Another Newbie Owner Loses Her Snake

[HIMluv]

Forgive me if this is in the wrong place, I'm new here, and had a dire question, so I signed up.

My ball python, Zuko, is about a foot and a half long. My boyfriend and I had him for about a week when he escaped. It's been two weeks to the day since we've seen him.

Now, I have read all over the internet the best places to look, and have ripped my apartment apart. There is no sight of him. I've left his tank on the ground, open with a basking light in hopes that he would come back. Tried that for a week with no results.

He normally gets fed on Sundays, so we skipped a Sunday in hopes of making him even more hungry. So this Sunday we bought a mouse and put it in the feeding bin like normal. We put the basking light over the feeding bin, but it's been two days and we still have a live mouse (I know feeding live may be hazardous, but he's choosey and it's what he likes).

I'm starting to get very concerned. There are a couple of spots he could have gone, and I don't know where they lead. I don't want to close them off because if he's in there I don't want to trap him, but I don't want him to go in them either.

My boyfriend and I are really afraid that he found a way out of the apartment... How long should we wait with this mouse? And how long should we wait before we toss in the towel and buy another snake?

I've considered trying the bottle trap, with the mouse inside. But if a live mouse wouldn't attract him, surely the frozen one wouldn't. Right?

Please help me! I'm new to owning a snake and feel downright awful that this has happened. I just want Zuko back.

Thanks, HIMluv

[Michael Roth]

do you have radiant heat in your apartment?

[HIMluv]

We haveyour average AC and heater. We use the fireplace more though...
Why?

[infernalis]

they will go into the duct work if they can, under entertainment centers, inside the sofa, in clothes baskets, boxes of Christmas decorations, under the sink, inside the back of washers / dryers, etc.....

Since they are nocturnal, the best time to find your snake crawling out in the open will be at night.

If you have wood or linoleum floors, sprinkle flour all over the floor, when you see "snake tracks" in the flour, follow them.

Wish I could think of more.

[Will0W783]

Ah yeah, the flour trick is always good. Baby powder also works. Thanks for mentioning that infernalis; I'd forgotten about that trick as my whole house is carpeted.

[Feebo]

You could set up web cams everywhere at night too, that might catch it moving about. I`ve lost snakes twice over the years, I found both of them, one of them took me three days to find! Every single tiny little nook and cranny should be search every day. Mine didn`t actually go very far at all, even though one had the opportunity to slip out of a window and the other an open door. They just went straight to the very nearest hiding place they found and stayed there. Don`t ONLY search warm spots, mine, as I say, hid in the first place they found, got cold then lathargic and didn`t move. Mind you, it`s a bit warmer in the U.S. than the U.K. lol I wouldn`t be thinking about buying another snake for quite some time, that snake won`t die from lack of food for a very long time, it`s lack of water that`ll do it, maybe put water out as well as food to tempt him....

[Michael Roth]

if you had radiant heating, the snake could be anywhere in the building. plumbers are very good at leaving holes between apartments along the radiators. that being said, if your apartment has a central ducted heating system, that could be problematic as well. The snake could be as close as under your fridge/stove/dishwasher, or as far as the furthest neighbour.

[Feebo]

Either way, don`t give up ! Search every day with all the enthusiasm you had on the first day in all the same places you searched on the first day. He`s alive and will be for a long time. It`s difficult I know, but keep looking, they do still turn up after long periods.....

[shaunyboy]

i got a kingsnake back after being missing for 2 weeks with the following method.i brained a f/t rat quite severley (made sure brain matter was really exposed). i put it in a hessian sack and propped around 2 to 3 inches of the sack open.i put the sack in a warm dark corner of the room.i repeated this with a FRESH RAT every night.3 nights later my escaped kingsnake came scuttling out from under the skirting boards across the floor heading for the sack.i'm pretty sure even if i hadnt spotted him i would have found him curled up in the sack come morning time.i wish you lick in finding the little guy.
cheers shaun

[Feebo]

Sounds like a plan that :) Oooh I hope he turns up it`s awful when you lose a snake :(

[emseeKAY]

i was about to say what shaunyboy said lol brain a mouse or rat and let them smell it theyll come eventually! best of luck!

[shaunyboy]

i was lucky as my wife and kids were away on their hollidays at the time.so i used to turn of all the tv's,etc so i could sit and listen for any unusual noises.i actually heard my king moving around behind the skirting boards a few minutes before he scuttled out covered in dust,fluff,bits of cob web,he was a funny sight to see,trundling along quite oblivious to all the fuss he'd caused.think he was a bit annoyed he didnt get as far as the sack and the meal he'd put all the effort into coming out for.
cheers shaun

[Feebo]

Any signs of him anywhere?

