OMG!!! I had an escape!

I knew it would happen eventually, and it did tonight! My precious Suri, my RO from Don Soderberg no less, my FIRST corn....You know your very first corn is special..........SHE WAS GONE!!!

I just posted in the DIY section, I built a new viv and put everyone in it tonight, and I joked about how they were escape proof testing it....Well I left them for about an hour. When I was ready for bed and went to check on them, and the acrylic was pushed out. I look in, open it up and my RO is G-O-N-E!!!

My home is 3200 sq ft and I have 5 cats and 2 Labs who have been roaming around all this time. 3 of my cats were in that room she disappeared from. The first thing I did was crate my dogs and kick the cats out. So I started frantically searching everywhere just knowing I was going to find her mutilated. I checked behind every piece of furniture, in every space, and then I ripped apart the closet for her. The whole time I was saying "How the hell do you lose a bright orange 300 gram snake?" I even checked the cats mouths. I have forced air vents in the floor, I was sure she went down that and Id never be able to find her.

I was crying so bad, I thought I collapsed my lung again, I was sure my chocolate Lab gobbled her up while I was on the computer.

I shoved a towel under the door, all my doors have about an inch space, and started to look elsewhere while chasing my cats away. I was sure she was dead or in that bedroom.

I just by chance happen to open the closet by the kitchen, and there her little butt is, sprawled out on my shoes!!!! I was like "OMG are you ok?" Part of me didnt want to look because I was sure she would be missing a tail or something.....she doesnt have a scratch on her!

I swear to god, I have never been so happy to see a snake in my entire life. She not only left her viv but she crawled passed 3 large cats, under the door, out passed the living room, more cats and SLITHERED RIGHT BY ME sitting on the computer, and went down the hall into the closet!

My yellow lab probably sat there while she slithered on by!

How she didnt get eaten, its a miracle. I wouldve died had I gotten up for something and she was sitting there on the floor.

When I opened that closet and said "OMG are you ok" she froze and then turned to go the oppsite direction like "Busted!"

I moved everyone back into their tanks for tonight...tomorrow Ill drill more clips on and see if that helps. I also have to fix the tile I riped out because I thought maybe she got under it.

<sigh> I need to lay down

So glad you found her. sorry things weren't as tight as you thought they were. Guess this is a learning experience, but not quite the "hard way".

Glad you found her!

I worried that my cats were going eat or play to death my Rose when she got out too. Dogs I would have thought would have messed with her but I am glad they did not. Let us know where and how many clips you add so that if anyone uses your design they know the upgrades too.

My mistake was using plexi that wasnt thick enough. I was so in tune with them cutting the plexi the right size, I didnt realize how flexible the thin sheets are. You can have a million clips and they will still bend it.

I ordered 1/4 thick acrylic from our glass factory, Ill have it in a few days. With that in place, with clips, there is no way anyone is pushing it open.

I was very very lucky. Ill never forget opening that closet and her just lounged out on my shoes.

Wow. I'm glad your baby girl is okay! Glad your cats decided to turn a blind eye on her as well! The mental image of your lab possibly silently watching her crawl by is just too funny.

I am so paranoid my Sweetie might escape her tank is like Fort Knox! At the pet shop, the employees told me I only needed four clips, one on each side, to hold the screen top on. I bought extras and have two on each side of the tank! lol Overkill, I know, but it makes me feel better.

Kachine Kolgon

KachineK said:

Wow. I'm glad your baby girl is okay! Glad your cats decided to turn a blind eye on her as well! The mental image of your lab possibly silently watching her crawl by is just too funny.

I am so paranoid my Sweetie might escape her tank is like Fort Knox! At the pet shop, the employees told me I only needed four clips, one on each side, to hold the screen top on. I bought extras and have two on each side of the tank! lol Overkill, I know, but it makes me feel better.

Kachine Kolgon

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I used to do the exact same thing. I think I read on here, majority of corn owners experience at least one escape in their time with keeping corns, but I was always so careful. And to think it was the snake who I least thought it'd be.

Its spring, maybe she was looking for a boyfriend. Im sure she didnt find him in my shoe closet! LOL

Maybe she was just looking to accessorize her new place! Every girl needs a good pair of shoes! lol

Kachine Kolgon

I know EXACTLY how you feel. My big guy Damian got out twice in the past, and just recently McMurphy got out in the middle of the night. It was my fault; I didn't close the container he was in. He was supposed to be in with two pinkies overnight, sitting on top of my tortoise cage. I wake up the next morning and he's gone and I started FREAKING out. I start looking underneath everything: radiator, clothing...Afraid he's behind my bookcase or somewhere I can't find him! I look over under my desk and there he is, just nosing around. I was SOOO HAPPY. I'm really glad you found her!

I had an escape a few weeks ago, found the little bugger downstairs in the Ivy flower pot, poking his cute little face out (2 weeks later). It was so funny, I'm still surprised how far they can go without food/water or sufficient heat.

I had 3 escape in about 30 mins, but it was my fault, the tops were not all the way on, luckily, I found them within 5 mins. 2 adults, 1 baby. 1 adult was just chilling out on another tank, the other adult was in the floor watching my mice that I raise. and the baby was hiding on the floor. Luckily I had ready where to look first.

I'm glad you found her safe and sound! I panic when they aren't in their tubs like good little snakes.

I had an escapee last year that I didn't even know was gone until my husband shouts, "I found a grey one!" from the bathroom. My anery stripe had gone walkabout between feeding days, so I wouldn't have known he was gone for another five days.

dionythicus said:

I'm glad you found her safe and sound! I panic when they aren't in their tubs like good little snakes.

I had an escapee last year that I didn't even know was gone until my husband shouts, "I found a grey one!" from the bathroom. My anery stripe had gone walkabout between feeding days, so I wouldn't have known he was gone for another five days.

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I don't understand how you could not know for 5 days. How many snakes do you have? I am confused because other than the 2 days post feed I handle my Rose once or twice a day for 5-10 mins each time. How can you keep your hands off?

carnivorouszoo said:

I don't understand how you could not know for 5 days. How many snakes do you have? I am confused because other than the 2 days post feed I handle my Rose once or twice a day for 5-10 mins each time. How can you keep your hands off?

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You could not know because some snakes hide! And some snakes are always out, and seem to like to be handled, so of course they are the ones you take out all the time, and the ones that are more reclusive get to stay in their vivs, and you may only see them on feeding day or the day before.

Nanci, thanks! I was just wondering

Nanci said:

You could not know because some snakes hide! And some snakes are always out, and seem to like to be handled, so of course they are the ones you take out all the time, and the ones that are more reclusive get to stay in their vivs, and you may only see them on feeding day or the day before.

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I only noticed because Suri is orange and no matter where she is you can always see her.

James_pie said:

I had an escape a few weeks ago, found the little bugger downstairs in the Ivy flower pot, poking his cute little face out (2 weeks later). It was so funny, I'm still surprised how far they can go without food/water or sufficient heat.

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I could tell the moment I picked her up, she hadnt been messed with. I had her out last night and my cats were all intrigued by her, and that night they werent 'telling' me anything. She was hostile when I picked her up, I didnt get the impression she was scared at all.

I think she made it from one end of the home to the other without anyone knowing.

Maybe they have some sort of instinct in avoiding larger animals.

wasnt hostile*

Maybe so. Either way, I am glad you found your corn safe and unharmed.