Escape proofing?

I'm getting my first Corn on Thursday, an Albino Okeetee, and I am psyched! I bought a 20 gal long reptile enclosure with a front sliding lid with lockpins. I am concerned about the escape factor...wife would be . I put velcro on the lid to pull the lid tighter to the frame, but are there any words of wisdom to follow for escape proofing?

I can't help you much other than to say that if a part of your tank looks like it might not be 100% excape proof, it probably isn't. Corn snakes have magic powers when it comes to excaping and thinking that "it can't possibly fit through that hole", it probably will.

If there is one thing I have learned about snakes it is this,
"There is no such thing as escape proof".If your snake ever does escape it will remember how it did and will do it again.

hi

you can buy screen lids for 20 galons at pet store that are preety tight the frame on mine comes off and i put sreen on then put the frame back on my snake is like steve mcqueen from grate escape good luck

I bought a typical vivarium which specifically said...."Not for baby snakes". I thought to myself..."Oh yeah???? Well, we'll SEE ABOUT THAT!"
So, I noticed that there was a tiny space at the top when I put the cover on. So, I took some really thin foam weatherstripping...the kind you use for doors and windows 1/8". I put 2 layers of this everywhere I noticed a gap between the cover and the top of the tank. Enough so that I had a fairly snug fit. Then....I put about 15 lbs. of weight on top of the tank. A few heavy books. I have had 2 escapes...BUT ONLY when I failed to put the cover on correctly or when I forgot to put the books on top. The way I have it set up...if the cover is put back correctly after removing it...my setup is escape proof. If you buy one of those tanks where the cover is a separate piece...just line the whole thing with foam rubber weatherstripping. And get the 1/8" so that you dont have to worry about it being too thick and the cover not fitting back on when youre done.

Hey Jmarsh! I have the same cover

I re-read your original post. I have EXACTLY the same cover that you have. The screen cover with the pins. The one where the front end opens up. Just take my advice, and get some of that foam rubber weatherstripping. Put it inside the groove on the cover. If we have the same top, there should be a groove on the inside lip all the way around the cover. Put enough weatherstripping so it makes a fairly snug fit. I used 2 layers for mine. It works like a charm. BUT!!! You have to put the cover on...and examine where ALL of the spaces are, and put the foam rubber in all of the spaces. I repeat...put it in ALL OF THE CRACKS. Don't forget any...or you'll be sorry. And you might wanna put 1 heavy book on there if you have a baby corn now. You will want to increase the weight later on. If we do have the same cover, there will be 2 cracks on the back end at the edge where the hinges are. You want to put the weatherstripping along those cracks too. In this area, the weatherstripping will be applied horizontally, versus applying it vertically at all the other parts. I'm sure you'll see what I mean if you look at it. The back edge (the corner) where the hinge meets the tank top has a crack in it where the snake can possibly escape. You'll see it if you look closely.

What I have learned is just go with a smaller container for the time being, say 2 months that way the hatchling is not stressed from the large area and also in 2 months those small holes will be too small for your little one.



I however can relate, I went through the same deal you were going through I had a 20 gallon long viv set up for my hatchling and I was worried about escapes. I did have 4 clamps on the 20' gallon lid but those things are crap, did not fit well at all, I had to revamp the whole security issue on that one.


I changed her new viv over to the 10 gallon which I used to have my rough green in, he however is alot smaller then her and pretty much policed the area to find holes which there are none. I have a screen lid but it has a sliding door on top. I have all 4 corners ducked taped and then I have 2 wieghts on top of it She will have to be super snake to lift that bad boy up :grin01:

Hatchlings seemed to look for ways to escape in the first 48 hours of when you do get them. As I watched her just about for 3 hours checking every possible way to do just that She tired me out just watching her.

I am pretty confident in her new viv it is locked down like fort knox.

I bought an 20 long with a sliding locking screen Which is working great for my very young small little whip of a snow corn Missy. There are no gaps between the lid and the Viv but I ended up paying much more for it. It came down to spending the extra money or taking the chance and I decided to spend the money; however, I know many people who have gotten away with normal vivs slightly modified as stated below and had no problems. Remember before you panic look under the substrate, LoL.