Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I posted this other places too, just though you guys would have some helpful wisdom as well.
Phoebe, my grey-banded king who's probably only a year old, got out of her tank within the last two days. There is only one heat register she could get into but it's up 7 7inch carpeted stairs in the kitchen, where there is also a toasty fridge. There are only two other places she could go. Outside (where it was about 55 two days ago and now it's below freezing), where she would have to feat three cement 8inch stairs to get outside or into a very large wood pile. Also in the crawlspace under our house, where there is a furnace, but it's very dusty in there and we didn't notice any snake tracks around the only warm place. It is winter and she's been funny about feeding, could she have possibly sought out a more secure location to hibernate? Is it possible for her to climb all those stairs? I mean it was about six inched from her thermometer boost on her tank to the lip, so plausible? What are some good traps to set for her to find (humid hides, etc.) Please help! If she got outside she definitely won't be making it through a montana winter!

Sorry to hear you lost your snake. The fact is there is no magic answer to finding your animal. Your best bet is to look around the house at night with a flashlight.. I have heard of some people using glue traps and/or tape to trap snakes, although I have never tried this personally. It really comes down to being at the right palce at the right time mixed with a little luck.

As far as the snake being able to climb stairs, the answer is 100% YES!! A few years back I had a hatchling escape in my snake room which is in my basement and I found him 3 weeks later in my tool shed out in the back yard??..

Good Luck!!

~ Mike Russo

Start where the snake escaped and work from there. A few things to keep in mind...

1. Snakes in homes typically travel along the edge where the flooring and the wall meet.

2. Gray bands like tight, secure spaces.

3. Typical humidity within a home, especially in winter, is too low for a small gray band...look for a moisture source such as a under a sink or near a hot water heater.

4. They can, and will, climb.

5. If there are rodents or have been rodents in the home, start with areas that the rodents frequent...laundry rooms, under the stove, under the sink, where pet food is stored, etc.

I had a yearling grayband who was an absolute escape artist. She got out twice and I found her both times. First time, she was behind a stack of books about 4 feet off the ground. Second time, she gave herself away when she fell in the hallway closet beside of the snake room. Needless to say, when I found her the second time, she was moved out of my snake rack and into a more secure cage.

Good luck.

Michael

Shut all the lights off, turn the heat ALL THE WAY UP, set out 6-12 glue traps and you should have the snake within a couple of hours if you can get the inside temp over 85...Use vegatable oil to remove the snake from the glue.