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I have a young Pueblan milk snake - I've only had her since February 23. Today - I noticed I wasn't seeing her hanging out in her cage. She hides a lot during the day - but I still usually see her from time to time. I decided it had been five days since her last feeding, and I have a long day tomorrow - so I'll get her out and see if she wants to eat (she eats in a different enclosure).

She wasn't there. Bah! I really thought I had her cage secure - apparently not!

I live in an apartment that was built in the 1920s, so there are plenty of hiding spots even though it is only a studio. I spent about 2 hours turning the place upside down looking for her with a flashlight. All I found were some dust-bunnies.

I've put out her feeding enclosure, with the top open, and put a fresh pinkie and some water inside, as well as some substrate she could hide in in one corner. I made a little set of steps out of some books - since the door is on the top. I'm hoping she'll come out once I turn all the lights out for her dinner or at least some water.

I don't have any flour or cornstarch, but I'll be getting some. Anyone have any other suggestions on how to find my little beauty before someone else does? I'd stay up all night looking for her, but I have two tests tomorrow. I'm really hoping this little plan works and she'll come back for food and I'll keep her in there until I can figure out where she got out. I'd poked my pinky finger at every nook and cranny of her enclosure and though it was secure - but obviously I was wrong!!!

It is terribly cold outside - so at least I know one place she is NOT.

Out of curiousity what would the flour or cornstarch before?

sometimes used to sprinkle on the floor especially around the perimeter of walls, where it makes visual "track marks" in the powder as they crawl. Many times, you can discern exactly which direction it went, ultimately leading to the snake itself!.
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Better to be silent and thought a fool, than to open mouth and remove any doubt!

Flour/ cornstarch won't help with cats running around. Your snake will seek a warm dark place to hang and won't be active until it's hungry. My apt. is old, but I sealed all open holes (under radiator, frig. piping,) with cement, plaster, or
plastic covering. If anyone escaped in my place, my cats are on the job. They won't eat the animal, they act like a swat team. He should turn in a few days, unless he made it thru an opening and is on his way to a neighbors place.

Mike

I lost a baby Sinaloan a couple of months ago. I put 20 inch long pieces of masking tape(sticky side up) on the floor along every wall in my basement and caught him about 6 days later. They get balled up in the tape and can't escape. He lost a few scales but otherwise is fine.

Yikes! That sounds kinda traumatic!

So how long should I expect a milk her size to go without being hungry if she had a pinkie on March 1?

I have the lights off and the aluminum foil out right now ... sure hope she isn't already off to a neighbor's! I haven't heard any yelling or seen any notes about finding a snake.

I lost an adult pueblan milk when living in an apartment. She was gone for 7 months. One night when we had company I saw about 3 inches of a tail crawling under the couch. I pulled her out and surprisingly she was the same weight as when I had lost her. God knows how she maintained herself. Now, in a house I lost a juv. graybanded kingsnake in the garage on monday, and found it today crawling across the cross walk leading to my porch. You never know!