HELP! Sick snake, not eating, now LOST

[Animal_gal]

I'm sorry I haven't been able to come here for a few years.

For those of you who knew me, now know that I have had a snake for about a year now, named Smeagol. He's an okeetee, the most beautiful thing I've ever seen in my life.

I'm just tearing myself apart.

Smeagol eats on Mondays, and last week he didn't eat because he was getting ready to shed and couldn't see. We kept the mouse in the basement and decided to feed him today, because he's just shed.

I usually feed him in a paper bag, next to my room. Not that smart, I know, but it's the tallest thing we have for him, and he's never even shown any interest in trying to find a way out.

Today I decided to keep him in the basement in case he wouldn't eat again, so I wouldn't have to worry about a mouse running around while I tried to put my snake in his cage. I was good about watching Smeagol--he had killed the mouse and had the stupid thing halfway down his throat. Well, I had to run upstairs, and when I came back down a few minutes later, a crushed, dead mouse lay in the bag and my snake was gone.

WHAT DO I DO? My dad has threatened to kill Smeagol if he ever gets out and is found, and believe me, HE WILL KILL MY SNAKE. Where could Smeagol have gone? Why didn't he eat? Will he die in some corner, or will we find him?

Please help me. I'm begging you guys. I just don't know what to do, or where to look. I've searched for hours and he's just dissappeared.

Sorry if there are any typos, I'm trying to type really fast.

 

[cocoasumatran]

hi

I've never had an experience of losing a snake but I've read a few methods...

Make one room in your house warm and the rest cold, so he will go in there.

Put flour in a line across the doorways in your house so you can see where he has been (then you can just hoover it up later)

Put a dead mouse (or whatever he eats) in a plastic drinks bottle with the bottle neck cut off. the theory is that he will go in for the mouse and stay in there cos it is a comfy place / good conditions (like his hide)

above all look look look everywhere as hard as you can...

I really hope you find him!!!

Keep us posted!!!!!!!

 

[Animal_gal]

This is my first time losing a snake.

Like I said, my father WILL kill my snake.

I just don't know where to look anymore. Thank you so much. That helps so much.
You probably don't realize how horrible this is for me. I just can't believe he left the mouse there like that.

 

[Joejr14]

hi

I've never had an experience of losing a snake but I've read a few methods...

Make one room in your house warm and the rest cold, so he will go in there.

Put flour in a line across the doorways in your house so you can see where he has been (then you can just hoover it up later)

Put a dead mouse (or whatever he eats) in a plastic drinks bottle with the bottle neck cut off. the theory is that he will go in for the mouse and stay in there cos it is a comfy place / good conditions (like his hide)

above all look look look everywhere as hard as you can...

I really hope you find him!!!

Keep us posted!!!!!!!

Eh, the theory isn't exactly right with the soda bottle or water bottle. You cut the top off and then invert it. The idea is that the snake eats the mouse inside and then cannot get back out through the hole at the top of the bottle.

I've never heard of heating one room up, but you can put out a heating pad or red light to heat up one area of the room.

If you lost the snake in the basement, he's in the basement. You would be very surprised with the facts that when a snake gets out, it rarely goes far.

Looks like you're staying up tonight with a flashlight and waiting for your snake to come out for cruising times at night.

Good luck.

 

[cocoasumatran]

perhaps something scared him... maybe it is a good thing he hasn't eaten as now you can leave some food out for him and he will be more likely to take it if he is hungry!!

You are totally right I don't understand how it feels as it has never happened to me and I hope it never does. I can only imagine how awful it must be for you!!!

I'm sure there are plenty of people on this site who it has happened to and I bet they will have some great ideas to help you out!!!!

I really really hope you find him soon!!

 

[Animal_gal]

Looks like you're staying up tonight with a flashlight and waiting for your snake to come out for cruising times at night.

Good luck.

Yes, and not finishing the three projects that are due tomorrow, or skipping school altogether.
I would kill myself if that snake died.

Thank you for correcting cocoasumatran's mistake. I would have done what he had said.
My mom just called. Both parents are gone, so I've been searching for hours, alone. She said to give up until she could get home and help me.

I'm sealing the basement up. It's really cold down there, so I think I'll get some sort of a heating pad or something, as his heating tape is attatched to his cage.

You're right, he probably wouldn't go upstairs, but I could have sworn I had heard him sneeze on the main floor. He's been sneezing a lot lately. He's a big snake, bigger than my thumb, and my mom and I are guessing that if there are about twenty stairs going up to get out of the basement, and if I can't fit my thumb under the crack in the door, he's trapped in the basement.

