Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Well Don't know if anyone can really help me, but any advice would be appreciated. Basically I have a very young mole kingsnake whom I have had since early August. I came home last night to clean his cage and feed him, I searched the entire cage and sifted through all the substrate and sadly my mole king was nowhere to be found. I kept him in a 10 gallon with a screen top. I assume the only way he could have got out is he somehow go to the screen and found a hole it in large enough to squeeze through. Now the room he was in has only one door to exit through and it is across the room from where his enclosure was. I searched everywhere in my room to no avail. Does anyone have an advice on tracking down a such a small snake? I figure I'm just extremely upset over it and maybe I was looking to hard and maybe missed a place he could be hiding. Anyways any help would be greatly appreciated although I feel I prob. will never see my mole king again.

thanks in advance

Snakes like edges. They also like bookshelves.
-----
3.0 WC; 0.3 CB L. getula californiae
1.0 CB L. getula nigrita
0.1.1 WC; 0.0.3 CH Elgaria multicarinata multicarinata

He's a mole king and only about 10 inches or so in size, do you think he would still attempt to seek out raised areas? Or is he more likely to be on the floor somewhere along the wall prehaps?

My guess is he is inside of something.
If he found his way into your dresser, he may be in pockets of your pants.

I'm not familiar with mole kingsnakes, but common kingsnakes will and do climb if they think it leads to a safe place to hide.
-----
3.0 WC; 0.3 CB L. getula californiae
1.0 CB L. getula nigrita
0.1.1 WC; 0.0.3 CH Elgaria multicarinata multicarinata

well theirs 3 ways to catch a loose snake
1. you actually find him while your loking
2. luck
3. duct tape
all have worked for me but luck is by far the method thats gotten me the most results. duct tape works great EXCEPT that once you have the snake you have to remove it from the tape. this is dangerous for the snake and i have injured snakes by removing them. thier may be a better tape but i have had them slip off of masking tape and get too stuck to the duct tape. but i place tape across all exits that the snake could use. if you dont feel that the snake could use a specific exit make sure you tape that one cuz its the one that will probably be used. also staple the ends of the tape to the floor because once the snake gets stuck its going to start thrashing around and wrap itself up in the tape so to prevent this staple it down
adam
-----
hybrid breeders association
1.1 kenyan sand boas
1.1 mbk
1.1 butter corns
1.5 ghost corns
0.1 striped albino corn
0.1 childrens python
0.1 albino nelsons
0.1 milksnake phase
0.1 anery motley
0.1 bone white cross
0.1 albino banded cal king
0.1. normal corn het hypo,anery
1.0. snow corn het hypo,anery,amel
1.0. amel corn unknown hets(4ft 8inch long)
1.0 sinacorn
1.0 blizzard leo gecko
0.2 normal leo geckos
1.0 3 lined mud turtle

Well, I doubt I can help either but I hope you checked the edges of the aquarium as well. You know the black plastic along the rim? I had a hatchling that hid there on me for a day (all the while the top had been removed and set aside. --I figured he was gone!)
I came by the tank about to take it out to wash it and there he was...right up under the rim..all snug as a bug.
At any rate, I do hope you find your snake...
:Mark
-----
Surrender Dorothy!

www.crimsonking.funtigo.com

Well I would not be surprised if it would seek out elevated places. He will probably be in the most obvious place when you find him. (most things are) Check inside furniture, I had a sonoran gophersnake that had escaped, and 4 days later my little brother screamed, I came running and when he leaned back on the recliner my snake was on the footrest just chilling. So just check places you would never think of. Any clothes on the floor, curtains, under crap. You can try and lure him to a spot with some mouse blood but this rarely works. Also block exits, I would'nt use duct tape on such a small snake but if it gets him found I guess its better than nothing.

Keep looking but you will probabaly find him when your not looking. Try and keep yourself active sit in the room and read or something and don't get down on yourself. It might have been your fault and it might not have been but it does'nt matter because its happened. You most likely will find him especially if your pretty sure there is only one exit. If your sure you've checked the ENTIRE ROOM check the next room.

GOOD LUCK!!!! Keep us posted.

Agree with gopher. I had a corn snake that went missing 3 times. Everytime it was a friend or family member showing other people my snake when I wasn't home. They always forgot to lock it. Anyway, furniture is a good insulator, found him twice in my bed...well once he found me when I was sleeping. Chances are you will stumble upon him when least expected, like everyone said. Look in every possible crevice, exspecially since he is small he might be in an amazingly hard place to get to. Good luck! Sam

Might try putting a small deli cup with a hole cut in the lid half full of water in a dark spot in the room. At any rate it might find a drink and not dehydrate and you might get lucky and find him/her soaking in it.
Todd Hughes

I had a garter snake get loose once - some kids who lived at a house 3 houses up from mine came and knocked on my door about 3 weeks later, with my snake, which they found in their backyard.

