Reptile & Amphibian Forums

As I went to get my 2 ball pythons out of their cage today, I realized there's only 1 in the cage. Simple math would tell you that I've now got a problem. Either my male adult ball python ate the female (I've never heard of this), or somehow my 1 year old female escaped from a completely sealed enclosure. Now I've never heard of ball pythons eating each other, so does anyone have any advice on ways to lure a ball python out of hiding? Any advice on this would be appreciated as I've now got a 2'python loose in the house with 2 dogs and a cat (the dogs and cat are safe, it's the python I worry about).
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1.0 Anery Columbian Redtail Boa
1.0 Striped Irian Jaya Carpet Python
0.1 Gray Banded Kingsnake
1.1 Ball Python
1.0 Sunglow Striped Corn
1.1 Leopard Gecko (Male-Albino, Female-Reduced Pattern)
Various Fish

Well, I would start by looking in every warm,dark place that would provide them security. That will be the first place that they will go. How long have they been missing?

Chris

I put them both back into the cage last night, and less than 24hrs later one is missing. Everyone I've talked to thinks the adult male (about 3') ate the yearling female. He's a picky eater and hasn't eaten in about 2 weeks, but I've never really heard of ball pythons eating each other.
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1.0 Anery Columbian Redtail Boa
1.0 Striped Irian Jaya Carpet Python
0.1 Gray Banded Kingsnake
1.1 Ball Python
1.0 Sunglow Striped Corn
1.1 Leopard Gecko (Male-Albino, Female-Reduced Pattern)
Various Fish

That's one of the reasons it's generally advised to house only one snake per cage.

You would know if the male ate the female by looking at him. Does he have a lump? Feel his belly and see if it feels like he ate her. I really dont think this is the case, 2 weeks for a ball not to eat aint nothing. I used to rescue them and i have had them go a year without eating.

Ken
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0.1 Albino Cal. King (Fokker)
0.1 Reverse Okeetee Corn (trouble)

0.0.1 Anery (Thanks Jimmy)(Sam Wise)
2.2 Dogs(2 Boxers, Cookie and Joe, Lhasa Apso, George, pik ahpso, Gizzy Gumdrop)
0.1 Wife
0.1 Kid

Thanks to everyone who replied. Less than 24hrs after being found missing she was found in a hall closet about 10' from the enclosure she's kept in. My dad reached into the closet in the dark the next morning and felt a pinprick type pain in his hand, so when he looked into the closet, there she was sitting on a shelf. So everything is back to normal, thanks again for your replies.
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1.0 Anery Columbian Redtail Boa
1.0 Striped Irian Jaya Carpet Python
0.1 Gray Banded Kingsnake
1.1 Ball Python
1.0 Sunglow Striped Corn
1.1 Leopard Gecko (Male-Albino, Female-Reduced Pattern)
Various Fish