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WARNING!!! Snake escape

BooBoo18

BooBoo18

Just 1, no 2, ok 3, um 4
We keep all our snakes in aquariums with either a screen top or the Zilla type with the sliding screen lid. Over the past Monday we went to feed the snakes and Mozaic, our newest adition was missing. He is kept in a seperate room and was out wandering his tank on Saturday and that was the last time we saw him. We could not figure out how he got out of his tank. It is a Zilla tank with the sliding screen lid. We decided maybe my daughter did not push the lid enough to engage both the clips and Mo was able to push the screen lid open and escape.

We searched the whole room trying to locate him. We left a mouse out for him and water and placed his tank on the floor hoping he will return. But we did not find him. My daughter fixed up a trap for him next which also was not touched.

On Thursday evening Mo was located in the basement in my son's bedroom snuggling up next to my son in bed. My son did not appreciate the snake in his bed.

After getting Mo into a temporary bin we rechecked the screen lid and found the screen was loose on one side. Loose enough that Mo was able to push right through it.

Please if you use the Zilla tanks with the locking lids check the screen and make sure the screen is secure to the frame. We checked all our Zilla and found another 20 gallon tank with a loose screen. We are contacting Zilla abut this problem.
 
I had one get out that way too, from a sliding screen lid, although a different brand than Zilla.
 
I was wondering if this had happened to any one else and it really surprised me because we have had other snakes in the same type of tank for over a year without any problems. I might double screen them all just to be safe.
 
not surprising.. I was recommended the zilla critter keep with sliding screen, and I went to look at one,
and I didn't buy it based on THIS fact, the screens are made quite poorly, and I didn't trust it.

I went out and bought a glass tank with the zilla screen lid with a small door, and I haven't had one escape with it and the clips. :)
**knock on wood**
 
I'll take locking Critter Cages over lids and clips every day of the week. If you don't abuse the screen top (ie: lean on, lay heavy things on them), they last for years. I have kept many of them year round in my pet shop with no escapes -and I have had escapes from Boamaster racks! Treat that screen top like it was made of fine screen and you should get decades out of these cages. If there is some manufacturer's defect I am missing, please take a photo. I am tight with my Zilla rep, I can pass it on.
 
I just had a black rat snake escape at me that I was keeping at my parents house, same deal, cage was used and not in the best shape and it was able to push out one side and there it was gone. I only looked then haven't been back but its been a few days now so who knows where he is in the house. I hope at least it gets inside the house and finds a nice nest of mice to feed on if nothing else :x

Mistakes happens and this just reinforces us that we need to be very careful making sure tanks are secure.
 
Chip said:
I'll take locking Critter Cages over lids and clips every day of the week. If you don't abuse the screen top (ie: lean on, lay heavy things on them), they last for years. I have kept many of them year round in my pet shop with no escapes -and I have had escapes from Boamaster racks! Treat that screen top like it was made of fine screen and you should get decades out of these cages. If there is some manufacturer's defect I am missing, please take a photo. I am tight with my Zilla rep, I can pass it on.
Click to expand...

Mine was a damaged lid. I bought it used and clearly the people had set heavy things on it, which I would never do. I've never had a problem with any of my new ones.
 
The one I had an escape out of was used as well. It looked it great condition and housed snakes for about a year and a half before either the weak spot really broke or a snake found it.
Always had been careful with the screens but am doubly so after that escape!
 
I will take a pic for you Chip and upload to the thread when I get a chance. This was a new tank and had not been used before. nothing was placed on the screen. I would say the tank has been in use for about 3 months now. We had a spare new tank in the garage and also checked the screen on that one. This was a new tank with the cardboard wrap still around it we bought this tank at the same time. I also noticed the screen on one side was not completely attached on about an inch of it and i could separate the screen from the frame as well by pushing my finger through.

I have three other of the Zilla critter tanks and have checked them. None of those had any type of loose screens on them right now.
 
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