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