Two got away...

**Dionythicus** · 03-25-08, 02:44 PM

Well, it happens. Snakes get out.

I didn't know either one was out until I was lifting a tub to check on a female for her post-bru shed and there was a snake curled up on the tub below the one I lifted.

Um...hello? And who are you? I don't have many normals anymore so it took a minute to remember who this little guy was. He's my Okeeteeish aztec. Well, little fellow, back into your tub with a chiding of "bad snake". So I keep going through the snake room. I find a non-eaten mouse in my Christmas male's tub, which is HIGHLY unusual. I go to take said rodent out and realise....

OMG, he's not in the tub. I freaked. Christmas are my future bread and butter, I want to mix and match that into tons of morphs and my breeding male is gone! It's terrible, but I was thinking, praise Gaia it the was male that took off and not the female. I only have one female and three other homo Christmas males (two are Christmas anery from Joe Pierce). Of course, they're all '07. At least my Christmas male successfully bred two females this year, so if he never comes back, I've got offspring. But, I very quickly started searching and came up empty. Then I think...hmmm...weren't the cats after something behind those boxes in the bedroom the other day? I dismissed it as an escaped cricket. That'll learn me. I go through those boxes and found much that I can donate or throw away, but no snake. I let my husband know so when he comes home, if he sees a long red snake on the loose, it's mine. LOL When I came home from work at midnight, I dinked around downstairs, finally come up to get ready for bed. I hear a loud hiss (snake or cat I wasn't sure) and my husband yells from the bedroom, "There's a snake!!" I come barrelling into the room, see a red tail slither under a box and promptly retrieve my missing Christmas male. After returning him to his tub, with a harsh warning to stay in it, "

You can be replaced", I put bungees on the lid to prevent another escape. The cats were so funny, creeping around the box where I grabbed him and freaking each other out. One cat would be focused and another would sneak up behind them to see what they were looking at and startle the first one, who would shoot into the air and the second one would fly back, too.

It was priceless.

**Carol** · 03-25-08, 02:56 PM

Well, I share your pain.... About a week ago I deli cupped snakes up to feed and got tired and decided to do it in the morning. Of all the snakes deli cupped on the table, a female Topaz was the one that had to pop her deli. I've house snakes for months in deli cups, this is the first time I've had one strong enough to pop the top.

Why is it always the expensive ones?

pcar · 03-25-08, 02:56 PM

Sad story, but with a wonderful happy ending. It's always sad when snakes get out. I had an adult escape last year from the tub that her and her mate were in. The Male was still there curled up in the corner, but the female was no-where to be seen. And it all happened in the span of 20 minutes while I went to check on my kids. Was a bit upset with that one. Was just an Okeetee, but just happened to be the second snake that I ever owned. that was about a year ago, and I haven't seen her since. so I have given up hope (I live in a 100+ year old farm house that has holes in the walls to the outside).

Congrats again on finding everyone.

**Dionythicus** · 03-25-08, 03:39 PM

Carol, I hope you find that Topaz! What a loss.

Paul, given where you live, it sounds like the local ratsnake population might get better looking in a few years.

Texas locality Okeetees. You may still come across her at some point. I hope so.

mlove · 03-25-08, 10:20 PM

Now that you found your Christmas male it's a very funny and entertaining story. Thanks for sharing. I hope the others that have had a recent escape are as lucky to find their critters.

**MohrSnakes** · 03-25-08, 11:51 PM

Yeah...it never fails...if there is a way to get out they will find it.

At least you had a happy ending with your Christmas corn!

Hope the same on the Topaz for you Carol!

pcar · 03-26-08, 01:37 PM

Originally Posted by Dionythicus

Carol, I hope you find that Topaz! What a loss.

Paul, given where you live, it sounds like the local ratsnake population might get better looking in a few years.

Texas locality Okeetees. You may still come across her at some point. I hope so.

Yea, I have been out last year and this a bit so far this year doing some "herping", but haven't seen her yet. I guess the Texas Rat snake males will have a bit of fun with her as long as one of the Dessert kings haven't gotten her yet. So I will keep looking and see what I can find. there is plenty of food around the place for her to keep eating, and water out for the dogs as well, so I am keeping hope alive.