Snake on the loose

[chris-uk]

So I've got my first snake on the loose for over two years. It's a male infernalis that's around 9 months old, so he's quick and can get in small gaps.

Very frustrating because he disappeared in front of me. Initially he slipped through gap on the hinge side of the door when I was putting food in - that's a tricky move because I can't move the door far to grab him else he'd get crushed in the hinge area. Then he went under the next viv over and I could see him at the back. Then he dropped down the back of the viv that his viv and the neighbouring viv were on.
I could see him on the floor amongst some cables, and moved some tubs that were stopping me reaching him. In the second the tubs blocked my view of him he disappeared. There's no gaps between the carpet and the skirting board, but I guessed he'd gone right to the nearest cover, I guess he went left...

First thing I did was move everything on the floor to give me clear lines of sight. I gave each thing I moved a check if he could have got in it. Nothing. Nada. Zip.

It doesn't help when you have a 180 litre aquarium within hiding distance. He could, in theory be hiding under the aquarium stand, there's room. But I've tilted it back and had the missus look underneath it and she saw nothing.

Overnight I've had out bottle traps, flour at various strategic points, hide boxes around the edges of the room, bowl of food next to a warm towel, another warm towel. I've also got a barrier across in front of the door so he can't get under the door. I've got the web cam running so I can look around without going in.

So far, nothing. If he's got under the floor there's some vent bricks he could get out of, but it's cold so I don't think he'll venture outside. If he's got in the chimney I've removed a vent panel and put a moist hide in there, it's not too cold but it is dry.

It's driving me mad knowing I saw where he was, and he disappeared so quickly.

[slipknot711]

youll find him... eventually. i hope soon good luck with your search. seems you got it under control

[guidofatherof5]

They have an uncanny way of disappearing like you said. Hang in there. I found sitting and listening for movement can work but it requires silent. Not sure that possible in your current situation with that Joseph lad roaming around

[chris-uk]

Joseph isn't the problem Steve... The male radix charging around his viv making noise is the trouble with listening.
I'm sure he isn't in or under anything on the side of the room he disappeared from. Now a case of waiting to see if he puts his head above the parapet.

[gregmonsta]

Keeping fingers crossed for you

[chris-uk]

Thanks Greg.

Still no sign. :-(

[d_virginiana]

Hope you find him...

Is there any way you could get some decor or bedding from his tank and put it in the hides? Mine all seem to really react and want to go toward their enclosures since they think of them as being safe; even my blind one, so I figure smell probably has something to do with that. Might convince him to stay in one long enough for you to see he's there if he feels safer in it.

[chris-uk]

Lora - I've got hides out with bedding and Moss from his viv, and bottle traps smelling of smelt. I'm now pretty sure he's found a way into the structure of the house, so I'm hoping he'll find a way out.
I'll be keeping bowls of water in various places too.

[Mommy2many]

I'm also keeping fingers crossed that he is found safe and soon!

[chris-uk]

And..... he's back in his viv.

The wife found him him hiding in a ring binder amongst her cookery books. The books are on the bottom of a shelf on the opposite side of the room to where I last saw him. I'd checked everything on that shelf so either he was somewhere else when I looked and has since moved to this new spot, or he was there but ducked down behind the shelf when he heard me moving things.

Needless to say I'm happy that his 11 day spell in the wilds of my dining room is over. I'm also glad that I have a wife who is capable of catching a garter (getting musked in the process) rather than screaming and running from the room.