Snakes have a flexible spine containing hundreds of vertebrae (humans have 33) allowing them the flexibility to squeeze into tight spaces. This is what makes them excellent escape artists. Instinctively, most species love to remain hidden by taking cover in their natural habitat and by using camouflage, keeping them safe from predators and allowing them to excel at catching their prey. If you’ve been a pet owner for any amount of time, scaly or not you have probably had a scare or two. While this is a cause for concern, these are some tips if your pet snake has gone missing.
What to do when your pet snake gets out?
Google is your friend! It never hurts to read about how others have found their lost pet and try some of their ideas. Click the link below for some quick tips.
Don’t panic – the last thing you want to do is start frantically destroying your house and making a cluttered mess for your snake to go find fun new hiding spots in. While it is easy to get overwhelmed or frustrated after learning your pet snake has gone missing, you will have an easier time locating them if you can stay calm.
Be sure to check the habitat a few times, some pet snakes will get stuck behind wallpapers or fake rock backgrounds, on the underside of hideouts or even the tank lid itself. Check the decor items thoroughly and take everything out from the enclosure and start working your way through the substrate.
Make sure all exterior doors are closed and start in the room where the enclosure is located. Then pick a corner of the room, and carefully search inside and around every item. Inside of shoes (yes even boots), dresser drawers, socks, underneath and behind appliances (these often produce heat and will attract your scaly friend), plants, blankets, bed frames, boxes, etc. Be sure to check under furniture and that there are no holes under couches or mattresses that they could’ve gotten into. Look through items carefully but take into account the size of your pet snake. If you have a 12 foot reticulated python, there’s no need to check inside the shoes and socks. A much smaller pet snake, such as an 8 inch corn snake will fit into plenty of cramped spaces.
It’s always a good idea to check high and low, especially if you have an arboreal species but you should never assume heavy bodied snakes or terrestrial species will stay low to the ground.
Unfortunately, planting rodent snacks around your house has proven to have a low success rate in helping to find your lost pet snake but will cause your home to have a not so pleasant smell! You may however, have some success with coating non-carpeted floors in flour or baby powder to allow you to see tracks if your snake is on the move when you’re not looking. Stacking empty aluminum cans along edges of walls in non carpeted areas and listening to hear them fall over but not cause injuries to your pet snake. Plastic groceries bags are great to spread throughout the house on areas with or without rugs and carpet.
If you are still having trouble, lowering your thermostat a few degrees (do NOT make it too cold) and set up a few heat mats or basking areas for your snake may draw them out of hiding. You want to avoid making the house too cold (for your sake and theirs) as this could cause them to become lethargic and sluggish, if they get too cold they may not want to move around much and it could cause them to get sick. A couple degrees lower than the normal room temperature for your house should be the perfect amount.
What NOT to do when your pet snake gets out
Do not set up tape or glue traps. While there is a small chance your pet snake may slither across one during their adventures, these can be incredibly dangerous and cruel to not only your beloved pet but to any other creature that may stumble across them- either in your house or even after you’ve disposed of the traps.
Avoid moving heavy furniture or appliances. Grab a flashlight and check behind, underneath and along all crevices but moving heavy objects could injure the snake or cause them to wedge further into hiding.
Don’t chase or corner your pet snake once you spot them. Just like any animal, especially one outside of its normal comfort zone, moving too quickly or without analyzing the current situation could cause you to lose them again. Swiftly but calmly move towards them and make sure the direction they will most likely move (away from you) is not towards any objects they could suddenly move underneath or behind. If necessary, walking towards them to persuade them into a smaller, less cluttered room may benefit your ability to capture them.
How to avoid future escapes
Invest in some enclosure locks. Whether you have a front opening or top opening enclosure, plastic, pvc, glass, wood or something else- there are many different ways you can secure your enclosure. Some pet snake owners will use heavy objects such as textbooks, while this can be a temporary solution, books can easily be knocked off or larger snakes are able to still lift the lids despite the weight or find a gap where there isn’t anything heavy and find their way to freedom. While heavy duty locks with keys or combinations are recommended for venomous reptiles (and still a good option for non-venomous), there are a variety of pins, wedges, clasps and much more that will ensure your pet snake doesn’t have any unsupervised playdates.
Install a seal to the bottom of the door of the room where your snake’s enclosure is and keep the door shut at all times as a secondary measure in case they do get out, they will be confined to one room.
Keeping your house (or at least the room) tidy, while easier said than done is good practice. Having things somewhat neat and organized will not only help you find that old yearbook you were looking for but also make it easier in case your pet snake finds his or her way out again.
Check on your snake daily, it’s always a good idea just like our furry housemates to check on them often. It’s easier to find a lost snake the sooner you notice they’re missing!
At the end of the day, pet escapes are scary but they do happen to all of us! The most important thing is that we stay calm and collected, think of the last time you saw them or had them outside of their enclosure and once they have been located, take all measures to prevent future incidents. Snakes can be very reserved and lazy, don’t worry if you can’t find your pet for a few days, they can go quite a long time without food and are great at retaining water. Although, a few water dishes around the house would not be a bad idea.
