Reptile & Amphibian Forums

okay I had just got off work, Calling my mom telling her im on my way home and shes crying telling me my snakes on her toilet,(she has a snake phobia and just has to put up with my passion, she though it was a water moccosin which are common around my parts) bla bla bla I went 110 the whole way home and I got there and had a gigantic lecture and I figured out how she got out and I rigged up get cage and then I was just wondering why would she want to leave... she has a hiding spot, water, food when I feed her and she wants to leave. Is is just curiosity or does she just hate me? Im reallly concerned but I ducted taped the crap out of the cage where she cant get out. The way she got out was I have a vision cage with the sliding glass and me being lazy just put the power wires through the screen glass part and I figured she couldnt squeez by WRONG!~!!! my mom told me if it gets out again she will kill her so I went out side and drilled a whole in the corner of the cage for the power cords and then sealed it up with duct tape(temporary solution until I find something better) then I taped down the head pad and the helix themometer and all the good stuff, re-arranged her cage slightly and I think theres no physical way for her to get out now but why would she wanna get out, the reason for her being on the toilet is in my idea thirsty for water and my mom said that she diddnt se her drink any and she couldnt have been out that long cause I check on her 24 hours so, I dunno what the deal is. sorry for the long post btw...

...in my experience snake wandering has, with my snakes, never been to poor caging. I've had many snakes over the years that either ocassionaly escaped or that I actually intentionally allowed to wander(though they still had an enclosure). In all these cases the apparent culprit of the wandering always seemed to be one of three things. Namely curiosity, seeking a female in season, or thermoregulation.

I would suspect your snake just got curious about what was outside the enclosure and found a nice roost that was a temp it liked(namely the toilet). Don't worry about the motivation unless it is doing sonething very abnormal in it's enclosure.

As far as a sealing medium I would check some types of caulking. personally I would recomend(check to make sure no toxic fumes while curing)the silicon caulking that is used to construct/repair glass aquariums. I know it is safe and very solid after it cures but I do not remember if it puts off toxic fumes while curing.

Also be careful using something as adhesive as duct tape where the snake could come in contact with it. The last thing you want is to damage it's skin peeling off something that won't let go.

Another binding/seeling option I used to use that when installed properly is extremely effective is velcro. just make sure the adhesive side is very solidly stuck to the two objects your binding and then press them firmly together. If done properly it will take a screw driver or butter knife to seperate them.

Also something that helped when I was in the same cituation you are currently in was to educate my mother about the differences between snake species so there was no longer any confusion about whether it was mine or a poisonous intruder. She'll still prolly get miffed like mine did finding a 6ft gophersnake in her shower but at least she won't panic and overreact.

Good Luck,

Sean.

Just a few quick, and very random thoughts. There is no reason to run electricity inside a Vision cage. Put the heat tape or heat pad under the cage and it will heat the floor of the cage. Snakes probably escape because they are genetically programmed to explore their surroundings. Most models of Vision cages have that heat tower thing hanging down from the top of the cage so that for snakes that require overhead heat or light you can place the light or ceramic heater in the heat tower outside the cage.
Jeff

>>okay I had just got off work, Calling my mom telling her im on my way home and shes crying telling me my snakes on her toilet,(she has a snake phobia and just has to put up with my passion, she though it was a water moccosin which are common around my parts) bla bla bla I went 110 the whole way home and I got there and had a gigantic lecture and I figured out how she got out and I rigged up get cage and then I was just wondering why would she want to leave... she has a hiding spot, water, food when I feed her and she wants to leave. Is is just curiosity or does she just hate me? Im reallly concerned but I ducted taped the crap out of the cage where she cant get out. The way she got out was I have a vision cage with the sliding glass and me being lazy just put the power wires through the screen glass part and I figured she couldnt squeez by WRONG!~!!! my mom told me if it gets out again she will kill her so I went out side and drilled a whole in the corner of the cage for the power cords and then sealed it up with duct tape(temporary solution until I find something better) then I taped down the head pad and the helix themometer and all the good stuff, re-arranged her cage slightly and I think theres no physical way for her to get out now but why would she wanna get out, the reason for her being on the toilet is in my idea thirsty for water and my mom said that she diddnt se her drink any and she couldnt have been out that long cause I check on her 24 hours so, I dunno what the deal is. sorry for the long post btw...

natural born escape artists. If they an get out, they will get out. Not due to anything lacking in their cage. Just hardwired to travel.
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Thanks,

Dave Colling

www.rainbows-r-us-reptiles.com

0.1 Wife (WC and still very fiesty)
0.2 kids (CBB, a big part of our selective breeding program)

LOL, to many snakes to list, last count:
20.28 BRB
14.18 BCI
And those are only the breeders

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats