Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Well first I want to say.. Dave I am sorry I missed your post to your friends on the forum. I totally agree, this is pretty much the only forum I go to now, because I am afraid of saying the wrong thing in all the other ones! I have to say, if it wasnt for how great everyone on this forum is, I probably never would have decided to get a BRB for my first snake. But onward to what this post is really about.

Well, my BRB is doing very well now, and has been for a while. Its last shed was one full piece, a fact of which i was proud. She has been eating regularly, and is docile as can be for handling. All and all it has been a success... until the other morning. See she is still very young, and fairly small.. only around 18-20 inches so I thought there was no way what happened could have happened. I put her away the other night after having her out for a while and went to sleep. When I woke up the next morning the lid to the cage was slightly ajar and to my horror she was gone. The only way it could have happend was if she got up on top of her hide, and pushed the lid open with her head. I had no idea that at this point she would have had the strength to do that. Needless to say I lost it. I tore my room apart trying to find her, I was terrified for so many reasons, I am a college student, and I still live at home, with a family who HATES snakes. I knew they would freak out once they found out.. and they did.. but mostly I was kicking myself over how irresponisble this was. I should have known to secure the lid better, as the owner of the animal it is my job simply to keep it healthy, alive, and safe, and I let it down. I knew she wouldnt survive long on her own. She was missing for almose 48 hours, when I found her today on my floor underneath a pair of pants. She seemed fine, and appears happy to be back where it is warm and humid, and I am so relieved to be given a second chance with her. I have stacked heavy books on all four corners of the lid now, as well as in the center. I felt so terrible about this I had to get it off my chest. Thanks for listening everybody.
-Dustin
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1.0 Bearded Dragons
1.3 Fat tailed geckos
0.1 Brazilian Rainbow Boa

I'm glad you found her. There are certain things that happen to all of us sooner or later. We all get bit. And, we all have snakes get out. I still leave doors open every now and then or foget to secure them. It happens. Whenever it does, I try to stay calm (hard to do) and systematically check the room then the rest of the house. Anyway, welcome to the club.
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Mike Lockwood
www.tooscaley.com

Everyone does it some time or another or you just simply don't have enough snakes, lol. My first snake bci was named Skeeter, we did everything together including the store, friends house and what not. Seriously I had him out at least 4-5 days a week and at one time I was staying up really late at night this one week so of course he was watching t.v. with me again for like the fifth night in a row (10p.m. - 5a.m.). Well I fell asleep about 3:30 and he was chilling in a glass bowl with a heavy cover over the top exactly like the four previous nights, but I woke up at 5a.m. with a feeling something was really wrong. I sat up so fast, and was just in utter belief that he left me. I couldn't find him after two weeks but knew he was alright because he was fed a few days ago and what not. He finally appeared in the living room 17 days later, but when someone asked about Skeeter when he was missing, I didn't have the heart to tell them he was MIA because just simply thinking that I would never have him would bring instant tears to my eyes and explaining myself to somebody just wasn't going to help. I have been there, and know the feeling all to well. My initial thought was trying to make myself feel guilty (no one's fault but mine), I told myself I was a horrible parent and why am I considering getting another snake when I have trouble keeping one. I am glad you found him, and just remember the worst things happen to the best people.
Bob

Dustin,
I would be hard pressed to remember all the times my snakes have escaped (every single time keeper error). My favorite story was when a small Eastern Milk escaped. I tore my apartment apart and wrote it off as gone. About two weeks later a friend was over and had to use the bathroom. Suddenly I hear a startled cry 'Jesus Christ' (takes many forms apparently). I knew immediatly what it was. Yep, there it was between the wall and the toilet tank whth about a third of its body out.
Paul

But I will still be kicking myself for this for quite some time I am sure. I just hope she forgives me.
-Dustin
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1.0 Bearded Dragons
1.3 Fat tailed geckos
0.1 Brazilian Rainbow Boa

Dustin,
...Everyone eventually gets bitten and everyone eventually lets a snake escape. If the bite is from a nonveonmous snake less than 5 feet long it is no big deal. If you find the escaped snake in a reasonable amount of time it is also no big deal. Getting bitten occasionally and leaving a cage unsecured occasionally does make me realize that keeping hot snakes is out of the question for me.
Jeff

>>Well first I want to say.. Dave I am sorry I missed your post to your friends on the forum. I totally agree, this is pretty much the only forum I go to now, because I am afraid of saying the wrong thing in all the other ones! I have to say, if it wasnt for how great everyone on this forum is, I probably never would have decided to get a BRB for my first snake. But onward to what this post is really about.
>>
>>Well, my BRB is doing very well now, and has been for a while. Its last shed was one full piece, a fact of which i was proud. She has been eating regularly, and is docile as can be for handling. All and all it has been a success... until the other morning. See she is still very young, and fairly small.. only around 18-20 inches so I thought there was no way what happened could have happened. I put her away the other night after having her out for a while and went to sleep. When I woke up the next morning the lid to the cage was slightly ajar and to my horror she was gone. The only way it could have happend was if she got up on top of her hide, and pushed the lid open with her head. I had no idea that at this point she would have had the strength to do that. Needless to say I lost it. I tore my room apart trying to find her, I was terrified for so many reasons, I am a college student, and I still live at home, with a family who HATES snakes. I knew they would freak out once they found out.. and they did.. but mostly I was kicking myself over how irresponisble this was. I should have known to secure the lid better, as the owner of the animal it is my job simply to keep it healthy, alive, and safe, and I let it down. I knew she wouldnt survive long on her own. She was missing for almose 48 hours, when I found her today on my floor underneath a pair of pants. She seemed fine, and appears happy to be back where it is warm and humid, and I am so relieved to be given a second chance with her. I have stacked heavy books on all four corners of the lid now, as well as in the center. I felt so terrible about this I had to get it off my chest. Thanks for listening everybody.
>>-Dustin
>>-----
>>1.0 Bearded Dragons
>>1.3 Fat tailed geckos
>>0.1 Brazilian Rainbow Boa