Apollo Has Escaped! Help!

[salvadorian]

Yesterday, Zephyr escaped from her cage despite having a two-pound weight on top... and I found her shortly thereafter where the wall in my room meets the floor (ie., there is a one inch gap between the walling and concrete floor, and a small gap between the outside and inside walling). I then made sure neither of them could get out.
This morning, Apollo had escaped. His tank is on top of a large book shelf, and I don't know how he got down except for simply falling. I checked in the bookshelf and under it, and all along the gap in the wall, and under any other warm, dark place, with no luck.
He's just a little guy, and I need to find him! My room is big and has lots of stuff.... how can I capture him when he choses to come out of his hiding spot.. if he ever does??! Please help me!

[jlindp]

The only thing I could suggest is putting down strips of painter's tape, especially along the walls, where most snakes will stick to. You can also make bottle traps, but they take a bit of effort and I'm sure they are instructions around this forum somewhere.

Other than that, I'd really check the tank again, just to make sure. Especially if he is small. Several times I've thought I'd had an escape, but one of my hatchlings would just be so coiled up in the aspen, I'd bowl right over them while digging around.

Just keep an eye out! Especially around nighttime. Good luck, I hope you find him!

[salvadorian]

He's pretty small... just over a foot long. I had to go to school so I will check for him again, but I really doubt that I missed him. Can painter's tape injure him? If I leave water out for him, will he actually find and drink it? I'm really afraid that he's up in the walls.

[medusacoils]

Painters tape shouldn't injure him. The adhesive isn't as strong as other tapes. If he does get all tangled in it, just use a little warm water to remove it.

You can also try to put a warm UTH, sticky side down, on the floor and surround it with the tape. He may seek out the warmth and come out while you are gone.

I really hope he turns up!

Wayne

[covato78]

Great advice thus far the bottle traps are a great idea food always helps and i would also check the little lip where the lid meets the glass my snow hid there once I doubt he REALLY went into the crack in the walls because there is probably a pretty cold draft coming from that area and one more thing . . . . I wouldn't jump out of bed to fast in the morning snakes are nocturnal so if he is going to come out he will prolly do it at night and even though snakes are not the most emotional of pets he may sense the warmth of your body heat and the familiar smell and curl up in bed with you so check the sheets !

[salvadorian]

Alright.... I still need help.
The double sided tape was the strongest I could find, and he has obviously crawled across it but not become stuck... in fact, it looks like it stuck to everything but him.

I then placed corn starch along the walls and double sided tape again for good luck. He has crawled around everywhere, as seen in the trails he left, and is quite obviously living in the wall.

Then, two days ago, I awoke to see him sitting in front of the space heater, filthy. I tried to sneak up and catch him, and he darted right back in to the corner and thus up in to the wall.

THEN, I made a bottle trap. There was a thawed pinky inside and it was all inside a cardboard box.... filled with double sided tape... and the hole in the bottle was so small that I didn't even know if he could get in it in the first place. Well he did. He ate the pinky and took a dump in the bottle and then dissapeared. He's been gone for a week! How the heck am I supposed to catch him!?

Pleeease help me out guys...

[LBoz]

He ate the pinky and took a dump in the bottle and then dissapeared. He's been gone for a week! How the heck am I supposed to catch him!?
OMGosh! ROFL!!

I'm sorry....I know it's frustrating. I have one on the prowl as well.
Since you know where he's going, I'd get rid of the flour, which will make him less likely to stick to the tape. I'd also use a stronger tape such as masking. Terri (crackerhead) advises to take the strip of masking tape and press it lightly against your jeans once to take the tack down a bit. A little olive oil would help get rid of any tape residue, followed by a cornstarch dusting to get rid of the olive oil.

Keep us posted, and good luck!

[salvadorian]

Woa, LBoz, you live like forty minutes away from me! That's cool!! Haha but anyways....

I put down some masking tape. And some weathering tape. And some duct tape. And a bowl of water. And a pinky. And the space heater.... all nicely secluded from the rest of the room. If that doesn't lure him out and keep him where I can get him, I'll just keep feeding him until he gets too big to hide! Haha... or just get another snake.
Seriously, what a little brat he is.

Any other methods would be really awesome to hear about!

[LBoz]

Woa, LBoz, you live like forty minutes away from me! That's cool!! Haha but anyways....

I put down some masking tape. And some weathering tape. And some duct tape. And a bowl of water. And a pinky. And the space heater.... all nicely secluded from the rest of the room. If that doesn't lure him out and keep him where I can get him, I'll just keep feeding him until he gets too big to hide! Haha... or just get another snake.
Seriously, what a little brat he is.

Any other methods would be really awesome to hear about!

I know! Actually, I don't think you're even that far from me.

One trick I like was advised by Nanci...keep the room dark, and in the evening go in and flip on the light and see if you see him. I did this with one of my escapees and sure enough, there he was right in the middle of the room.

