houdini

susan · 05-23-05, 07:10 AM

hi everyone
if anyone can give me insight that would be great

my durmil boa has escaped 4 times this week! never ever tried to before ,i even duct taped the lid and she still is getting out? now she just ate about 4 days ago so i dont think she is hungry anyone have any insight?
thank you

Clownfishie · 05-24-05, 11:11 PM

A little more information would be helpful -- how big is she, what kind of enclosure do you have her in, etc.

susan · 05-25-05, 06:46 AM

she is about 5 feet. in a 40 gallon tank , now we did just get a bengal/ayssinian mix bengal and ahes very tiny ,now my snakes have never reallly giving any atenetion to my cats but this one is so very tiny ,i wouldnt have thought but could it be possible she sees her as food?

tonyj · 05-25-05, 09:06 AM

Susan, whether or not your Dumeril sees your new kitten as a potential snack is totally irrelevant.

As a responsible snake owner your first priority is to make sure that all your snakes are secure and unable to go on walkabouts.

This basic need will ensure the safety of your snake, as well as the safety of your kitten and goes a long way in guaranteeing the sanity of others who may live in the same house or building.

It will also ensure that your priceless pieces of porcelain, your family pictures and your reading lamps are not fragmented beyond recognition.

You will not have to literally tear your sofa apart as you frantically search for your missing pet and you will no doubt sleep better at night knowing that you are not going to be joined by a 5ft boa who is merely looking for a nice warm spot to relax on.

Try placing some really heavy weights on top of your tank to make sure your pet can not leave the confines of the aquarium, and I mean heavy as a 5ft Dumeril is a pretty powerful snake.

A number of aquariums have a cross member across the top which can provide your snake with a perch. This also provides a good place to apply additional leverage in order to lift the mesh lid or top just enough to facilitate an escape.

This cross member provides additional structural strength to the tank and is needed if the tank is to be filled with water, but is not required and can be safely removed if the tank is to be used without water such as when keeping reptiles.

I have had snakes find this cross member, and try to heave and lift the lid with limited success, but once I get out my saw and remove the cross member I have had no further problems.

Other than "rubbermaids" which can present their own set of problems, all my snake enclosures tend to be the front opening sliding door type, with locks; more secure and much easier to clean and providing better access in general.

Good luck with your new kitten, but remember to enjoy your Dumeril. They are a beautiful snake!

susan · 05-25-05, 09:42 AM

thank you and thatys exactly what she is doing, ill saw it off then .like i said this is the first time ever she has done this for the years that ive had her.

Linds · 05-26-05, 11:41 AM

Another thing I would like to add... stay away from tape! Duct tape, or any other type of tape, is completely unsuitable for securing enclosures - not only are they no strong enough to withstand a snakes strength, there is the high risk of your snake becoming attached to it. Trying to peel duct tape off your snake will not be a fun task for either of you.

On another note... people definitely do not give snakes enough credit sometimes. They may not be the most intelligent animals out there, but they DO remember. Escapees always seem to remember their route and will try incessantly to do it again.