Roughly two weeks ago, I got a corn snake from one of my mom’s friends who breeds them. This is my first time owning a snake, so forgive me if I’m missing things that are obvious to more experienced owners. This is also my first time using this site–My mom’s friend suggested it if I ever needed help, so here I am. Last week, the day before I was going to feed her for the first time after bringing her home, she disappeared. I hear it’s common for snakes to go missing for long periods of time and show up in perfect condition, but I’m really worried since she’s so young. I leave water out and I’ve even set up a heat lamp in hopes of maybe drawing her out, but there’s still no sign of her. Even my cats who used to eagerly look around her tank have stopped and moved on and I’m just really worried. I want to know if she will be okay on her own for a while or if I should find her ASAP. I’d also appreciate any advice on finding her, et cetera.
You could try set up a dark area wth maybe a heat mat and some food inside. You could also try putting flour on the floor to see if theres been any movement. Usually they dont go far from their enclosures. Also check anywhere tight or dark maybe even somewhere high up as they do sometimes tend to climb. People have sometimes even found their snakes months later and theyve been fine. Just remember not to loose hope and hopefully you find your little one soon!
It’s nice to be hopeful, but prevention is key; because while escape isn’t terribly uncommon, recovery is.
Check the cage and decor thoroughly. It could still be there. If not, work your way away from the cage. It probably isn’t far away.
Put crinkly plastic bags down along walls it’s likely to travel. Listen for crinkling after sunset and before sunrise. Place bottle traps baited with mice and water among the bags along the walls. Good luck!
Thank you– I never thought of outting flour down that’s a great idea!
We already know that she’s out, we’ve checked thoroughly and her tank was still a bit empty. I’ll try the plastic bags though, thank you!
It’s very upsetting to lose one. Unfortunately, they are really good at escaping. First, although I know you have said that you’ve checked the tank thoroughly, if you haven’t done so already, remove all the bedding and check it carefully. A young snake can curl up into an incredibly tiny area and might lie very small and still hoping the “predator” (your hand) overlooks it. By the same token, pick up each bit of decor in the tank and carefully check every possible crevice in the decor. You quotient be the first to find a snake hidden inside something you didn’t realize it could get into. A 2-L bottle trap or two can be helpful in capturing ones in the lam.
Here is a thread with other ideas.
Do keep an eye on the cats. Sometimes they’ll find the missing snake. Best of luck.