He does sound like a total brat. I have a few of those in my life as well. They can be exhausting! The good news is that he's getting food and water. He knows where these life sustaining elements are, so the odds are in your favor that you'll catch the little miscreant!!! ;)

[wasuslitherin]

Put flour around the wall, couch, anywhere you think he would move across, Then mabe you can track him or at least know is is there.

[wasuslitherin]

Also keep the room dark with a box of his pinkie in it not only to lure him to it better but to mabe keep him there.

[medusacoils]

ROFL! I'm sorry about laughing, but what happened in the bottle trap is hilarious. I'm really hoping that you catch him, but that just gave me a big chuckle.

I think the problem with the tape you are using is that it's double sided. It may be sticking to the floor better then the dirty snake. Painters or Masking tape would work so much better. If you are putting it around a flour dusted floor, it may be getting on the tape and making it less sticky.

I would suggest doing the bottle trap again and maybe lining the inside of it with the tape. Maybe he will get stuck in the tape, in the bottle. :shrugs: Stay clear of duct tape though. That could injure the little one.

I really hope your luck changes and I agree with Lori. If you are seeing evidence of him and have an idea where he is living, then it's hopefully only a matter of time before you catch him.

Good Luck and keep us posted

Wayne

[salvadorian]

I woke up this morning, and Apollo had gone in to his cage (the lid was cracked) and shed his skin and then left. Seriously.... what a mean little worm.

[K. Rene]

I just found my little one, that sounds about the size of yours, he was lost for a week. My apartment is full of stuff and I was so worried I wouldn't find him. But I found him between my photo albums that were leaning against the fish tank stand hear the heater. Keep in mind they like warm places. And they might look for water as well.

[LBoz]

I woke up this morning, and Apollo had gone in to his cage (the lid was cracked) and shed his skin and then left. Seriously.... what a mean little worm.

LMAO! This just gets funnier and funnier! (for me, at least! ;) )

[Kaminoke]

For your elaborate pinkie traps, try putting a hide somewhere nearby in a warm spot. Maybe after eating he'll take refuge there instead of in the wall.

[Aislin]

OMGosh Salvadorian!! I'm sorry but your little guy is killing me. I can't believe he did a shed and slither! Hahhaa...I hope you get the little rotter.

[Emily1188]

Oh my God, what a wild little guy! I sure hope you catch the little brat. Like others have said, he's eating, drinking, and shedding, so it's just a matter of time before you can nab him!

[wstphal]

What a brat! He comes back to his viv, sheds & leaves again! :roflmao: Seriously though, I hope you catch him soon. At least you know he's all right.

[Caryl]

Great slithering serpents!! This thread is amazing. Salvadorian, you apparently are blessed with a scaly genius. I've got confidence that you'll eventually nab him - but gracious, it's likely to be a challenge keeping him! It's been my experience that once they escape, they keep trying to repeat the feat for months before they submit peacefully to captivity again.

Your snake has it made while on the lam. He's got heat, water, food, oodles of places to explore and to hide. He's even got access to home base where he can go to shed and experience familiar scents. Could life be better?

(On another note, I'm a transplanted Hoosier. I'm happy to see more herpers in my home state!)

[LBoz]

And we wish you were up here with us, Caryl! :wavey:

[salvadorian]

APOLLO CAME HOME!!!

Just now, I was reading in my room, and Apollo's lid was cracked open and the light was on. I glanced over to longingly sigh about my lost snake, when I see the little worm crawling in to his tank... filthy, skinny.... and he saw me coming. When I reached out to push him in to his cage, he tried to bite me, twice, and then slithered in to his tank and drank his water for about five minutes. But ah! He's home! He's home! He's home! He's currently eating his first meal that wasn't supplied as a trap in about a month. Whee! I'm so happy!

[elipsis1]

Awesome news! I guess snakes are very upset when they are recaptured huh?

[medusacoils]

Now go out and get yourself a forty pound boulder, several very long zip ties, 20 C-clamps and about six ratchet straps.

That ought to hold him! ;)

Congrats!

Wayne

[wstphal]

FANTASTIC!!! Now glue the lid down on his viv! Just kidding. Maybe try Wayne's suggestions, at least 2 of them simultaneously. :roflmao:

[covato78]

wonderful news mate i have some liquid nails and some industrial wire bands want me to take care of the tank security for ya lol

[LBoz]

That is soooo funny! That little guy is a legend!!! Glad to hear he's home safe and sound! :dancer:

[RowanRR]

Yay! Congratulations!

[Caryl]

:roflmao::dancer::roflmao::dancer:

Awesome! I'm so glad you caught sneaky litter bugger. And he was so grateful to be safe! Good luck keeping him where he belongs.

:roflmao::dancer::roflmao::dancer:

[Aislin]

Congrats!! I am really happy he's back in his viv. Shall I send you some duct tape so you can seal that sucker in?? lol

[whoty]

Now go out and get yourself a forty pound boulder, several very long zip ties, 20 C-clamps and about six ratchet straps.

That ought to hold him! ;)

Congrats!

Wayne
lol Now,thats funny.:roflmao: