I'm sure people are sick of these kinds of threads [escaped carpet python]

[Jessicat]

I was planning on making a nice thread about the new addition I picked up at the CRBE [Hatchling Jungle Carpet Python from The Urban Reptile] but he's already escaped! D: I'm really stressing out, I looked almost everywhere in my room that I could yesterday, [he was last seen tuesday night hiding out], I have no idea if a thunder/lightning storm would bother him? [it was that night too]. I keep my bedroom door closed all day/night because of the cat roaming around, so at least that narrows down the possibilities; I closed the air vent on my ceiling before going to bed last night, since they can climb, I wouldn't put it past him XD I've laid out his water bowl, hiding containers from his enclosure, some food and a heat lamp in the middle of the room, but no luck yet. I was planning on trying to heat up my room tonight to see if he comes out, otherwise I have no idea what to do and I'm really distraught about it ;_; I'm more worried I'll find him too late [he hasn't eaten since I brought him home, was planning to try today] Any help/advice would be greatly appreciated! Including a snake-proof lid for a 10 gallon tank [long story short, there was a small gap in the corners of this lid, which I even covered, but it failed to keep him in x.x I have another enclosure with one that has those rotatable locks? The only reason he didn't get that tank is because I figured he could just push them over from the inside and escape]

[Feebo]

Covering gaps gets you nowhere as you`ve found out. Even with a decent viv with locks, you`ve still got to be on your toes, snakes are a difficult animal to contain. Can I suggest you look at fairly recent threads on the forum where other people have lost thier snakes. Everyone will be more than happy to help of course but we`ve all done it so many times you might aswell read the threads first......

Here`s a good one.... http://www.ssnakess.com/forums/general-discussion/84033-i-lost-my-ball-python-please-help.html

[DeesBalls]

With my ball python I have 4 locks in the cage... with my 2 corn and brb I have velcro straps I made up for them.... but that thread is a good one, I've also heard of putting a heating pad down underneath blankets so the snake can't get directly on top... and it will go there for heat, never tried it, don't know if its a good idea, just what I head... hope you find him!!!

[SnakeLady1990]

Any help/advice would be greatly appreciated! Including a snake-proof lid for a 10 gallon tank [long story short, there was a small gap in the corners of this lid, which I even covered, but it failed to keep him in x.x


I use the classic 'critter cages' made my zilla. That is what my new jungle is in and she hasn't gotten out yet...although she had tried :)

I can't post links yet, so go to google dot com and search zilla critter cage. It has a SLIDING lid w/ two back locks and a place to put a pin or mini lock on the front :) Good luck!

[katalyzt]

I haven't had a snake that has escaped but this sounds like a good idea, particularly if he's hungry...

- Get a coke bottle.
- Cut the top off.
- Put a mouse in the base.
- Invert the top and press it into the base.

I forget whether putting a heat pad under helped or not but the heat pad with a thin blanket on top and then putting that under it really couldn't hurt right?

The idea is that it works a bit like a lobster/crab catcher. Snake smells food, easily gets in, has a hell of a time getting out. Plus with a bit of heat maybe he doesn't even care to get out with his fully belly.

Others can probably comment and revise on that but it sounded like a good idea to me if one my snakes somehow escaped my cages.

Good luck and cheers!

[marvelfreak]

I haven't had a snake that has escaped but this sounds like a good idea, particularly if he's hungry...

- Get a coke bottle.
- Cut the top off.
- Put a mouse in the base.
- Invert the top and press it into the base.

I forget whether putting a heat pad under helped or not but the heat pad with a thin blanket on top and then putting that under it really couldn't hurt right?

The idea is that it works a bit like a lobster/crab catcher. Snake smells food, easily gets in, has a hell of a time getting out. Plus with a bit of heat maybe he doesn't even care to get out with his fully belly.

Others can probably comment and revise on that but it sounded like a good idea to me if one my snakes somehow escaped my cages.

Good luck and cheers!
That's the first time i ever hear of that. Sound like it be worth trying. best of luck finding your snake.

[Jessicat]

I'm having a stupid moment and can't find the edit button, but just wanted to drop an update and say I found him! He was hiding in a pile of plastic bags in my closet [I looked there tuesday but he wasn't there, guess he moved ^^;] And he ate too, so now he's, well, back hiding out under his coconut shell hide again, before I could even take some new photos. oh well XD At least I know where he is now. I taped up the lid corners and put a cloth under one side of the tank so there's no gaps, so that should be okay for now, hopefully. Here's a picture of him [before he got out]
http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w119/309707834/CRBE10/photoo016_800x600.jpg
He likes to strike out a lot though, sheesh, he seems so angry XD

[Feebo]

Excellent! Well done for keeping looking, some people seem to give up after five minutes. Right then, just to make sure he doesn`t get out again I`ll tell you a secret... come here... closer.... closer... TAPES NO GOOD !! lol Snakes are incredibly strong! He`ll only get stronger and stronger as he grows too. I`m buggered if I`d entrust one of my snakes captivity to tape....
Can you show us some detailed pictures of these holes please? Lets see if we can suggest a better fix :)

[marvelfreak]

I am with Feebo lets see pics and maybe we could come up with a better idea for you. Plus i wouldn't use tape on anything my snake could come in contacted with. Had a freind years ago tape a lid shut thinking it keep his baby albino burmese from getting out. Snake got out and got stuck to the duct tape . It had ripped over half the skin off it's body trying to get away from the tape. He had to put it down.:no:

[Jessicat]

Oh gosh, that's horrible! D: I put tape on both sides of the corner so there is no sticky side showing. The lid is nice and snug and there's no gaps now. And I'm beginning to think there is no "10 gallon tank standard", I tried putting the other lid with rotating locks on top of his tank, and it was too big [I thought maybe two lids would work? XD]. Ive seen lots of people like to use those big tupperware containers, but those are ugly...and I'd have to add the airholes [dunno if dad will let me use his power tools ;>>]
Okay, here's the enclosure currently:
http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w119/309707834/DSCF0853_800x600.jpg
http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w119/309707834/DSCF0851_800x600.jpg
And here he is right now:
http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w119/309707834/DSCF0849_800x600.jpg
...Looks like he hasn't budged since last night, but I woke up in the middle of the night and caught him slithering around, so he's just snoozing now I guess.

[Feebo]

I`m sorry to be all negativity dude but that fish tank is totally utterly and completley unsuitable for snakes for a multitude of reasons. You can`t regulate humidy in such a tank, glass conducts heat out of the tank very well and snakes just don`t florish in fish tanks, at all. There are other people that do the same and may well say it`s fine but I`d have to strongly disagree with that. I would very very highly recommend you get yourself a SECURE and SUITABLE snake VIVARIUM made either from wood with a glass frontage or from plastic with a glass frontage. I started off trying to use fish tanks aswell, years ago I found out the hard way that what people were telling me was very very true. Fish tanks are for fish. Snakes do very badly in them indeed, you`ll have all sorts of problems. You`ll need something new in five minutes flat anyway because they grown so fast. Really, dude, you need a wooden or plastic vivarium! As for that loosley attached bit of tape, I`m afraid it`s woefully inadequate, snakes are escape artists and they`re very very strong, much stronger than you`d think. They`re also very intelligent, he`ll be trying to get out the same way again and again and again. I don`t want to be all bad news but you need to know all this and more importantly act on it. Or I`m afraid I don`t see a very bright future for that snake... There are plenty of plastic and wooden vivariums that aren`t too expensive on the market, I`ll find you some links when I`ve had my tea :)

[Jessicat]

Of course I know that he'll grow, I'm been planning on getting a new, better enclosure once he outgrows this one; I just haven't found any good pvc enclosures that are smaller sized for a hatchling, since I've heard snakes will freak out of they're in too big of an enclosure too. Unless I can find a 4'x2'x2' enclosure with removable dividers or something, I'm probably going to have to either stick with this or get a tupperware tub/bin. I'm going to make a humid hide for him, not sure if putting some thin fabric [like pantyhose?] over the top of the enclosure [under the lid] would help with the humidity, but for carpet pythons I've heard different opinions everywhere for what "appropriate" humidity levels should be x.x And I realize the setup looks like it wold be better off for a leopard gecko, I'm looking for some things to use for him to climb on as well :x

