Escape Trials and Tribulations

[guidofatherof5]

You know what I'd like? Whenever someone's snake escapes, I'd like to know how it escaped and what was done to prevent it from happening again. Preferably with pictures.

Stefan has a great idea here. Let's not just post about the escapes that happen but also about escapes from the past. If at all possible post photos showing how the snake got out or was caught getting out.
This will be a great thread for us all to learn from others/ours mistakes or from the craftiness of our snakes.


I just had an escape last week from a Rubbermaid container. The ends secure down with latches but the sides don't.
I don't think large snakes can get under the lid(head too big) and small snakes can't reach the lid. The snake that escaped was an adult Northwestern (T.ordinoides).
Here's the container.
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/tub.jpg


I have also had babies take a bath and climb right up the glass of an aquarium.
Wet baby snakes in an aquarium = Escape

[Mommy2many]

I have also had babies take a bath and climb right up the glass of an aquarium.
Wet baby snakes in an aquarium = Escape


I have sneaky snakes like you. They take a bath and then go right for the glass.:D

[guidofatherof5]

When I built my new enclosures I created an unknown problem.
When I cut the opening out of the door and stapled the screen to it the wood bowed and created a small gap for babies to make their escape.

[Mommy2many]

Like kids, always looking for the smallest opening:D

[kibakiba]

Tiny crawled up the glass once, I caught him before he got out but he had himself wedged between the tank and top... I had to push the top away from him and pull it off. It's a wonder how he didn't get smashed, he has got his head stuck between it and was freaking out. Silly snake didn't ever do that again.

[infernalis]

Those rubbermaid totes are deadly....

I stopped using that type of container after this happened TWICE.

This beutiful black radix broke his own neck trying to escape, he got his head stuck in the gap.

http://www.thamnophis.us/secret/brokeneck.jpg

[guidofatherof5]

Those rubbermaid totes are deadly....

I stopped using that type of container after this happened TWICE.

This beutiful black radix broke his own neck trying to escape, he got his head stuck in the gap.

http://www.thamnophis.us/secret/brokeneck.jpg

I'm sure that was hard to post but it is very helpful to the future of some snakes. Thanks Wayne.

[infernalis]

Thanks Steve, that snake would be ready to breed this coming spring had that not happened.

That was spring 2009 when I took that photo. This is the first time I posted it to the public.

[mustang]

Like kids, always looking for the smallest opening:D
no we look for the largest were lazy like that

[gregmonsta]

I had a young checkered escape through a tiny gap next to the thermostat probe in the plastic cover of a glass tank I used at the time. You wouldn't have thought it possible.

[Stefan-A]

http://koti.mbnet.fi/thamnoph/photos/snakesies08/hamm08/rueffinkiddinme.jpg

Most of you have seen this already. Anyway, if you have an enclosure like this, plug that hole if you're keeping babies.

This is how I do it:

http://koti.mbnet.fi/thamnoph/photos/snakes10/enclosures/plugging1.jpg

http://koti.mbnet.fi/thamnoph/photos/snakes10/enclosures/plugging2.jpg

http://koti.mbnet.fi/thamnoph/photos/snakes10/enclosures/plugging3.jpg

[guidofatherof5]

Was the snake injured in this escape attempt?

[Stefan-A]

No, the snake made it without so much as a scratched scale. The reason it got stuck was probably because it didn't have anything to push against. I really just helped it through the hole by pushing from beneath and letting it do the crawling. Actually my memory may be failing me on that, I may have done a little bit of pulling and jiggling as well. But the snake didn't get injured.

edit: Yeah, I had to go back and check my old post.


Gave a little push and "wiggled" it loose one scale row at a time. It was pretty easy, but it probably wouldn't have been able to do it on its own.

[guidofatherof5]

I'm glad you stayed calm enough to get a photo. I'd have been in a panic.
Looks like the hole was about the size of the snakes head, maybe a little smaller:confused:

[zooplan]

This is my solution for the same problem
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/DSCF8823.JPG
It´s a little pice of ear protection foam.

[Tyrel26]

I had a ring neck snake that escaped through one of those and it was a rather large ring neck at that. It wasn't living in it, it was merely being transported in one. We realized it had gotten loose when my gf had spotted it resting on the side of the car door.

[guidofatherof5]

I had a ring neck snake that escaped through one of those and it was a rather large ring neck at that. It wasn't living in it, it was merely being transported in one. We realized it had gotten loose when my gf had spotted it resting on the side of the car door.

Glad you found it.

