At a complete loss...need help

MDT · 01-10-13, 11:50 AM

Ok...i have delayed in asking for help for two reasons....1) i made a huge rookie mistake and 2) i really thought i'd find her before now....

my retic escaped from her enclosure saturday evening. i was misting my cages and like an idiot, i became distracted and left her cage lock loose enough she was able to "nose it" open. probably around 2-3 hrs before i noticed. i have torn my house apart. moved dryers, freezers, furniture. i have placed flour on the floor in the doorways where we have tile to see if she is on the move. i have placed a box with an entry hole on each side containing a thawed rat in various parts of the house (the box is also placed on top of a heating pad). I have shut off all access to water except for water dishes placed on the floor by the boxes. i even borrowed a fiber optic scope from a colleague of mine to look into appliances and furniture. nothing. i am really desperate now for two reasons....i really love this snake and i am sick that i allowed this to happen and want her back safely. the second is my daughters cat is basically "dead man walking" right now. we have kept her sequestered in my daughter's room with the thresholds blocked off (i am relatively sure it's not in her room...hers was one of the easier to search with limited hiding opportunities).

you guys can take your best shots at me, it's probably nothing more than i've already said to myself. i feel like a total fool for this. i would appreciate any advice you may have. i really want to get her back.....

thanks

Gungirl · 01-10-13, 11:56 AM

I hope you find her soon. Until then double check every possible place you can think of and then check places that seem to obvious. Do you have any couches she could have gotten inside of? Cabinets, drawers, attic, basement, attached garage. You just have to keep searching and hope for the best.

Mark Taylor · 01-10-13, 11:56 AM

How big is it?
Have you got any floors that have holes in as the heating pipes that run under the floor may be a good place to get heat and it will be secure I only say this as one of my mates snakes escaped it took 3 months before he decided to rip up a couple of floor boards.

SpOoKy · 01-10-13, 12:00 PM

You can try lines of flour on the floor in doorway to se if she is moving around. This will help isolate the search to specific rooms.

MDT · 01-10-13, 12:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MDT

i have placed flour on the floor in the doorways where we have tile to see if she is on the move.

did that....nothing yet

dinosaurdammit · 01-10-13, 12:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SpOoKy

You can try lines of flour on the floor in doorway to se if she is moving around. This will help isolate the search to specific rooms.

baking soda works too! try making a snake trap. Put a box with a flap that only opens in, drag a rat from about halfway across the room and drag it into the box, make it so the animal has to push the flap and get all the way in to find the rat and when it tries to leave the door wont be able to pushed outwards, only inwards. I did this once when my water dragon found a way to open the viv door (before i built the new one)

SpOoKy · 01-10-13, 12:05 PM

Quote:

did that....nothing yet

Sorry I missed that in your original post.

Lankyrob · 01-10-13, 01:21 PM

Not gonna bash, most of us have had one escape, really hope you find him soon

. Keep us updated

Jendee · 01-10-13, 01:49 PM

[Dont beat yourself up..everybody has lost one a few times I had a boa disappear for 4 months before...popped a roast in the oven he came shooting out from behind the oven lol check all warm tight spots including appliances

dinosaurdammit · 01-10-13, 01:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jendee

Lmao that is horrible and yet so freaking funny lol
Dont beat yourself up..everybody has lost one a few times I had a boa disappear for 4 months before...popped a roast in the oven he came shooting out from behind the oven lol check all warm tight spots including appliances

also check the back of your fridge, some have a space that your animals can hide in. you may have to remove the back panel- i once had my nile escape my hands and run back there, i had no idea fridges were like that

limey · 01-10-13, 02:10 PM

Sorry to hear and hope you find her soon... I'm sure you will. Your retic is beautiful btw (I've seen the pics).

I had my BP escape one time, it was a silly mistake on my part, left one of the snap-on handles to the tub slightly ajar. She didn't go far though. Just crawled into the nearest dark hidey place... the very back of my closet behind my sweater boxes.

They usually don't go on a massive exploration and I'm certain she'll still be somewhere in the house. Look in the closest places to the enclosure. Go over everything with a fine comb, so to speak.

Best of luck mate.

MDT · 01-10-13, 02:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KORBIN5895

How big is it? You could always use the cat as bait.

dude...i have thought about it! if my daughter wasn't so attached to it

oh...and the difference is a cotton ball tail and long fuzzy ears. just so you know

MoreliAddict · 01-10-13, 04:37 PM

OP - best of luck finding your snake.

fuzzhc · 01-10-13, 04:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dinosaurdammit

also check the back of your fridge, some have a space that your animals can hide in. you may have to remove the back panel- i once had my nile escape my hands and run back there, i had no idea fridges were like that

Most fridges have a condensate tray heated by the discharge pipe at the back, he may very well have found that as a heat source. Worth a check imo.

Hope you find him.

limey · 01-10-13, 04:52 PM

Dark is good, warm is good, warm and dark is better