[SnakeyJay]

feebo is right, fish tanks do not work well for snakes. humidity goes haywire and the temperature in the surrounding room has a larger impact on the tank x

[Jessicat]

Also, [I swear there was an edit button but it's disappeared now XD] I do have a dehydrated brick of coconut husk fiber that I could use for substrate [I usually use it for the inside of my leos' humid hides].
The expo I went to only had a couple people selling reptile supplies, and only one had pvc enclosures, so I don't know if they're rare in Ontario or if I'm just living in the wrong place XD. I don't know if I could purchase an enclosure online, I'm afraid it could break during shipping x.x
Although it seems I'll have to make a run to walmart and see what's available for storage containers :/ any brand recommendations? And how would you go about heating them? I've always though they'd melt from heat o.O

[Freebody]

Im very glad you found your snake :) if any of mine got out i know i would be having a heart attack until i found him/her. i have my snakes in storgage bins because they are small and will grow out of it relativly fast but it will be much better than a fish tank, wont look nice and clear but you can just pull the snake out to see its beautifull colors. i have all my snakes in a room and i just heat the enitre room but prior to this i used heat cord, i used the 50 wat stuff, you can make you own cage for it here a link for materials and instruction, i recomend making it 2 feet high not 1 foot because yours is a tree snake not a ground dweller.How to build 4x2 enclosure for $100 - Redtailboa.net (http://www.redtailboa.net/forums/how-tos-tutorials/28742-how-build-4x2-enclosure-100-a.html) and heres a link so you can control output of your heat cord or light if you decide, How to make your own Rheostat for less than $7! Detailed instructions. - CornSnakes.com Forums (http://www.cornsnakes.com/forums/showthread.php?t=19168) I hope this helps you :)

[Feebo]

They will be made of a plastic that can withstand the heat. It really doesn`t matter where you live these days, the internet puts everything you need (and everything that snake MUST have) within reach. It won`t break during shipping but if it did, that`s what insurance is for, it`s certainly not a reason to make no attempt to house that snake correctly.Putting a humid hide in there doesn`t male it ok, that fish tank is stil TOTALLY unsuitable for snakes. Keeping any snake in a fish tank is like keeping a fish in a seive. Seives don`t hold water do they, and fish tanks don`t hold heat OR humidity, both of which are essential for your snake. every bit as essential as water is to a fish. Many of us here are VERY experienced snake keepers. I myself have years and years of experience with snakes. I keep and breed Carpet pythons also, I know what I`m talking about. Snakes can go seriously downhill OVERNIGHT if your husbandry isn`t upto scratch. They don`t look ill. They can`t tell you they need a plastic vivarium because they`re cold and have an upper respitory tract infection. They just die. Just like that. Can you spot a respitory tract infection before it`s too late? I doubt it. That`s what we`re here for... IF, you`ll listen to our words of experience.

Pennine plastic vivarium on eBay (end time 30-Sep-10 10:29:06 BST) (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Pennine-plastic-vivarium-/320595252731?pt=UK_Pet_Supplies_Reptiles_Spiders_I nsects&hash=item4aa4f755fb)

Cheap as chips. Part of keeping snakes is needing to buy different vivariums. They cannot do without them.

