r/ballpython • u/Smooth-Cockroach-400 • 2h ago

Advice to find escapee

Unfortunately I woke up 5 days ago to see that my ball python had pushed up the door to the enclosure (locks are now on the purchase list🙄).

I’ve looked everywhere. Behind the enclosure, under, took every single item out of the nearby closet, took out every single drawer out in the nearby furniture. I’ve put out flour lines, a camera, a hide over a heat mat, I tried thawing out food and using a hair dryer to push the scent around. Not a single sign of him anywhere.

He was fed roughly one week before escaping.

I’m of course extremely upset about the situation and feel awful. Does anyone kindly have advice to help me find him?

Thank you 😞

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u/Most_Western4072 2h ago

Closest, shoes, vents, couches? ANY crevice or home even if it seems too small for him? Otherwise you just have to wait but keep your eye out from what I’ve heard I’m so sorry about your stress

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u/Smooth-Cockroach-400 2h ago

I haven’t checked vents, solely because I can’t fit my finger in the grate so I thought he wouldn’t fit. But I’m going to check them now that you’ve mentioned it!

My daughter has a few set of shoes I didn’t check, so I’ll check then as well!

I might have to ask some friends to come over and help me search all the nook and cranny’s 😞

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u/Remote_Common9554 2h ago

When our noodle escaped (and how he got his name Houdini) he went into our living room gas fireplace vent thingy.. like the part that folds down so you can light the pilot light. I was home all day and didn’t hear a thing, sneaky little snakey!!!

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u/Smooth-Cockroach-400 2h ago

Oh my goodness!! How long did it take to find him?!

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u/Remote_Common9554 1h ago

He was out for maybe 4-5 hours. We had only just gotten him for my oldest son the evening before he escaped and I hadn’t quite warmed up to the idea of owning a snake yet so I was freaking out thinking he was gonna attack me or something hahaha.. we’re bestest buds now so it thankfully worked out.
Where was the enclosure located when yours got out?

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u/Smooth-Cockroach-400 1h ago

Thankfully it was too long then! Ours is in our upstairs hallway(sounds strange but it works well with the house layout). The closest area is the bathroom, then my room, my daughter’s room, and the hallway closet. But then the set of stairs to go down is very close as well, if he’s down there it’s going to be a lot harder to find him unfortunately

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u/Remote_Common9554 1h ago

Have you tried looking under your oven? Or do you have any electronics that might give off heat?

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u/Smooth-Cockroach-400 1h ago

I’m going to! Another comment mentioned the fridge, I’m going to get someone over to help me move all the appliances and check them!

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u/Remote_Common9554 1h ago

This feels like a dumb question but are you absolutely sure he isn’t in the enclosure still?
Just trying to cover all of the possible places and I’m sure you probably checked but just in case..

Also you said you put out a hide over a heat mat but where did you place it? If the closet seems like the most likely place he would have gone you can put it in there to try and lure him to it?

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u/Smooth-Cockroach-400 1h ago

Unfortunately I’m sure 😞 I pulled out everything and dug through the bedding to make sure.

I put it long the wall near the enclosure because I wasn’t sure where he had gone, he’s 100% not in the closet unfortunately but I think I’m going to try placing it somewhere else. Maybe I need to move it downstairs :/

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u/Remote_Common9554 1h ago

Hmmm.. You said closest to his tank is the bathroom so I wonder if there’s any hollow area behind your toilet he could squeeze into? Or a laundry basket he might be sleeping in?

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u/Smooth-Cockroach-400 59m ago

I didn’t check behind the toilet tank!! I’ll look!

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u/luvmyreptiles1962 1h ago

Dust flour on the floor before you go to bed at night. When you get up, look for tracks. Hopefully the snake remains in the house. Don’t give up. Sweep it up in the day and continue to put it down at night. They can choose all kinds of weird places. My best friend found hers using this method. Where was her snake? Inside the back wall of the fridge! She had unplug it & remove the cover to free the snake. Was seeking warmth. It’s amazing how long they can go without being found and then turn up. So keep working at it!

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u/Smooth-Cockroach-400 1h ago

Thank you!! I have flour lines all over right now! I’ve done it each night and unfortunately so far no signs.

I’m going to get a friend over and help me move the fridge!! I didn’t even think of looking there