I knew from the scream from down the hall that my garter snake, which had been lost the night before, had been found. I ran from my room (where the snake's enclosure was) down the hallway to my little brother's room, and saw my mother pointing at the highest level of my brother's toyshelf-on-wheels. Sure enough, my snake was half-wrapped around the door handle of the closet, half-coiled around the propellers of a toy helicopter. I quickly removed him from the shelf and placed him in a plastic deli cup (with air holes), and in turn placed the deli cup into an empty Critter Keeper. He was not going to get away again while I worked on a new, snake-proof enclosure.

A loose snake is not an uncommon experience. Snakes are escape artists: If they can wedge their head through a gap (and they're good at finding these openings), they're gone. To prevent this from happening, make sure that if the enclosure has a hinged lid, that there are several latches or locking mechanisms, not just one, so that the snake cannot push up a corner high enough to squeeze through. Also in the case of a hinged top-opening enclosure, try to avoid having tall cage furniture close to the sides, snakes have been known to push off of hide boxes and branches (among other things) to open the lid just wide enough to slither through. If the enclosure has a sliding door, be certain that the gap between the two panels is not wide enough for the snake to wriggle through.

In case your snake does escape, here are some points to consider:

• Think like your snake. What environment does the species prefer? Would you want someplace warm? Dry? Damp? Cool?
• Tape the cracks of room and closet doors shut after thoroughly checking the area, you don't want the snake to return to an already "cleared" room.
• Check everywhere! Remember to look inside shoes, closets, bags, pillowcases, shelves, air vents, behind other herps' enclosures (which is usually a warm place), in-between sofa cushions, etc.
• If you have central air conditioning, or live in a cold climate, you can allow the house temperature to drop slightly so that the snake may become lethargic and stay put wherever it is. Be careful not to allow the temperature become too cool in the case of loose exotic snakes.
• Make sure all other pets are contained. Try not to let dogs and cats roam rooms where you think the snake might be hiding, and make sure other small pets are completely inaccessable. Non-feeder rodents, birds, and other herps might become a meal for you snake gone AWOL.
• Try leaving out a dish of water or a heat lamp in the middle of a room, if the snake is really in need of one of these it will probably check it out.
• If you suspect the snake is in a certain room, spread flour on the floor you think the snake might have to pass over and leave it overnight. You may find "slither tracks" in the morning.
• For smaller snakes, try taping masking tape to the floor, sticky-side-up. Although it's unlikely since it's just masking tape, if you are worried that the snake might get hurt you can make it a little less sticky by sticking and removing it from your finger a few times. If any stronger tape, such as carpet tape, gets stuck to your snake, it will come off next shed. If you don't want to wait, Dove dish washing soap is rumoured to work well.

Above all, don't panic. Panicking only leads to confusion. If you can't find your snake, be persistent and keep looking. Stories circulate of owners find their snakes six months after loosing their pet, in bizarre places. A loose snake is not something to fret over, it happens. Just don't remind your roommates, spouse, siblings or parents that their blankets are a warm, dark place!

Last modified: Sunday, November 25, 2001