Help He keeps escaping!!!!!

baron&wonka · 03-23-06, 03:42 PM

I have just acquired a 6' eastern grey rat snake. He has escaped from 2 different enclosures. He ripped the mesh top to one of his tanks and unsnapped the other. Right now I have him in a rubbermaid container with the lid held down by 2 20 lb cat litter sack. I love the snake but he cant keep getting out of his pen. My roomate isnt too big on finding him missing daily. Any suggestions?

gonesnakee · 03-23-06, 04:30 PM

Get a secure enclosure is about the only thing myself or anyone else can suggest. There are many options for a secure setup. I would suggest checking out enclosure forums for ideas. Mark

peterm15 · 03-23-06, 07:57 PM

make one with a locking sliding glass doors on the front

kronic2005 · 03-23-06, 09:27 PM

Either dont use that mesh lid, and get an ESU screen lid (its more like metal wire) then use a weight on top of that, those flat weights u put on dumbells works. 2 x 5 lb weight on both sides should work great. Or get a sliding glass front with locking mechanism.

dannyc · 03-24-06, 10:02 AM

I see a lot of post where people have snakes escape. They are good at it but if you take the proper precausions it shouldn't happen. I've only had snakes a couple of years but have never had one escape. I built my 3 main enclosures. I also have a couple of aquariums that I used for temporary housing in the beginning.

If you use the locking devices for the screens, I don't see anyway they could have unsnapped them. The ones I use are firmly attached to the screen and then hook under the plastic at the top of the aquarium. It's hard for me to unsnap it. You can't pull it up because it just makes it tighter in the plastic. You have to push down and then pull it away from the glass to lift off the screen.

If they are the right size and bent properly into shape they can not be removed by the snake inside. I was going to post a pic of the locking devices I use but I just found out the rechargable batteries are dead. . . . Again

I think they were ZooMed products.

As far as it pushing his way through the mesh, I don't know what you can do about that. I never heard of that either but I guess it is possible.

Can you post a pic of your Grey rat snake? I have a wild caught Black rat and like him as well or better than my corns because he is more active (not aggressive) and eats anytime you offer him something.