I woke up on Monday morning to find my beloved python, Charlie, was not in her cage. I spent hours not only searching, but researching other snake escapes on the internet. There are many websites with tips on catching lost snakes, but the most valuable information I found came from other snake keepers sharing their experiences on forums. For the sake of adding to this pool of information, and hopefully to aid other snake hobbyists with escapees, I will share what happened to me.

I use enclosures that open from the top and have sliding/locking screen lids. One day while taking Charlie out I put the lid on the floor and accidentally stepped on it, popping the mesh out of the frame on one corner. I tried to tape it up, but it was not enough. A few days later she slipped out.

My boyfriend and I tore the house apart. We have cats and tried to gauge their reactions. They had obviously seen something, but couldn't lead us to her location. We have one open vent in the place that leads into the wall. I opened the grate and looked inside, but found nothing. This morning however, my boyfriend did the same thing, only he looked up at the top with a mirror and a flashlight (something I did not think to do). Lo and behold, there she was in the wall, curled around the box for a light switch.

My boyfriend removed the box while I watched with the mirror and the flashlight from below. Once there was a hole in the wall where she was, I scented the hole and surrounding area with a f/t rat, and put her enclosure on top of a shelf just below the opening. I thawed another rat and placed it in her usual hide. After several hours of patience, watching from both the opening and from the grate below, she was hungry enough to come out.

Never forget to look UP! And never lose hope if your pet escapes. Get as many people to help as you can, because you can always use and extra set of eyes or a new idea.

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