My son’s ball python got out of her tank Thursday. After tearing apart our entire downstairs, I have 2 theories. She either somehow got into our vents, or went under the 2" gap of the basement door.
Our basement stays around 65 degrees F during the day, and I’ve checked the normal “warm” spots (furnace, hot water heater, dryer …) with no luck. Also checked some of the easier to access spots she could hide. I set up a hide with a heater on the floor on top of a blanket, and I’m hoping if she’s down there, she’ll make her way to it.
But, realistically, if she’s down there and hidden SUPER well, how long is she going to be OK? We’re coming into warmer weather, but it’ll still only get up to around 70 ambient temp.
Look up! Despite being heavy bodied balls climb very well.
Now, 65° is pretty cool for a ball but if found soon should be ok. When you find it be sure to keep an ear on the breathing for a few weeks to make sure it hasn’t developed a respiratory issue. Don’t just drop it back into a warm cage but let it warm s l o w l y so as not to cause a build up of moisture in the lung(s).
Keep an eye on other pets too. Cat, dog.They will likely find it before you do.
My dogs were SUPER interested in the space under our basement stairs Saturday. I should have listened then. I have also looked “up” on top of things I thought she could be, but no luck.
Hot hide didn’t work to lure her out. I have her tank unplugged so that when we find her, I can slowly bring it back up to warmth for her, rather than shocking her system. Open to any other suggestions as well!
Odor traps?
Leave a hide with something that smells like food. Of course it may not help if she is too cool to eat.
Sound. Leave something that makes noise if the snake comes in contact with it.
I have heard/seen others mention leaving flour or some other powder in places she will likely travel.
Are there any places in your home that are warm or humid and have little to no traffic?
Small spaces or gaps that are big enough to get her head into?
Look in places that your sure she could not be.
Also, appliances. Even if you have looked, look again. Processing: 20251109_094304.jpg…
Do you have any bookcases in your son’s room? If so look in the shelves. Chances are pretty high that the snake is still in the same room as its enclosure. So keep looking in that room. When it is dark turn the lights on in that room periodically as snakes come out of hiding after dark.
If you think she could have been under the stairs in your basement do the same with the lights.
Above all, do not give up. Odds are she will turn up when you least expect it. Good luck
Leave your enclosure open because she may go back into it because of the warm spot.make sure you check the enclosure well every day.
Snakes can get behind walls, inside furniture, light fictures, and anything that alows the head to fit in. They can stay alive for a long time at low temps if they have enough fat reserves or find a heat/food source. Your heat source can be you sitting on furniture or a pet laying against a wall/floor/shelf or anything else. Snakes move quickly and could be anywhere in or outside your house. I usually come across lost snakes in oven, tv, furniture that regularly used, cubards with water pipes, or bed boards. I have not had a reptile get loose since child hood but it happened often. I made enclosures out of shoe boxes or what ever I could get my hands on. Somtimes it took 6 months but I would eventually find them. Sometimes I would stumble across them slithering in the kitchen around feeding time. You could leave a heat source out with a hide and check it frequently but your best bet is leaving cage open with heat source on. You could even put rodent inside ever so often in hopes of catching him inside.
