Help! Ball Python at Large!

GotBalls? · 07-22-04, 07:45 PM

Hi all,

It appears my ball python has decided to make a run for it.

I last saw him in his cage two days ago. He's your regular ball python and hides alot so when I don't see him for a few days I think nothing of it. I realised that last time I tried to feed him, his lid wasn't secure, but the lid was still closed so I didn't think anything of it, but I opened up the cage anyways cause I needed to increase the humidity, and when I lifted up the hides to see which one he was in, he wasn't in either of them! So of course Panic sets in.

I don't know exactly how long he has been gone. I live in a three bedroom basement suite that is quite messy so there are alot of places for him to hide. His cage was in my room so I obviously checked under and around everything there first, but no snake.....I looked as much as I could around places like the fridge, stove, computers etc where it would be warm.....the really crappy part is we have been leaving the sliding glass door open alot ...but it's in the living room I'm pretty sure we would have seen a slow moving snake...but ya never know...

is there any way to set up some sort of trap? He's bound to be cold...I'm really worried about him.

Anyone have any ideas on how to find/catch him?

Nicole

smallball · 07-22-04, 08:11 PM

I lost my ball last week, the exact same situation. I searched everyday and I got to the point where he is either gone or he is going to come out, hungry and look for food.
3 days later, I found him.
I found him behind the fridge so that is my piece of advice, keep checking there.

Bradley

Bartman · 07-22-04, 08:34 PM

It might be difficult for me to explain this trap that ive heard works, but ill try anyways as I know how frustrating it can be to lose a snake.

Take a 2l coke bottle and cut the top off...right where it begins to go small. Then flip in inside out so that the top (threaded part with the cap) faces the inside of the bottle so that the entrance to get inside will be the hole. Make sure it is secure by using aquarium silicone or some sort of safe adhesive.

Throw a mouse inside and place it on a heat pad or under a heat source. When the snake goes in, it will almost be funnled into the direction of the mouse and once he gets in..it will be very difficult to get back out...get what i mean?

good luck..and just remember to keep checking over and over again...he'll be moving around soon..especially when he gets hungry!

GotBalls? · 07-22-04, 08:56 PM

Another question...in case he DID get out and someone else finds him, should I put posters out around here at all or let the SPCA know he is missing in case someone turns him in?

Nicole

Bartman · 07-22-04, 09:46 PM

Might as well..cant hurt, just a matter of if you have time. But i think for something like that anyone can make some

Good luck..hope you find your lil guy!

CDN-Cresties · 07-22-04, 09:58 PM

I think that posting a poster like that can hurt, people may use it as evidence of how irresponsible herp keepers can be and just fuel the fire for reptile bans. Just my 2 cents...

meow_mix450 · 07-22-04, 10:23 PM

maybe it went in a vent, im not a snake person but its possible right?

Meow

GotBalls? · 07-22-04, 11:37 PM

hi Meow, Luckily we don't have any vents he can go in, but there are TONS of places he can hide in our place, and he could have easily gotten outside 8(

Do you all think putting a heat pad and hide on the floor, with some water might tempt him? He has no interest in food unless it is quite warm and I am moving it, so I don't think putting a rat down anywehre will interest him, although I could put my pet mice's cage on the floor and see if that sparks his interest?

I am so worried about him....

GotBalls? · 07-23-04, 02:47 AM

*sigh of relief* I found him. I guess teh bugger was attracted to the sent of my mice as I found in a box that is next to all my mouse supplies and directly under thier cage. Funny thing is, it was the only place today I didn't look, not sure why I didn't....I thought about it about a hundred times, but didn't...then tonight on my way to bed I shined the flashlight in there and sure enough he was moving around in the box. SOOOO happy that I found him, not sure if I would have been able to sleep tonight!

Nicole

Artemis · 07-23-04, 03:04 AM

Congrats on finding him! Now you know what escape artists they can be, so make sure your enclosure is secure. Weight down the top, and use clips, if you have a screen top. If you have a lockable enclosure, keep it locked down =)

Im happy for you!

Artemis

JonD · 07-23-04, 12:59 PM

Glad to see you found him...Just to touch on the poster thing. Don't put up posters in your building/ neighbourhood for a lost snake... unless you want an uproar. That's all some people need to know and they start going apeshit. Snake lovers are a small minority. Some how I see the local news getting involved...and not for sympathy reasons..

mykee · 07-23-04, 01:14 PM

That and if balls are not 'legal' in your municipality, you might have had a problem also.

capsicum · 07-24-04, 06:17 PM

One thing to about the BC SPCA, they will automatically send the reptile to the rainforset refuge as soon as it is legally theirs, and they have a tendancy to not tell people when they find your pet (this coming from me, as I used to work at an SPCA for 3 years, and yes we did lie to many people about their pets). Just be careful!

TK

PS Glad that you found him

Scales Zoo · 07-24-04, 08:06 PM

moved this to the ball forum, left re-direct in general python forum.

Ryan