[Jessicat]

Im very glad you found your snake :) if any of mine got out i know i would be having a heart attack until i found him/her. i have my snakes in storgage bins because they are small and will grow out of it relativly fast but it will be much better than a fish tank, wont look nice and clear but you can just pull the snake out to see its beautifull colors. i have all my snakes in a room and i just heat the enitre room but prior to this i used heat cord, i used the 50 wat stuff, you can make you own cage for it here a link for materials and instruction, i recomend making it 2 feet high not 1 foot because yours is a tree snake not a ground dweller.How to build 4x2 enclosure for $100 - Redtailboa.net (http://www.redtailboa.net/forums/how-tos-tutorials/28742-how-build-4x2-enclosure-100-a.html) and heres a link so you can control output of your heat cord or light if you decide, How to make your own Rheostat for less than $7! Detailed instructions. - CornSnakes.com Forums (http://www.cornsnakes.com/forums/showthread.php?t=19168) I hope this helps you :)
Thanks so much for the info! I'm not so good at the DIY stuff, but it seems worth a try, especially the rheostat ^^; And I appreciate the suggestions, I had always thought things like heat rocks/vines weren't good to use because they come in "direct contact" with the reptile and they could get burned [is the heat cable put only underneath substrate/the enclosure, or can it be used for climbing/on branches as well? I know people say there's no such thing as stupid questions, but I seem to break that rule often XD]

*edit* Whoops, We're on page 2 already!
Feebo, I had just said that I was going out to find a bin locally, I'm not making excuses, it's just what I had at home at the time that I was using, and now that I have the experience to know that it isn't enough, I *am* planning on doing something about it :\ I don't feel your advice to be very helpful, even the link you posted was mostly criticizing the owner for leaving the ball python unattended and not much helpful advice was given. I *understand* the issues with an aquarium tank, which is why I only intended to use it *temporarily*, but without anything to move forward with your advice isn't much help, sorry :x

[marvelfreak]

I use heat pad on my tubs. When you buy most heat pad they come with feet to raise the tub up. I put these on then the heat pad. That way it doesn't get over heated. PLUS use a rheostat.

[Freebody]

i buy the cord becuase its like $17 compairde to a few hundred $ to cover the same area, i used 2 50foot cords to heat my 4x4 enclosure, i made a cold area and a real hot area and the rest just heated, it cost me $40, a heat pad here cost $60 for a pad that covers like 18"x12". Its just stupid the price of the pads here

[Feebo]

Even as a temporary measure, it`s a very bad idea. As I attempted to explain to you. You wouldn`t put a fish in a sieve "temporarely" would you? Yes he was critised, we`re a pasionate bunch and such an idiotic thing as he did was bound to be criticised but you were meant to be looking at the advice not the criticising. I shant waste my time any further then. You obviously just don`t want to hear anything that doesn`t suit you, my time is far too precious to waste on you. There`s no bloody pleasing some people is there... I can only presume your youthful ignorance is to blame for your ungrateful bare faced cheek. Good luck with dealing with the infection.

[marvelfreak]

i buy the cord becuase its like $17 compairde to a few hundred $ to cover the same area, i used 2 50foot cords to heat my 4x4 enclosure, i made a cold area and a real hot area and the rest just heated, it cost me $40, a heat pad here cost $60 for a pad that covers like 18"x12". Its just stupid the price of the pads here

Dam that's high. I can get a 11 x 23 for $25.00 online at Reptile Basic.com. It cost about $40 at a pet store. My wife told me the other night by the End of Nov. She going to get me 6 new 11 x 23 heat pads and a thermosats and a temp gun for just under $300.00 for my Christmas gift this year. How sweet is that?

[kaikara]

Using a glass enclosure may not be the best solution but if you have the temps/humidity down and the proper gradient then just about any enclosure will work. Glass is obviously not as efficient as wood or other materials but unless the room the glass tank is in sees wild fluctuations in temp you are not going to see huge fluctuations in the temp in the tank after you get the temps setup and right. This is especially true if you are using a thermostat. Eventually you will have to move to a larger tank and it would be best to move to PVC or wood but until then as long as the temps and humidity are you will be fine. Just make sure you get that top fixed. Another option is to go with a 10 dollar plastic bin which will work well too. Just make sure you get that top fixed.

I raise various geckos species including day geckos. They require IMO far more ridged temp and humidity requirements then a Carpet. All of mine are housed in all glass exo terras and thrive. Saying that glass is going to kill an animal is a little extreme. Poor husbandry will kill and animal but that could just as easily happen in a wood or plastic enclosure.