Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I woke up on Monday morning to find my beloved python, Charlie, was not in her cage. I spent hours not only searching, but researching other snake escapes on the internet. There are many websites with tips on catching lost snakes, but the most valuable information I found came from other snake keepers sharing their experiences on forums. For the sake of adding to this pool of information, and hopefully to aid other snake hobbyists with escapees, I will share what happened to me.

I use enclosures that open from the top and have sliding/locking screen lids. One day while taking Charlie out I put the lid on the floor and accidentally stepped on it, popping the mesh out of the frame on one corner. I tried to tape it up, but it was not enough. A few days later she slipped out.

My boyfriend and I tore the house apart. We have cats and tried to gauge their reactions. They had obviously seen something, but couldn't lead us to her location. We have one open vent in the place that leads into the wall. I opened the grate and looked inside, but found nothing. This morning however, my boyfriend did the same thing, only he looked up at the top with a mirror and a flashlight (something I did not think to do). Lo and behold, there she was in the wall, curled around the box for a light switch.

My boyfriend removed the box while I watched with the mirror and the flashlight from below. Once there was a hole in the wall where she was, I scented the hole and surrounding area with a f/t rat, and put her enclosure on top of a shelf just below the opening. I thawed another rat and placed it in her usual hide. After several hours of patience, watching from both the opening and from the grate below, she was hungry enough to come out.

Never forget to look UP! And never lose hope if your pet escapes. Get as many people to help as you can, because you can always use and extra set of eyes or a new idea.

Wow, Lucky cats..
I have a jungle carpet python, although, it was my two cornsnakes that got out. I was in the kitchen with my crested gecko in my hand on the computer when i felt something on my leg that wasn't normal... Looking down , I see my male cornsnake, and what a surprise!, I quickly put my crestie back and went to get the cornsnake, which began to hide in a low radiator while I was putting away my Crestie, I didn't wanna tug on him out cause it would've probably caused some injury, so i struggled with him for a bit then let him go.. Took the radiator apart and he was gone, had snuck into a small space between the radiator and under the sink cabinets because there was a block of wood covering the radiator pipe outside of the part he was originally in, confusing i know, anyway, there was no way i was getting him out, so I simply gave him a few seconds to turn around, which he did, then asked him really nicely to come out, again;which he did .
Now the tough part was putting him back to see his mate had gotten out too :\.. and I searched everywhere looking. I was so discomforted by this that I stayed up all night with open eyes til just around dawn when out from under the couch slithers my albino female ... What a night.

There was a reptile shop near me called "Constrictors" (it's since gone out of business), and when I went in for the first time, the owner had a 6' carpet python on the floor. He said he was outside and found it curled up in a bucket--and it wasn't his! We couldn't figure out how it happened, as it was a retail space. Strange.
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