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Boa got out of its cage

jeffharding Dec 02, 2010 03:05 PM

My 4' salmon boa got out of its cage while I was on vacation, mostly due to me not double checking the pin that locks the sliding top in place. I went on vacation last Tuesday, got back on Sunday to find my mistake. After a quick look, I was able to see a small sliver of scales behind my monitor cage. The good thing is all cages are in a 10'x8' shed. The shed has reflectix insulation and is pretty secure (no holes to the outside). I wasnt able to get to the snake when I saw it on Sunday, and have been monitoring to see if it was in a more open place the whole week, but to no avail. I did some extensive searching last night. The monitor cage is 8x4x8, so it takes up half of the shed, with only a foot or so on each side to squeeze by if you want to look behind it. It is also off the ground on cinder blocks. What I think is happening is that the cinders are hollow, so he is curled up in one of them. Problem is that I have to take the top of the monitor cage apart to get to some of the blocks.

I'm planning on tearing the shed apart this weekend, unless I can get him out another way. I am thinking of a trap of somehow with a live mouse. His cage is a 40 gal glass with sliding top. Should I put it on the ground with the mouse in it? Will the snake smell the mouse? Or shoudl I use a critter carrier and not let the snake get to the mouse?

Anyone have some good "traps"...I can monitor the situation every 30 minutes or so. The cage is heated, so he's been getting 72 at night and 80's during the day, so he should be hungry,but I never see him near the heater.

If all else fails, its cleaning day for the shed, haha.

Thanks to all with good ideas!

Picture is taken right outside of the shed -

Replies (2)

viper9 Feb 09, 2011 06:54 PM

I have heard of people having some success with tieing a string to a thawed mouse tied to something else. The snake eats it but is tied to the other object. I guess you force the mouse out after. My best advice is to just rip the place apart. Good luck.

Mike
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1.1.9 Cal. Kings
1.0 Ball Python
0.0.1 Jungle Carpet Python
0.0.2 African House Snakes
0.0.1 Oketee Corn Snake
0.1 Salmon Boa Constrictor
0.0.1 Marbled Salamander
0.0.1 Japanese Fire-Bellied Newt
0.2 Labs

viper9 Feb 09, 2011 07:29 PM

I also wanted to point out that I have never before used this technique so have no first hand knowledge as to it efficacy.

Mike
-----
1.1.9 Cal. Kings
1.0 Ball Python
0.0.1 Jungle Carpet Python
0.0.2 African House Snakes
0.0.1 Oketee Corn Snake
0.1 Salmon Boa Constrictor
0.0.1 Marbled Salamander
0.0.1 Japanese Fire-Bellied Newt
0.2 Labs

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