Warning, snake at large!!!

[Serpico]

Well, after years and years of reptile husbandry, the laws of statistics dictated that one snake would escape my terrarium (especially if my son forgets the sliding glass open).

It is not a garter who escaped, but the much more elusive, shy, fast, bad tempered "hierophis viridiflavus" ...a young one, less than two feet long, drab olive color except the black and yellow pattern over its head.

Now he is at large in my son's room, probably behind some shelf, hiding in fear...shivering (the autumn season is setting in, but the heating system is not yet ON)... and we moved everything, but failed to locate it. My wife is muttering threats and bad words......I am full of dust to the elbows, my son is whining....

Any advice is very welcomed, thanks!!

Pg & son

[Serpico]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yjgUBmsSvk

J (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yjgUBmsSvk)ust to make clear what we are talking about...

[Stefan-A]

Keep looking. ;)

[kibakiba]

Look along the walls, or in dark and warm areas.

Also, don't look in just one room, snakes travel fast and can get to other rooms very quickly.

[guidofatherof5]

Set up a warm area for it to use. They are attracted to these areas.
Wild or escaped snakes usually endup by the freezer compressor in my snake room.

[ConcinusMan]

Often times my escapee's would show up in the kitchen covered in dust bunnies. It's warm underneath and behind that refrigerator. (like steve was saying) Other favorite places are near a water heater, underneath a gas oven with a burning pilot, etc.

Escapee's nearly always follow the walls and will hide under furnature placed along the wall, or they will slip under closet doors as they follow the wall and hide out there for a while.

Every time I've given up looking for them, and then I suddenly find them, they usually come out of a closet, or out from under the fridge or stove.

[Serpico]

I am concerned, how long a snake can live without drinking? He is an extremely shy animal, moves during the day and sleeps at night, and I fear for his life.
BTW, I have told my wife that he would rarely move from my son's room... :p

[katach]

When my snake got out I put a heating pad on low on the floor with a little bowl of water next to it.

[guidofatherof5]

Dehydration will kill them long before starvation.
Much depends on the temps and how active the snake is.
Can't really give you a set time. Too many variables.

[d_virginiana]

Yup, pretty much what everyone else is saying. Heat pat, water dish, and just keep looking. Also, try sitting a small dish of milk out. I know a lot of people who use it to catch wild snakes that wander into their houses. I think maybe the smell makes them curious.

Hope you find him!

[Serpico]

The room environment is like this:
temp. day range between 65 to 68 F, at night range is 60 to 63 F, as I said, the heating system is centralized, and OFF.
The rest of the house temp is more or less the same, but my son's room faces west, so tends to be slightly warmer in the evening.
Near rooms are one bathroom and my own bedroom (my wife is seriously considering moving out for few days (lol)), then my own studio room.
My son's room furnitures are mainly Ikea bookshelves, full of stuff, so it is likely he is moving using those shelters.
Since I have no portable heaters to use, I am putting down a pressure cooker full of hot water, all surrounded by a blanket or similar cloth, in a place as near as possible at his terrarium. Together wish a small water bowl. Same bowls to be put in the other rooms. I was thinking about placing some flour around these areas, so to see if the snake has thread around them...and maybe have an idea of its direction.
I'll remain alone at home all morning, I fear I'll have to do some herping in my own house!

[Serpico]

FOUND!!!

On the shelf ABOVE the one with the terrarium there were some of my son's homework paperbooks. I was in the room, immobile, reading a newspaper, and I heard the sound only a snake makes, the continuos sound of scales over paper (a lizard makes an intermittent sound), I raised my eyes, and there he was, the little bugger.
Stood, got to the shelf, and captured him in a split second, earning an immediate bite, I guess he was disappointed, not even one day at large!

Thanks for all the advices, fortunately not needed, and for the attention to another fellow snake lover.

Best regards!

Pg

[guidofatherof5]

Great news. Glad it had a happy ending.

[chris-uk]

Glad he's found. One of ours went missing a week or so back, and we only found her just after the cat spotted her and started to play... Luckily the cat does as I tell him and left the snake alone long enough for me to recapture her.
It's a worrying time when they're on the loose. I don't suppose this has convinced your wife that you should increase your collection? ;-)

[katach]

Good job! Glad you found him!

[BlueGarterz]

Horay! Another win for the garter people :D

[ConcinusMan]

Awsome. Happy ending. I did notice there was talk of dehydration. A garter would dehydrate rather quickly but coachwhips / whipsnakes are adapted to very arid habitat. They can go a very long time without water and get most of what they need from food instead of drinking.

Glad you found him though so he wouldn't have to.

[Mommy2many]

Glad to hear there was a happy ending!