[HazAnga]

I had one of my albino babies escape with my help at feeding time, I thought i had gotten everyone out of the cork bark but apparently i didn't I noticed I was missing it and was thinking that maybe that's how it happened because it couldn't of happened anyother way.
Needless to say I found it a day or two later (almost ran over it with the computer chair wheel) and it was unharmed, back into the cage it went.
After that I thoroughly checked the cork bark tunnel before i set it down, or put it right back into the tank.

[guidofatherof5]

Thank you to those that have posted so far. This thread can help all of us from making some mistakes we don't have to.
I for one find it hard to admit I've made mistakes in keeping my snakes but if it helps some other keepers and their snakes from the same problems I can swallow my pride.

[jamromhem]

I dont have pictures of it, But I am sure someone remembers my post about it. My snakes only escape attempt was with the aid of my kids... My solution was to duck tape the kids to the wall and leave them there (not serious) But seriously, currious children are good at helping them out.

[ConcinusMan]

By far, the most escapes I have experienced were not due to the enclosure design, but rather by my own negligence. I am easily distracted and when you do that with an open enclosure, it only takes a second. That's what happened recently. I was supposed to send two adult 3-stripe concinnus to Joe (BUSHSNAKE) but one escaped a few days before I was to ship. She showed up a week later in the kitchen, covered in dust bunnies.:rolleyes: She probably spent the entire week under the stove.

I almost never find them by looking for them so I rarely bother to try anymore. They usually just show up within a week or two. Cooking some fish without venting the smell brings them out like a charm too.

[guidofatherof5]

Last night I was visiting one of my large groups of adult female radixes. Suddenly, I heard one of my kids upstairs. It sounded like someone had gotten hurt so I rushed up the steps. Once there I found all was OK so I went back down to my girls. As I looked into the big snake room I realized I had left the enclosure door open. I ran into the room to find 4 large girls out. As I grabbed them they were startled or they just knew they were in trouble so they musked me. I searched around for the other missing ones and located them within moments. They gave me that "what" look. With everyone back in their home they came out to see me as if nothing had happened.
I swear I heard them chuckling behind my back. Little jerks.:D

[ConcinusMan]

I have a few that insist on heading straight for the opening if I open it, and persist on trying over and over again while it's open. The majority of them are content to stay in their enclosures. I could leave it open for hours and they wouldn't leave.

[HazAnga]

Mine usually have no problems when the enclosure door is open, Helga will usually be the curious one that comes to the open door and pokes 1/4th or 1/3rd of her body out the cage but usually doesn't go anymore then that.

[kibakiba]

I've have blonde moments where I open the tank to check on my adults and go off to do something else and leave the tank open and realize its open an hour later, only to find Mama sleeping and Snakey staring at himself in the mirror. :D

[guidofatherof5]

I've have blonde moments where I open the tank to check on my adults and go off to do something else and leave the tank open and realize its open an hour later, only to find Mama sleeping and Snakey staring at himself in the mirror. :D

If you have blonde moments than I must have folliclely(I'm sure it's not a real word) challenged moments:D

[zooplan]

How shall I translate your writings when you use words like folliclely:o

[guidofatherof5]

If you have blonde moments than I must have folliclely(I'm sure it's not a real word) challenged moments:D


How shall I translate your writings when you use words like folliclely:o

Sorry about that Udo.

If you have blonde moments than I must have bald moments:D

[Mommy2many]

I dont have pictures of it, But I am sure someone remembers my post about it. My snakes only escape attempt was with the aid of my kids... My solution was to duck tape the kids to the wall and leave them there (not serious) But seriously, currious children are good at helping them out.


I have had that issue on occasion!
Usually comes with a "Your snake bit me" or "Didn't know the snake could move that fast" both are uh oh events!

[guidofatherof5]

This young female T.radix always makes this escape attempt when I open the right side door of the enclosure.
She says she just want to go on a "walkabout":D Criky mate!
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/explore.jpg

[Mix]

Lily has made escpae attempts by literally launching herself up in the air against the side of the tank, as if to just jump out. She's pretty wild. ;)

[mustang]

I have had that issue on occasion!
Usually comes with a "Your snake bit me" or "Didn't know the snake could move that fast" both are uh oh events!
A) depends on da kid
B) snakes can go VERY Fast i was (what looked like) contact juggling checker sliding one hand after another under him until he slowed down:p (no he didnt get hurt all i mean is he was running off one hand and the other would catch him and hed continue running on my treadmill like hands:D and that was only when i first got him)