T O P I C R E V I E W |
morph2010 |
Posted - 17/09/2010 : 19:45:05 Hi all have just gone to clean out snake and he's not there he's escaped out the viv somehow i've looked eveywhere and cannot find him!!
can they climb stairs???? wheres the best places to look???
any kind of safe traps i can use???
please help me |
20 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
Sta~ple |
Posted - 22/09/2010 : 15:04:15 Check chairs or even places like the airing cuboard. |
smiffy89 |
Posted - 22/09/2010 : 14:22:55 speaking to a bloke the other who's kept reps for donkey's told him bout your post he says he's had a cornie dissapeard for 2 months then 1 day slithered back through back door bold as brass.he said he left viv open with a dead mouse in side to attract him back in but i know its not allways an option |
drchino |
Posted - 22/09/2010 : 11:40:08 Sorry to hear you still can't find him I have heard of snakes showing up weeks later so don't lose hope just yet. Have you tried leaving any food out? |
morph2010 |
Posted - 22/09/2010 : 10:28:39 Still no sign of harley :( miss him now thinking of buying a new corn already!!! But harley was a nice mellow snake who loved to be handled and was ok with the other animals i have. Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!! |
morph2010 |
Posted - 18/09/2010 : 20:18:02 had a thorough search still no sign, just hope he hasn't wondered outside going to set bottle traps tonight and lock dog in bedroom wish me luck!!
|
eeji |
Posted - 18/09/2010 : 10:29:36 theres a good chance he's still in the same room as his viv so you need to look absolutely everywhere in there first |
morph2010 |
Posted - 18/09/2010 : 09:09:40 thanks again all i'm going to set a few bottle traps around the house as the flour thing will not work really with the dog roaming the house, he's over 4ft long now but i guess he can still wrap up tight somewhere
|
Kellog |
Posted - 18/09/2010 : 03:55:08 Oh Arran, I am so sorry to hear about your escaped snake. I know you are worried as he hasnt eaten in 2 weeks as he was shedding but corn snakes are amazingly hardy so can survive under difficult circumstances, so dont panic (easily said I know). These are some notes I made about finding a lost snake, so apologies for repeating some advice already given....
When you look for him start from the very top. Ceiling. Start slowly come down from there to top of lampshades if any, down electric wires, anything that dangles from the ceiling. Then you choose the least cluttered wall and start to go down it methodically. If there are shelves, everything comes off them and only gets put back once it's been inspected, books opened, etc. If there are cupboards, the drawers come out completely, and if possibly, the cupboard or closet gets pulled away from the wall so the area behind it can be searched too. The frame of mind is to inspect every surface no matter how unlikely. The floor and any object on it gets done last, and any carpets would get their underside inspected too if possible. If still no go, go under the floorboards.For those awkward places with the pipes try getting a good torch and a mirror, so you can inspect the hidden areas. Apart from "every surface" also think as if you are looking for something much smaller e.g. think you're looking for a contact lense. Check near any heat sources - near radiators, pipes, in the oven, the washer, behind the fridge, computer leads, behind tv, sterio, boiler...they will search out heat.
Do any of your seats/sofas have holes in he could have got into?
Make sure you check all clothing, towels etc...especially dirty stuff about to go in the washing machine...one forum member nearly sent her escaped snake for a wet wash.
I know this may sound silly but are you sure he has left his viv? Could he be hiding in substrate or in small hole in a branch you have in it? A few forum members have thought their snakes lost but then discovered them buried in substrate. One totally emptied his viv, no snake...but then discovered her curled up under the branch in a really tiny hole.
Try putting the viv on the floor near a dish of water, he may decide to come home by himself. You must put a number of water dishes down cos a snake can go for a long time without food but not long without water.
You could try turning down the heat in the rest of the house and turning it up in the room you hope your snake is in. Also you could try putting the heatmat in a corner with a towel over it and pillows round it, to give him somewhere warm and safe to hide. A hot water bottle will also do the job....but make sure it is well covered so he cannot touch it directly.