[shaunyboy]

Any signs of him anywhere?
was just thinking that

[Feebo]

Aaaaw I thought she might have found it when I saw there was an update to this thread ! Bugger. You can`t help but reeeeally feel for people with missing snakes can you? I just want to paddle across the pond to help look ! lol Well fingers crossed, he may still turn up somewhere.....

[infernalis]

I hope the snake gets found and we get an update..

[HIMluv]

Sorry for being gone so long guys!

I have fabulous news this evening; at about 12:00 am Zuko decided that it was time to come out and play. He showed up by one of the bookcases I checked frequently. I wasn't paying attention and almost stepped on him!

My boyfriend and I are so happy he's back, and wanted to thank you guys for all the great ideas and wonderful support!

Now I have a separate question. Zuko was gone for a month, nearly to the day, and he's mid-shed. Now, he wasn't in a very moist or warm climate obviously, so he's not shedding in one whole piece. Now that he's back in his tank he's rubbing all over everything and the shed is coming off easily, but in batches. What can we do to help him?
His new skin looks terrific, and he doesn't seem particularly distressed. Should we wait for him to finish shedding before we feed him?

Also, to allay any fears, the tank now has locks on it- we won't have a repeat of this event.

The funniest part was that we had this mouse, Fatty I named him, for about two weeks whom we were feeding Parmesan Goldfish Crackers because we didn't have anything else. Today we decided to get rid of Fatty, because obviously Zuko wasn't interested. And then BOOM Zuko shows up as if to say, "what'd you guys do with the mouse?" Freakin' jerk snake ;)

Again, thank you guys all so very much! I look forward to spending more time on this site, now that I know I'm still a snake owner!

Thanks a million, HIMluv

[Feebo]

YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEHAAAAAAAAAAAAAW !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Nice one !! There you go look, we said he could still turn up any time! lol I`m so pleased for you dude !! Give him a soak and that skin will come off no worries, it`s not a big deal at all, just feed him once it`s all off, you should be able to peel it all off him in ten minutes. Yes a lock is a must, I always, every single time I close the doors, run my fingers all around the edges of the glass to make sure I haven`t accidently pulled one door open while shutting the other. I`ve saved myself a lost snake a few times I might add. Try and get hold of some sphagnum moss and make him a moss hide with an entrance just big enough for him to get in, that way he can keep himself at his desired humidity and the skin should come off nicely soon enough. Although expect a bad shed for the next two or three sheds...... I`m dead chuffed for you!! ;D

[shaunyboy]

thats great news that zuko turned up.
cheers shaun

[Will0W783]

Oh wow, YAY! I'm so very happy he turned up for you. Congrats! Yes, always use tank locks. I have locks on every single one of my enclosures, and I also have a draft guard under the door and have sealed off the baseboards so they can't get anywhere I can't find them.

[infernalis]

http://www.danceswithreptiles.com/happy.gif

[Will0W783]

ROTFL, infernalis. Where do you get those things?

[infernalis]

I made it with Macromedia fireworks.

[Feebo]

Smarty pants ! lol That`s really good ! Can you make me some cool snail ones for my snail forum please? :)

[HIMluv]

LOL! That definitely warranted a chuckle! Wel, Zuko has shed everything but the very tippy tip of his tail and is currently working on his mouse. He attacked and killed it fine, but now he's trying to eat it tail-end first, and it's proving difficult.

Is this ok? Will he figure it out? Last time he ate he went straight for the head, and swallowed it head first in no time.

And thank you again, everyone, a million times over for all your helpful comments and well wishes!

HIMluv

[Feebo]

Yeeeeeah they often do that, I`ve got a huge Carpet python that often tries to eat them sideways! lol Make sure you get that tail tip off though, if left, that can cut off blood supply and kill the end of the tail or even the snake eventually if left. A bit of a soak or a wet towel will do it :)

[marvelfreak]

LOL! That definitely warranted a chuckle! Wel, Zuko has shed everything but the very tippy tip of his tail and is currently working on his mouse. He attacked and killed it fine, but now he's trying to eat it tail-end first, and it's proving difficult.

Is this ok? Will he figure it out? Last time he ate he went straight for the head, and swallowed it head first in no time.

And thank you again, everyone, a million times over for all your helpful comments and well wishes!

HIMluv
My Borneo eats about 80% of his rats butt first.