my python escaped PLEASE HELP ME

[jpython]

My girl friend was feeding her python and left our enclosure open for a half hour or more and my 6 to 8 month old 3ft ball python got out and is some where in my house. My house is 2500 sq feet and I have a Michigan basement. If you're from here you know what I mean. That is my fear because my house is old there is a lot of holes and crannies that go to the sub floor up stairs and my basement. In the basement I have a riased wood floor so I can't find him if he's there. It also gets hot down there since I have a boiler. I am about to army crawl through my second crawl space and I'm afraid of spiders but have to do it an ways. What's the likelihood he crawls over 30 to 40 feet in 3 days? And by the way I have old drain pipes that are not covered and I'm afraid to cover them. Now would he come back and try to find warmth if it's cold? It is winter here so I don't think he'll go outside. What's a good tactic--make it really warm or cold so he'll try to come back to warmth? My whole house including the basement are warm.

[KORBIN5895]

Sorry but I can't read this.

[Hannibalcanibal]

Please type that out again... it's impossible for me to read, sorry.

[Gungirl]

Your best bet is to start looking around the enclosure. Other wise simply go room to room looking in every spot possible. There is no magic trick to finding them...

[jpython]

Ok, my girlfriend left our enclosure open while she fed her python. They're both around 6 months old.

My python escaped.

My fear is my house is huge and I have an old basement with old drains and pipes and a big mouse problem.

My whole house is very warm right now because it's winter here in Michigan.

My ? is should I wait for him to come out? I've already ransacked the whole house. I'm about to srt all my dirty laundry. I've already sifted through it.

I've crawled through my crawl spaces and left heat sources and dead mice around but no luck. I've tried flour on the floor where I thought he went with no luck either.

So what should I do? If he entered something, will he come back out? Please help me!!!!

[jpython]

I retyped under General Discussion, the first forum. Please read it and help me. It has the same thread name.

[puffinluffin]

When my cat got out. I looked for it.

So you'll up your chances finding it.. when you begin looking.

[infernalis]

I moved and respaced the other post into this thread.

[mykee]

What the hell is wrong with you?

[Swany]

Ok so the OP screwed up and knows it. Rather than jump all over him/her can anyone offer some constructive advice ?

[TeaNinja]

lol mykee .

[jpython]

Please help. It wasn't even me who did it. My girl is not allowed to touch the tank unless I'm here now.

[Gungirl]

Like I said before.. no magic tricks to find it really. You just need to look everywhere you can.

[jpython]

I've done that. My question is, should I leave the heat up in hopes that it makes him active? Or turn it down so he seeks out the heat sources I've left on every floor?

[Swany]

Like I said before.. no magic tricks to find it really. You just need to look everywhere you can.

^^^^^^^^^ this is as good as it gets amigo

[Gungirl]

You could turn the heat down a bit and place hot spots (Heat mat on a thermostat with a hide on top of it) in every room. Then you just need to hope he gets on a hot spot and you see him while he is there. He will be most active at night so stay awake and sit as quiet as you can. Listen for things moving... You hear something go investigate.

[jpython]

I've already looked every where. He can only be in the walls or int he basement in spots I can't get to at all. So again, should I turn down the heat and leave hot spots? Or should I leave the heat cranking like I have it so he can stay active?

[jpython]

Because my fear if I turn down the heat is that he might just stay in one spot but I'm not a pro. What do you think a ball would do if it got cold?

[Lankyrob]

You are asking the same questions overe and over. There are NO magic solutions, you either rip the house apart square foot by square foot until you find it OR wait til its dark and stay awake and as quiet and still as possible til you hear something moving.

Leaving plastic carrier bags around the room or tinfoil will help you hear him.

[jpython]

I know, I've done both. My question was, leave the house warm? or make it cold and leave more hot spots? What would a ball python do? Sorry, I'm just frantic. This happened on Wednesday and I'm freaking out

[rmfsnakes32]

Turn the heat down so it will seek out warm spots

[Lankyrob]

So it happened THREE days ago?? Funny this wasnt mentioned originally... It has probsbly found somewhere where it feels safe and warm. Likely to be a dark cramped soace that you wont think it could fit into.

Personally i would keep the house warm and hope that you find it moving around at night looking for food rather than make it cold where the snake could end up ill - just my opinion

[jpython]

That's What I Was thinking

[jpython]

Well thanks guys. I'm going to buy more heat pads. I've heard of snakes living for months on the limb. But if it gets warm out I'm scared he'll venture off. It's snowing here right now so I'll set up heat pads on every floor and mouse droppings even though my house has enough of those and water at every heat source. Thanks for the advice.

[Valvaren]

So it happened THREE days ago?? Funny this wasnt mentioned originally... It has probsbly found somewhere where it feels safe and warm. Likely to be a dark cramped soace that you wont think it could fit into.

Personally i would keep the house warm and hope that you find it moving around at night looking for food rather than make it cold where the snake could end up ill - just my opinion

His first post mentioned it was three days ago, yes it was hard to read but not impossible jeez.

[Lankyrob]

His first post mentioned it was three days ago, yes it was hard to read but not impossible jeez.

His first post asked what the likelihood was that it would crawl x amount in three days NOT that it escaped three days ago :p

[Valvaren]

His first post asked what the likelihood was that it would crawl x amount in three days NOT that it escaped three days ago :p

Which i cant see how you could take it any other way then 'how far could he have gone in the three days he has been out.'

But whatever guess I could understand it better.

[alessia55]

Good luck finding your ball python. Don't forget to check in odd and obscure places. He could be between sofa pillows, behind the fridge, inside or behind or under the oven, behind cabinets, etc. If there are bookcases nearby, he could've made his way behind some books too. Best of luck!

[Hannibalcanibal]

I remember when i lost my python, i found her a few weeks later sitting on a sewing machine just looking at me like "hey, kid. where you been? i want my mouse NOW", so don't be suprised if it finds you before you find it (metaphorically speaking, i just mean they tend to turn up in strange places if they are gone for a while).

[Ms. Medusa]

I didn't see anyone suggest baby powder or cornstarch on wood floors. That is a sure fire way to identify somewhat where an escapee might be holed up. Also-- don't forget to check any dresser drawers that were open--- Socks can be fun to hide among!

[jpython]

Thanks guys. Sorry my phone types very stupidly. Any ways, I've checked every where. I'm getting a plumber to check in the spots I can't get to, but I think I'm better off waiting for him to pop up.