I have heard of owners sitting up all night in case the missing snake puts in an appearance, which may be an idea for you to try. Try putting bits of foil or crumpled wrapping paper along skirting boards cos snake will move along edge of room and hopefully you will then hear it move.
You know he is hungry so a bottle trap is a good way to try and catch him. This is how to make one (probably same instructions as the link you've been given) - http://www.thekingsnake.co.uk/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=263. Dont leave a mouse in a bottle trap for more than 24hrs...throw it away. Wait a few days and then try again.
Put flour across doorways so you can see slither marks which will show the snake is around and whether it has gone into or out of a room. Some people suggest you put sticky tape down to try and 'catch' the snake, but this can be very dangerous to them and I would seriously advise against it.
These are some examples of where people have found their snakes - in a box file of paperwork, behind books on a shelf, on a bathroom shelf, curled up in-between plugs in a 4 point adaptor and in their granddad's room in his towel basket as he got out a towel to have a shower! One forum member's OH opened the living room window, pulled the curtain cos of the sun, they heard a thud, thought it was a candle falling over, so didn't take any notice and a few minutes later the snake appeared trying to climb up the wall. And finally a forum member’s snake went missing whilst "holidaying" with the neighbours and it finally came home after 7 months, perfectly fit & well. The neighbours walked into their kitchen and found it curled up on their breadboard!
Hope some of this helps (and much thanks to other forum members for their tips 'borrowed').
The main thing is not to give up hope....snakes have gone missing for days, weeks, even months and still turned up healthy and happy.
xxx
|
n/a |
Posted - 17/09/2010 : 22:38:52 oh and another little bit of advice, try braining the bait and smearing some of the juice on the outside to grab the attention of the snake |
n/a |
Posted - 17/09/2010 : 22:34:47 i know how you feel, i lost my snake last tuesday. Luckly he turned up yesterday. Tin foil can be useful too to hear him rustling, i made 2 bottle traps but i knew he was either in moh's bedroom, which she really wasnt happy about, or outside. Although he managed to eat the rat pup and escape the bottle trap, the little git. |
n/a |
Posted - 17/09/2010 : 21:39:31 Wishing you luck! |
morph2010 |
Posted - 17/09/2010 : 20:51:35 nightmare he has not been fed for 2 weeks as he was shedding hope he's hungry and the bottle trap works |
Kehhlyr |
Posted - 17/09/2010 : 20:40:14 They will get anywhere that their head can fit. They've been found inside some weird places, someone on the mummy site found one of their newest snakes inside a printer recently. |
morph2010 |
Posted - 17/09/2010 : 20:36:13 hope he has'nt gone outside!? |
Figs |
Posted - 17/09/2010 : 20:18:13 Here is the thread on how to make bottle traps: http://www.thereptilian.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=83
I hope he turns up soon! |
morph2010 |
Posted - 17/09/2010 : 20:12:32 thanks peeps i cant find how to make a bottle trap any tips? |
Ammerz |
Posted - 17/09/2010 : 20:06:41 Check the backs of the fridge and washing machine thats where a lot of rescue snakes my friend gets are found. Mine was under my pillow when it escaped. Obviously snakes dont bother me but that really scared thepoopout of me!! |
morph2010 |
Posted - 17/09/2010 : 20:05:14 i'm really worried flour thing wont really work as we have a springer that constantly roams the house we also leave the door open all the time for dog :( |
n/a |
Posted - 17/09/2010 : 19:54:08 Flour; sprinkle flour down on laminated floor follow the tracks not before placing a pinkie or something on the floor in the middle of the flour leave over night. |
Tiffany-x |
Posted - 17/09/2010 : 19:51:25 Some where there is a thread about making some kind of trap I believe, you will have to search. Tiffany-x |