She just called again. We're sealing the basement and making a little cave of warmth and a familiar water dish and hiding spot.

And I agree, cocoasumatran, I was just thinking about how lucky I am. If this had happened somewhere else in the house, and if he had eaten the mouse, I would never find him again. :eek1:


:sobstory:

 

[Joejr14]

Look in stupid places. It might sound silly, but if you search for lost snake posts a lot of times you'll see the person found their snake less than 5 feet from where it got out.

What is around the feeding bag? A bookcase? Tv? Anything like that? Is there anything in the basement that produces heat? A furnace maybe?

I lost my caramel for 9 days and I thought she had left my apartment all together, but alas, I found her in my closet all of 10 feet from where she got out.

 

[Animal_gal]

Look in stupid places. It might sound silly, but if you search for lost snake posts a lot of times you'll see the person found their snake less than 5 feet from where it got out.

What is around the feeding bag? A bookcase? Tv? Anything like that? Is there anything in the basement that produces heat? A furnace maybe?

I lost my caramel for 9 days and I thought she had left my apartment all together, but alas, I found her in my closet all of 10 feet from where she got out.

*blinks* Wow. Really?

He doesn't usually eat down there, but I'm lucky, because like I said, there's no way for him to get out and it's freezing cold down there. I'll put a really warm spot near to the mouse, and a hiding spot in case he decides to eat it.

It's actually next to a place where everyone throws the shoes that they don't use often. About ten feet away is a sewing area. If he gets in there, there's no way I'm ever gonna find him. Lucky guy got stuck in the messiest place in the house.

My mom's a teacher. Once, some animal got out (I don't think it was hers, but still...) and they found it a few days later, burned and dead, beind the furnace. :eek1:

 

[PtDnsr]

It's actually next to a place where everyone throws the shoes that they don't use often.

Check the shoes - very carefully. My boyfriend once left our male in a bin for feeding. Found him curled up on a shelf 5 feet away. Two of our snakes got out together last December. Found one two weeks later 3 feet from where the cage had been. Still waiting for the other one (if he shows up). Don't give up, go slowly and remember they can fit in very small spaces.

~Katie

 

[Animal_gal]

Two of our snakes got out together last December. Found one two weeks later 3 feet from where the cage had been. Still waiting for the other one (if he shows up).

I'll go through the shoes again. Thanks. ^^

How often are you feeding your snakes? When I got Smeagol, he was eating once every two weeks, but now I'm feeding him consistently every week, unless he has a health problem, and refuses to eat or whatever.

That seems long for a snake to be lost. Do you suppose the one that's still missing is dead, or finding food, or what?

How long can missing snakes go without eating, I wonder?

 

[PtDnsr]

I'll go through the shoes again. Thanks. ^^

How often are you feeding your snakes? When I got Smeagol, he was eating once every two weeks, but now I'm feeding him consistently every week, unless he has a health problem, and refuses to eat or whatever.

That seems long for a snake to be lost. Do you suppose the one that's still missing is dead, or finding food, or what?

How long can missing snakes go without eating, I wonder?

We feed our snakes weekly. Part of the problem when they got out was the house we rent is old and has lots of places for a snake to hide. I mean lots! Not to mention cracks in the walls. I'm guessing that the Sparks is in our walls somewhere living off the many creatures that have to be there. He probably brumated this winter and will hopefully be coming out soon. With our luck he'll come out the day our landlord shows up :headbang:

~Katie

 

[cocoasumatran]

Eh, the theory isn't exactly right with the soda bottle or water bottle. You cut the top off and then invert it. The idea is that the snake eats the mouse inside and then cannot get back out through the hole at the top of the bottle.

sorry, I did actually find that tip on a snake keeping website, but I guess you can't rely on everything you find online... sorry again, lucky someone was around to point the mistake out!!

 

[Animal_gal]

Found him!

He was hiding in the basement, yes, no more than ten feet away from the crime scene.

Actually, he turned up on the sixteenth, I've just been to busy to get on the computer.

But I am so grateful for everyones help! You guys rock!

 

[Joejr14]

Found him!

He was hiding in the basement, yes, no more than ten feet away from the crime scene.

Actually, he turned up on the sixteenth, I've just been to busy to get on the computer.

But I am so grateful for everyones help! You guys rock!

Told ya. The nice thing about snakes is that usually most people find escapees.