What's your favorite "find-the-escapee" trick?

[Cegninedorf]

I had hoped that I wouldn't have to make this thread in much more seriousness than my first escape (promptly after seeing the lid on ShugaBoog's tank busted by my cat using it as a trampoline, I found Mr Boog in the folded laundry right next to his tank!) almost a year ago, but alas -- it wasn't meant to be. So, I know that I saw my aztec, Habibi, in his tank earlier this week but when I went to clean & feed today, he wasn't there. I haven't heard the cats scrambling over anything yet nor have I found any "presents", so I'm guessing that he's still alive, but it's still discouraging to know that in spite of my best efforts, he's still out there. Thus, I post this thread just to mourn & to ask for any tricks that you've used for your escapees.

I've checked the surrounding area; I've put a warm spot with a hide on the floor; we're clearing out the cats & their litter boxes to close the room off (guessing that he's still in it); I put a soda bottle with a mouse in it on the floor; I'm loathe to putting flour on the floor, but I may do it yet tonight; anything else?

Thanks...:cheers:

 

[snakemom1961]

I've had an escapee for over a month. I've done the bottle trick and looked every nite for her, but so far no luck. I'm still holding out hope for her to show up. The cats haven't found her yet so there's still hope.

Good luck in finding your baby!

 

[Chip]

That small of an escapee is perfect for painter's tape.

 

[Nanci]

Check repeatedly at night. Leave the room dark, come in and flick on the lights. Check every 20 minutes or so.

 

[ghosthousecorns]

Leave the cats and keep a real close eye on them. They WILL find it. But unless you have a gentle kitty like mine that might be a bad thing.

 

[Cegninedorf]

That small of an escapee is perfect for painter's tape.

That's actually a picture from when I first got the bugger, back in January...he was about 17 g then, and he's over 100 g now. Although, the painter's tape idea sounds great!

I also tossed a sweater on the floor...if Habibi is like my other escapee, he'll go straight for the laundry.

I also put an extra hide down, with the food inside of it...I'll let the cats keep doing their normal routine, for now. I'm sure that some night, in the middle of it (probably on one of those nights when I actually can get to sleep!), I'll hear the cacophony of having found Habibi.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed! Thanks! :cheers:

 

[Susielea]

I recently had an escapee, my first one ever and hopefully the last

She got out just after feeding, as her cage was left slightly ajar, I was ill and my Hubby did the feeding and cleaning, just didn't realise the door was open a little.

Anyway, we laid long squiggly trails of flour around the edges of the room overnight, well, what was left of the night after we finished the first turn out looking for her. Then the next morning we set to, turning everything out again, in case she'd moved. We found the flour had been disturbed behind the computer desk and I finally found her inside our printer/scanner/copier, tucked up in the tiniest of places, I think she was around 120g at the time.

Once she was safely tucked back in her viv, the flour came up a treat with the vacuum cleaner, so don't be worried about using flour, it really helped us

Sending good vibes your way for a successful recovery of the escapee

Best wishes,

 

[caz223]

I put big fosters cans in all the doorways at night, and in the morning look for which ones ae disturbed for where to start looking.
Also, if you happen to hear them falling, you know to check it out.

 

[Spurticus]

The wild snake I had that escaped after about 4 weeks hasn't been seen again. (this was at the end of July this year). I got all kinds of advice, and tried them all but still no snake.
I was told to check all the appliances with motors. Refridgerator, Freezer, TV Sets etc. . . and they would usually be around the warmth of these. . . . I guy told me to drop the AC in the house to the maximum coolest setting and get the house as cold as possible. Then place a heating pad/ Electric Blanket in the floor at night and turn it on. He told me if the snake was still in the house, he'd come to that heat source . . . No Go there either.

I even tried tying a thawed mouse onto a long length of string, and dragging in through the house from each room leading to the spare room I had it in originally, and placing the mouse in the waterdish on the floor. . ..nothing again.

I think mine found it's way back into the wild.

 

[Cegninedorf]

My snake hasn't been seen since discovered missing yet, either, and bizarrely enough (and I think that this has to do with the pregnancy hormones), I'm not torn up at all about it. Sure, I'm not thrilled that he escaped and I know exactly what my mistake was, but I also know that keeping him involved the risk of his escaping and if it was to happen, then that's his nature. That's life. I guess that I'm just so overwhelmed by what's going on in my own body that I'm not emotional about his escape. I figure that if he's going to be found, he will be, and if not, then I hope that he's doing ok. He is/was a shy little guy, not aggressive at all, so I hope that he's making it ok. :uhoh:

 

[diamondlil]

My favourite tip is, check your handbags! I found my gender-swapping christmas hypo Lola in an evening bag once......

 

[snakemom1961]

I'm sorry you haven't found your little guy yet. I also have not found Bree, and it's probably close to 2 months now. I keep thinking one of these days she'll show herself enough that the cats will find her.