to it. People can be forgetful, and not locking the enclosure could allow an escape. I know one of the two escapes I had was because I tried feeding my ball python half-asleep and forgot the latch his tub after I threw the rat away. We're only human, you can't expect people to lock the cages every time, just most of the time.

That said, we should take steps to minimize these errors and learn from any mistakes. It's not really acceptable to be having a snake escape every couple of days like another poster claimed. If that's happening, you should be taking steps to make sure it stops.

I'm not trying to argue, neither of us knows what really happened. A snake that size isn't breaking through drywall but a false ceiling of foam tiles can't take any weight. I haven't heard about a 'try to eat them' part. I haven't looked in depth into it either.

[KyleKennedy]

Sorry to tell you this, but she is probably dead. Snakes can only go a week without water and warmth.

[SnoopySnake]

Sorry to tell you this, but she is probably dead. Snakes can only go a week without water and warmth.

That's a pretty pessimistic outlook... I'm pretty sure people have had snakes get out and survive way longer than a week....

Honestly, what was the point in even saying that?

[SnoopySnake]

OP, make sure to look really well all around the enclosure, a lot of the time they don't go too far.

[EL Ziggy]

Snakes can only go a week without water and warmth.

I'm going to disagree with this statement. Years ago I had a ball python that escaped and was gone for 3 months before miraculously reappearing and I've heard of other snakes being found after even longer periods.

OP- Don't lose hope.

[AlexCrazy]

Never loose hope... :D and never loose the efort

[Aaron_S]

Sorry to tell you this, but she is probably dead. Snakes can only go a week without water and warmth.

1. Kingsbakes are North American. They can handle a bit of time without warmth. You don't normally see or hear of any with RI for this reason.

2. Snakes aren't chumps. They can find water just fine if need be in a house. They aren't helpless creatures without us.

[Albert Clark]

Keep searching! Make a project of it and invite some friends and family over to help. How long has she been missing now? It gets really important to find her the more this drags on.

[serpentgirl123]

I say keep searching and good luck! Snakes are hardier than most would think. I had a rat snake get loose when I was new to the hobby as well. He was gone for over 5.5 months, through the winter, and I found him that spring, knocking with his head on my neighbors' door. So you never know. I wish you all the best! :)