Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Jason, thanx for the advise you gave a while back to the dude who lost his Cal king. You recommended using plastic bags in corners to make noise when the snake crawls over it. I lost this female speckled king about a month ago. A few days ago I saw her head poking through a hole in the ceiling in my basement, right next to my huge flagstone fireplace. While I was fumbling around with the ceiling tiles she got back between the flagstones in the fireplace and the cinder blocks on the inside - between the two floors of the house. Man I was discouraged, I figured I blew the one chance in a million I had to get her. So I put the plastic bags in the ceiling near some of the spots where I thought she could come out. The next night I sure enough heard the crinkling! I waited a few minutes so she could emerge enough so I wouldn't startle her back in. I went back there to find her crawling down the back of the fireplace! Thanx! Here she is:

By the way, those two Florida kings are doing great! I have put some weight on that male, but the female is still larger then him. I'll post some pics of them

Matt

This big guy also thanks you.

Later

Nice snakes, and congrats on the recovery! Another handy device is a cat--mine ferreted out an escapee years ago; it's amazing what they can hear. Only problem is, if I wasn't around, my cat woulda done in the snake.

I have a friend that had a Beagle find and escaped newborn Rubber Boa. Pretty Cool!
-Phil

One of our cats started the whole mess! She let out both of those speckled kings as they were on the bottom shelf of the rack. She would be a dead cat if she would have gotten my only hatchling, she would have killed it, then I would have killed her. Lesson learned, I have cat-proofed my snake rack.

I often play with my good friends basset hound, I hide various toys then let him in the house and he is incredible at finding them. I considered borrowing him and rubbing his toy in the snake cage, then let him find it once or twice, then trick him into finding the snake.

Thanx

Matt

Good to hear man. That is a nice speckled king, it would have been a shame to not have found her. I learned that plastic bag trick by accident. I woke up one night to the sound of something crinkling behind my hutch. I thought it was a snake shedding but I looked and saw my Okeetee (Abbott Line) out for a stroll. There was a whole in the wall right in front of her and I didn't even know she was out. So I could have lost her for good before I even knew she was out.

Just to be safe I put bags behind my furniture all the time now. I can't see them and like everyone else I have plenty of them. It is just so simple and the snakes don't seem to know they are making noise.

By the way i am heading to florida for christmas so if you want another Fl king send me a email cuz i am going out at least once.

later Jason

Np=No post.

here's the male:

Here's the female:

The female is a great pet, she eats whatever, whenever, and has calmed down like a corn snake. The male is kind of a wuss, although i think he is very pretty. I hope they get it on next spring - he just might not be man enough to deal with her, she is a big snake....