Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have a stubborn milksnake hatchling that refuses to eat so I've tried putting it in a small deli cup with a newborn pinkie overnight a few times. It ate once a few weeks ago but has not eaten since. I put it back in the deli cup last night and did not think to secure the lid of the enclosure because the deli cup lid is pretty tight. I woke up this morning to find the deli cup lid popped open, one dead pinkie, and no snake anywhere in in the tank or immediately nearby. I just moved and have lots of stuff in boxes so this is giving me a good excuse to actually sort through my stuff meticulously while looking for the snake. No luck yet, I'll let you all know if I find it.

I believe most of the regulars on this forum have had an escaped snake at some point in there lives. How often do you actually find the little buggers and what sorts of places do you find them in? I think I can think like a snake and look in all the likely places but it never hurts to hear some advice from the older and wiser. I feel like this is one of those things that most keepers have happen to them once and then never again. I just wish it was one of my larger snakes -- less places for it to hide.

They are pretty good at finding lost snakes it seems. A couple years ago my CA king escaped from a new tank I got him (it had a sliding top with pins and I was certain it was secure, but apparently I was wrong), and I brought one of the cats in the room and she found him hiding under some stuff in the closet. Obviously, don't leave a cat unattended anywhere you think the snake may be happening.
-----
- Natalie
(San Francisco Bay Area)

1.0 Banded California King
1.0 Mexican Black King
1.0 Bay of LA Rosy Boa
0.1 San Ignacio Rosy Boa
0.1 Ortiz Rosy Boa
2.3 Kenyan Sand Boas
0.1 Saharan Sand Boa
1.2 Rubber Boas
0.1 Pickering's Gartersnake

Typo
-----
- Natalie
(San Francisco Bay Area)

1.0 Banded California King
1.0 Mexican Black King
1.0 Bay of LA Rosy Boa
0.1 San Ignacio Rosy Boa
0.1 Ortiz Rosy Boa
2.3 Kenyan Sand Boas
0.1 Saharan Sand Boa
1.2 Rubber Boas
0.1 Pickering's Gartersnake

haha, one of my roommates has ferrets but is gone this week. My concern is that if it has made it out of my bedroom then when the ferrets return then they will find the snake before I do

You might want to check outside. When I was living in an apartment my anery corn snake broke out, just like your snake, and made its way outside through a window on the second floor. She hid under the dumpster. If you think it may have gotten outside ask a neighbor to let you know if they see a snake. Be sure to explain to them that it is nonvenomous. I didn't do that and someone killed my snake thinking it was a water moccasin.

You can set up traps too. If you cut the top off of a plastic soda bottle and then place the neck of the bottle in the bottle. Like this: http://www.cornsnake.net/photogalleryhr.php . Go to miscellaneous then traps.

You can also place tape in doorways.

Good luck.