Missing

[DavethePython]

While on holiday , our young all Python escaped some time between last night and this afternoon. I think our sitters may not have secured his top properly and he got out. We have searched high and low and to no avail. Any suggestions to help lure a young 2ft ball python out of hiding are greatly appreciated . Our other concern is we have 2 dogs and a cat in the house . There are not signs of a corpse or evedance he was eaten , but we have not completely ruled out that possibility . I will not give up on him , so any ideas I can lure him out and trap him would help .

[FlagonFly]

From what I've read, your best odds are in the first 48 hrs. Close off the room as best you can and methodically check under and up in all furniture, especially around the outer edges of the room. You can spread some flour on the floor to watch for tracks. Google "find missing snake" and there are several detailed help pages out there. Figure out what the most typical behavior of a ball python is (ie: going up into trees or down under a log, etc?) and then search that part of the room most closely. Get up in the middle of the night (or when the breed is most active) and check the room. Have read about some "traps" like boxes with a mouse inside with hole at top so after eating may be too lazy to climb out and decide instead to curl up in a warm hide until you find it in the morning. Best of luck!

[alessia55]

Look in places you think he WOULDN'T be... like INSIDE the sofa (not just under it... I mean take the sofa pads out!), under the refrigerator, inside furniture drawers, in the AC vent. They can and will squeeze into small, dark spaces.

Put his heat mat (attached to the thermostat) and put a hide over it, in the corner of the room he's most likely in. Hopefully he'll be attracted to the heat and go there.

[DavethePython]

Thanks . I have checked all the electronics in the room and the appliances . Looked on shelves and closets . I will bait a trap for him today . See what happens .thanks for the box suggestion . I will try that .

[MoreliAddict]

Under the fridge; it's a warm spot where escapees like to hang out.

[Slcburm]

yikes, I had this happen once when I first got a snake and didnt secure it very well. Good luck on finding him

[bcoop1234]

Ive had this happen twice... One i never found and the other just happened to be climbing down the steps when i noticed... I heard from someone to put a pile of clothes in the room you may think he is in and then from time to time go in and move the clothes to see if he is in there.

[DavethePython]

First places I looked when we got home was the entertainment stand with all out electrionics. the fridge and stove and water cooler and the basket of laundry on the couch . I also looked in the bathrooms and all the furniture . No way he can get insde the furnature that I could see but he was not under it or in the cushions. Will keep searching.

[snake man12]

I found my old corn 3 days after he went lost, he was right on the side of his viv along the side of the viv were the heat mat was. Check all heat sources behind tv's and computers, under freezers and refrigerators. Good luck!!

[Hurrok]

Oddly I've found most of my escapees on my book shelf because it was a nice tight and secure place to hide, something to consider! :)

[DavethePython]

I wish it was colder out right now , it could make it so much easier to find him. It was cool this morning so I have checked all the heat sources I could think of and nothing.

[Hurrok]

Closets, plants, heaters, under furniture, shelving, kitchen area, anywhere small!

[shaunyboy]

i have found sitting in,a room in the DARK," listening " for movement was the best way to find escaped carpet pythons

they are very active at night and thankfully, clumsy and noisy with it :laugh:

i went room to room until i heard them,you need to be patient...

i looked in,ALL sorts of nook's and crannies during daylight hours

at night i turned the tv's,etc,etc off,then listened for the snake...

like some mad old snake guy :wacky::laugh:

kids would ask... " mum,whats dad doing "

mum says...ssshh dads listening for snakes "

kids then... give me a strange look,then leave the room,shaking their heads

cheers shaun

[DavethePython]

To this point we are going room to room checking as much as possible . I was going to bait a trap as suggested by Alissa but my wife had taken all our boxes to the dump last night before I got a chance . So I am gonna find another idea this morning . I thought I heard him in the living room last night , so that is where I am going to start . His tank is in there as well and there are a billion places for him to go. Of course it had to be the little guy who got out and not our adults :( makes it that much harder. But I do keep checking all the possible heat sources every morning as well. Just because he was not there yesterday does not mean he did not move in over night. Off to build a trap . Thanks for all the input everyone.

[snake man12]

Please update us when he get's found. Again good luck.

[DavethePython]

Of course I will let everyone know when he is found. I am really starting to worry that one of our dogs may have got him or the cat . There have been no visible signs this has happened but the thought lingers in the back of my mind . He was only just over 2 ft long at last measure. He is a bit o a pig though so Hoping the baited box will lure him out. It is about feeding time anyway so he should be on the hunt .

[MoreliAddict]

Of course I will let everyone know when he is found. I am really starting to worry that one of our dogs may have got him or the cat . There have been no visible signs this has happened but the thought lingers in the back of my mind . He was only just over 2 ft long at last measure. He is a bit o a pig though so Hoping the baited box will lure him out. It is about feeding time anyway so he should be on the hunt .
Don't think it's likely that your dog gobbled up your snake, and I can't see a cat killing one without a trace of blood. You've still got hope, check all drawers, under/behind/in every couch, under the fridge like I said, ect. Rooting for you!

