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Original poster

Royal Python has escaped!

333 replies

Belvedeer · 04/01/2021 10:00

My daughter’s royal python escaped on New Year’s Eve and is still missing. I followed tips online to search room by room and then sealing the door off if she’s not in there but can’t find her anywhere! I’ve literally ransacked the place, every piece of clothing has been removed and checked even the hanging clothes, every drawer has been removed, I even pulled the fridge freezer out and took the plinths off in the kitchen! We’ve left her viv door open with a mouse inside, tried leaving a hot water bottle with hide on the top next to a mouse at night but still no sign. Does anyone have any other tips of what we can do? I have a distraught 8 year old on my hands!

OP posts:
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13
Disorganisedfish · 04/01/2021 10:03

Erm, I have no advice but I want to check you aren’t in the North East..... finding a lost snake in my house is my worst nightmare!

(I hope your daughters pet turns up, will she be hungry for the mouse yet? How often do they feed?)

Wannabewriter · 04/01/2021 10:04

Hope you find it! Think the post should have had a location warning Grin

Disorganisedfish · 04/01/2021 10:05

I felt bad for being horrified so did a quick search - apparently if you put a heat source out they will find it, I may never sleep again now after that Google search!

Kumquatsquash · 04/01/2021 10:05

I have a royal and this is my worst nightmare!

They love dark, enclosed spaces so under the couch, beds, appliances, furniture, etc. Check in the little gap between heaters and the wall (I found an escaped rabbit there once!). It might be a good idea to turn your heating off or very low until you find her in case she hides behind a heater and gets burnt.

I'd place several mice around the home to try and tempt her out. How old is she?

Youvegotafriendinme · 04/01/2021 10:07

When ever any of mine have escaped over the years they have nearly always turned up under the bath or in the cupboard with the boiler, wrapped around the pipes. Check warm places and even in pockets of coats etc. Snakes are amazing escape artists and you’d be amazed at some of the places they can hide. When was the last time snake ate?

LaBellina · 04/01/2021 10:07

I have no advice, other then that if I were your neighbours, I'd very much appreciate a note trough the door to warn me to check my shoes before I put them on....

Kumquatsquash · 04/01/2021 10:07

I saw a post recently on fb where someone's royal escaped down the overflow hole in the sink! They are clever little bastards when it comes to escaping.

redcandlelight · 04/01/2021 10:08

boiler cupboard?
airing cupboard?
behind the fridge?
under dishwasher?

IsolaPribby · 04/01/2021 10:08

How big is the snake?

IDontDrinkTea · 04/01/2021 10:09

This is my absolute worst nightmare 🤢🤢

iwantsnow · 04/01/2021 10:09

Have you tried the crisp packet method? Put anything that rustles all around the house. We found our boa under the headboard using this method....not idea how on earth she got in there, literally no Space behind our bed (it's straight to the floor and wall).

vivariumvivariumsvivaria · 04/01/2021 10:12

Oh no.

We lost our corn snake for 3 weeks - they can go a long time without being fed.

We knew which room he'd gone missing from, and assumed he was still in there somewhere. Put a heat mat (with a thermostat, obviously) on the floor and a mouse in his viv with the door open.

Eventually he was spotted coming out from inside the settee, we'd been sitting on him, plenty of space inside furniture for a snake to hide nice and cosy till he gets cold and hungry.

Hope you find him, it might take a while though.

m0use · 04/01/2021 10:17

Just to reassure some of you - an adult will be 4 to 5 feet long; no chance of it hiding in your shoes!
They can squeeze into tight spots - typically warn and dark place; keep an eye out for shed over the next couple of weeks as that might give you a clue.

Danu2021 · 04/01/2021 10:18

omg.

Why do people have snakes for pets Confused

MiddleClassMother · 04/01/2021 10:18

Behind radiators, in your boiler cupboard if you have one. under the bed, in the sofa, in the bathroom.
Hope she turns up soon, it's horrible loosing a pet.

GameSetMatch · 04/01/2021 10:20

My husband said when he was a child his snake escaped and their next door neighbour found it curled up in her cutlery draw. He said the snake was never the same after and didn’t live that long. This was about 30 years ago.

Warn your neighbours, I’d have a heart attack and be hysterical if I found a snake.

GameSetMatch · 04/01/2021 10:20

Drawers*

blazinglightonthehill · 04/01/2021 10:21

That little mouse running round the tank not knowing what's coming 😱

Erm...how big is it? I can't think of anywhere not mentioned already. Inside the mattress?

Twickerhun · 04/01/2021 10:22

Errr Op where are you?

MrsMap · 04/01/2021 10:24

Inside any chairs/couches?? They are usually hollow, and have zips underneath.

Maybe buy some motion sensing cameras??

Good luck.

vivariumvivariumsvivaria · 04/01/2021 10:27

It's illegal to live feed in the UK, Blazing.

The mice are farmed and gassed and neatly packaged before freezing. You don't really want a pet snake that strikes it's food, most are several generations away from having had to do anything other than lumber up to it's dinner which magically appears every week.

SoupDragon · 04/01/2021 10:28

That little mouse running round the tank not knowing what's coming

I think it would have to be a zombie mouse for that to be happening.

ivfbeenbusy · 04/01/2021 10:28

Just to reassure some of you - an adult will be 4 to 5 feet long

Nope not reassured at all 🤣🤣🤣

Sheeptheshaun · 04/01/2021 10:29

Yes a motion sensing camera is a great idea! Hope you find your pet soon OP! My rats escaped in my house and it took me a couple of days to find them. I scattered plastic bags around so I could hear them rustling (as suggested by PP).

gamerchick · 04/01/2021 10:29

@vivariumvivariumsvivaria

Oh no.

We lost our corn snake for 3 weeks - they can go a long time without being fed.

We knew which room he'd gone missing from, and assumed he was still in there somewhere. Put a heat mat (with a thermostat, obviously) on the floor and a mouse in his viv with the door open.

Eventually he was spotted coming out from inside the settee, we'd been sitting on him, plenty of space inside furniture for a snake to hide nice and cosy till he gets cold and hungry.

Hope you find him, it might take a while though.

Mine likes inside the settee as well. Little git