It was skinny, had some new scars, but was alive.
-----
3.0 WC; 0.3 CB L. getula californiae
1.0 CB L. getula nigrita
0.1.1 WC; 0.0.3 CH Elgaria multicarinata multicarinata

I wish you all the luck in the world. I had given a friend a beautiful cal king for her b-day, and warned her about the escaping possibilities. Needless to say, he escaped, I believe her cat found him. Too bad. On a lighter note, I had a ball python disappear on me once. I searched everywhere, and finally, about a week later, I saw a cat of mine staring intently into a hole in a packing box. Sure enough, there he was, hungry and I believe thankful to be found. Unfortunatly with snakes, especially small ones, it is very difficult to find one that has escaped. They are very good at hiding. A young king I have now loves climbing inside of a glove I have, so much in fact, I have put the glove in his cage as an extra hiding place. I have found animals in the strangest places. A baby savannah monitor got loose once, showed up 2 weeks later. I heard him behind a dresser where I had apparently left a potato chip bag. The crinkling sound of the bag gave him away. Have found a golden gecko, believe it or not, on the ceiling!! Just hangin out. lol. So, all I can say is good luck, keep your eyes and ears sharp at all times. I have found that you will more often than not "stumble" across them when you're not exactly looking for them. I hope you find your snake.

There are several things I have done in the past for escaped snakes. Each have worked sometimes, and sometimes not. I've never tried duct tape, but I have used glue boards people use to catch mice. If he gets stuck on it baby oil will get him off right away. Also, when they travel alot of time they follow the baseboards in a room. I've put down towels at random points around the room against the baseboards, and at different spots in the middle of the room, and just checked them frequently. If he's traveling around the room, and gets to one of the towels he might feel secure, and stay there. Just check them often before he decides to take off again. I have also put down newspaper, and heard them when they go across it (kinda like the potato chip bag thing mentioned earlier). One good suggestion from someone earlier was to put down some water. You don't want him dying from dehydration while you're looking for him. I put the water next to the towels on the floor. I hope some of this helps, but like just like the other posts said luck will probably have to play a big part. I hope you find him.
Ken

I would check the inside the floor of your closet. Check in and under any bags pockets, bookshelves,draws etc. Its been a while since I've lost a snake(knock on wood) however over the years the ones that got lost always for some reason headed for the closet. I found a lost cal king inside my Marine uniform camie trouser cargo pocket, and in a plastic bag of tapes in a duffle bag in my closet. which they all survived You can try to sprinkle powder along the wall of the room and put some crinkly paper along the walls on the floor which may help find track him. even louring him out with a f/thawed mouse scenting along the wall may also help. they usually start to wonder after lights out and when they get hungry. when lights go out at night use a bright flash light to search under the bed, furniture, along the walls. What I have learned that it is best (besides a extra secure cage)to make sure you seal off any holes in the wall along the heaters and tape down the edge of the carpets/floor boards to prevent the snakes from retreating in the walls. Also I now keep my snake room neat with nothing cluttered on the floor, because I learned my lessons having to tore up everything in the house trying to find the snake. nothings more frustrating is when you lose a baby snake and you have to go through all the clutter of junk on the floor to find him. I am sure he will turn up, I hope this may help somewhat. let us know when he turns up. good luck Dave

thanks for all the advice and kind words. It's been a few days and no luck yet. On saturday I literally tossed my room I went over everthing(empying dressers one item at a time, then removing drawers, then tipping the dressers over). No sign of him yet. I have no idea where he could be, he was a pretty active snake though so if he was loose in the house he wouldn't stay put long(unless he ready to shed) which is now theory of mine. Where ever could be hiding he might be staying there because he is preparing to shed. I have put out a few small water dishes, and tonight I'll line the baseboards with some crumped up towels(or t-shirts)

If the glue traps are really not that harmful I may try them soon if all else fails. To be honest it feels really hopeless and that if I didn't find him yet I won't find him at all. He had plenty of clutter on the floor near the tank to hide in so I'm a little perplexed as to why he might travel so far as to leave my room. Well hopefully my luck changes and thanks again everyone for being so helpful.

The glue traps work, but they must be checked often, as it could get ugly for the snake and regular cooking oil will get it off quick and easy. Ever had gum in your hair? Peanut butter does the same thing for that. Good luck and don't be surprised to find it in another room. All my escapees have made it into the next room or beyond.
Todd Hughes