[maximus30576]

Pull out all your drawers and check behind and under , found my bp under a drawer one time ..

[DavethePython]

Happy news , I found him hiding under our other BP's stand . Not sure how long he has been there , cause I actually moved it and checked twice over the past few days . But that does not matter . He is safe and sound and back in his tank and even better secured now . Thanks for all the help from everyone .

[woahamie]

What I do to see if my snake if trying to escape? On the screen clips I use, I hang cat bells and when he tries to lift up the lid, it jingles. I've caught mine trying to escape a few times, but the jingling woke me up.

[Gungirl]

What I do to see if my snake if trying to escape? On the screen clips I use, I hang cat bells and when he tries to lift up the lid, it jingles. I've caught mine trying to escape a few times, but the jingling woke me up.

ok.. but what if you are not home?

Simple solution- secure the tank so they can NOT get out.

[Rogue628]

Congrats on finding him! I know how much of a relief it is :)

[DavethePython]

We went out last night and bought a better top for his tank with good latches to secure it down . I did find out how he got out . I had a sheet of screen over his tank with a sheet of peg board with holes cut in it large enough to set his lights on top. The screen was to prevent him getting too close to the lights . The peg board was secured in place. What we did not see was a 2 inch diameter hole in the screen . He found it and was able to squeeze through between the screen and the board and the out one of the vent holes I had cut. We caught him in the act about an hour after finding him again. My theory is , if he can find a breach then redo the whole thing . Now he should not be able
To find a way out . For extra security I think I will pick up 2 more clamps for the top just to be sure . Better to be over secure than not secure enough.

[Rogue628]

At least you found out how he got out BEFORE he actually escaped again and fixed it. I had one royal several years ago that no matter what I did to her lid, she still found ways of getting out. Lucky for me her enclosure was near the closet and that's always where she went....in the closet...in one of my book boxes. lol

[MoreliAddict]

Congrats! I knew there was hope lol

[DavethePython]

I am thinking he never went too far in the first place and being so small we may have missed him hiding there the first times we checked . He lives in our living room and the dogs sleep there so I think once he go out he realized the dogs were there and just hid . Just lucky we caught him in the act again so we knew what to fix. I think he is upset now lol . I will bring him out in a day or so cause I just fed him after we found him .

[FlagonFly]

Awesome, so glad you found him!

[Brently]

Glad you got him

[dbassa]

Been following this post and have been hoping for a happy ending. Whew! Glad he turned up.

[DavethePython]

I can't believe it but he did it again !!! I got a better top with locking clamps and he still managed to get out!!! Looks like he was able to flex the screen frame enough to squeeze through . Off to buy more clamps and maybe some free weights to hold the top down . When you think you have it secure , add more .

[Rogue628]

That sucks. Have you found him again? I had a royal that always managed escape no matter what I did. Even with clamps and bricks to hold the lid more secure, she would still escape from time to time. She always went to the same spot when she did escape, so I was kind of lucky with her.

[DavethePython]

No luck yet , but I have baited a mouse near where I found him last time . Hopefully he will take interest . He can't have gone too far ,I am sure he is in the area I found him before. I just seem to be overlooking some place that he may be hiding . I am sure he will poke out soon.

[Kaetlinv]

i'm really glad I've never had this issue... My ball python when she was little had a very secure tank with locking screen lid and no matter how she tried she couldn't move it. Recently though, when she was much bigger, she pushed her way out of her tank that we thought she wouldn't have the leverage / reach to get out of... i wasn't at the house at the time but she hadn't been out long and it was a small room so she wasn't able to go far. they clamped her lid down using wood clamps until I was able to come move her to my house.

I hope you find him! Seems like you've got an escape artist, I hope you can figure out a way to keep him secure!

[Gungirl]

I would consider putting your snake in a tub or another secure enclosure. I would not risk it getting out again.

Hope you find it soon.

[millertime89]

I agree with Kat, if he's figured it out this many times its time to make a major change. A clear plastic tub with the top and a strap or two around it to secure the middle of the tub is what I would recommend if you're going for inexpensive, otherwise you could always look into getting one of the more expensive, latching vivs, something like a boaphile or a vision.

[DavethePython]

Still have not found him but I have secured the screen top to his tank tightly . And as an extra percaution I will be getting 2 more clamps for the screen . I checked his clamps today and my wife had taken them off for whatever reason and they were not tight at all . Barely snug so he was able to flex the top open quite easy . Now I can lift his tank by the screen and it is not coming off. I won't use plastic totes for anything but transport . We keep our snakes in the living room so they have nice decorative enclosures . And our living room maintains the best ambient heat during our very cold winters .

[Gungirl]

Ok seeing as he is in your living room I understand not wanting a tub for him.. I would then buy a display cage instead of a fish tank.