How to Find a Corn Snake has Escaped
You are probably reading this because you have learned the hard way that corn snakes are excellent escape artists. With a large collection of corns, we have had a number of escapes over the years, despite our best efforts to keep them contained. Most of our escapes have involved slide-lock lids not quite clicking closed, feeding containers not quite sealed on one corner or children being inattentive while playing with the snakes. If the escape was recent, you still have a pretty good chance of finding your snake. The following tips may help you to locate your snake more effectively.
If the escape happened within the past day or two, you will most likely find the snake within about ten feet from the place it escaped, and that is usually the best place to concentrate your first efforts. Before you determine for sure that the snake has escaped, be sure to check the cage thoroughly, since it might still be in there hiding. Remove the water dish and all the furnishings, checking inside of them to be sure the snake is not curled up inside of them, as sometimes they are able to wedge themselves inside furnishings in a manner in which they don't fall out when it is removed. Then run your hands through the substrate to make sure the snake is not still hiding under it. Once you are certain the snake is not still inside the cage, continue your efforts near the cage.
If your snake enclosure is located in a place where the snake might be able to climb, be sure to look upward to see if the snake is hiding somewhere above the cage. Remember that if snakes are travelling on the floor, they will most likely slither along the walls instead of out in the open, so follow along the walls on both sides of the place of escape to see if there might be a place for the snake to hide. If you reach a closed door, remember that your snake is likely to slither right under it (if there is not a good seal) and end up in that room or closet. Before searching too far into other rooms, though, be sure to check thoroughly in the room where the snake escaped, especially the area within about 10 feet from the point of escape.
If there are any clothes, shoes, bags, boxes, etc. laying around anywhere near the area of escape, be sure to check through them thoroughly, as escapees are likely to hide in them. If the area near your cage is clear and open, it might be helpful to lay down some crumpled clothing in case your corn snake decides to come back and wants to hide inside of them. Shake them out periodically, and you might just find your snake! Also, if you can do so without creating a fire hazard, a heating pad with crumpled clothing around it located near the point of escape might also attract an escaped snake that is wishing to warm up. While you are still looking, also place a small water dish along the wall near the cage in case the snake comes back and is thirsty. The snake can go for weeks without food but not more than a few days without water. You might want to place several dishes of water around the walls in the room where your snake escaped or in the next room / closet if there is a door the snake might have slithered under.
You may be able to identify your snake's location by spilling flour or sand around the edges of the room and observing whether the snake returns and makes tracks through it when you are not looking. It is a bit messy but has been known to work for some keepers in helping them to identify where their snake may or may not be hiding. Snakes are most likely to come out and move around when it is dark, and that is when you will be most likely to catch them out exploring.
Probably the most effective type of trap to catch an escaped corn snake is a tape trap, which is pretty easy to set up. First of all, don't use duct tape or masking tape, as it is too sticky and can injure your snake. Transparent tape works well, and painters' tape might also work okay. If by chance the tape you have selected does turn out to be too sticky, cooking oil may be helpful to remove it from the snake, but it's probably best just not to start off with super sticky tape in the first place. In order to start your tape trap, peel off a long strip of tape (a couple feet or so in length) and place sticky side up along a wall in the room where you think your snake is most likely hiding. Secure both ends. to the floor with more tape or by flipping over the ends of your sticky side up piece. From our experience, the most effective tape traps seem to be the ones that are set in the corner of a room with tape on both sides of the wall leading into the corner with bait placed right in the corner. No matter what size your snake is, the best bait is a live pinky mouse, which will just lie there, wiggle and smell enticing for over 24 hours if needed. You can try a frozen / thawed prey item as well, but it will go bad and lose its appeal much more quickly. Once you have set your tape trap, be sure to check it frequently, so your snake won't be on it too long if it is trapped.
If you have other pets, such as cats and dogs, a snake on the loose is at higher risk of being killed. Cats tend to catch and kill them silently, so it is best to keep your cat out of the area where you suspect the snake is hiding and maybe even out of the house until you do locate the snake or decide to stop looking. Dogs may or may not be helpful in finding an escaped snake. They will sometimes bark and make it known to you if they have discovered the escapee. That is the best case scenario, though. If the dog finds the snake when you are not around, it could very well injure or kill the snake, so it is best to supervise a dog that is anywhere near where you believe the snake might be hiding.
Our worst outcome ever with an escaped corn snake involved a sliding glass door and a hatchling that decided to hide right under it and was crushed before we knew he had gotten out. So, if the point of escape is anywhere near a sliding glass door, you might want to refrain from using it until the snake is recovered. You may be able to check underneath it with a flashlight or get a better look by having a strong person lift up the door off its track, while a someone else looks for the snake and picks it up if it is indeed found there.
Unfortunately you may not recover every snake that escapes, and sometimes you may not find them alive. Over the years we have had numerous escapes, despite our best efforts to keep them well contained, but we have had over 90% success rate in locating escapees alive. The longest period of time that it ever took us to find an escapee was two months, and he ended up being just fine. Luckily it was summer, because we found him outside of our house sunning himself on a rock! He had two months to go anywhere he wanted, and he stayed right at our house. You just never know! Good luck with your snake hunt!
If the escape happened within the past day or two, you will most likely find the snake within about ten feet from the place it escaped, and that is usually the best place to concentrate your first efforts. Before you determine for sure that the snake has escaped, be sure to check the cage thoroughly, since it might still be in there hiding. Remove the water dish and all the furnishings, checking inside of them to be sure the snake is not curled up inside of them, as sometimes they are able to wedge themselves inside furnishings in a manner in which they don't fall out when it is removed. Then run your hands through the substrate to make sure the snake is not still hiding under it. Once you are certain the snake is not still inside the cage, continue your efforts near the cage.
If your snake enclosure is located in a place where the snake might be able to climb, be sure to look upward to see if the snake is hiding somewhere above the cage. Remember that if snakes are travelling on the floor, they will most likely slither along the walls instead of out in the open, so follow along the walls on both sides of the place of escape to see if there might be a place for the snake to hide. If you reach a closed door, remember that your snake is likely to slither right under it (if there is not a good seal) and end up in that room or closet. Before searching too far into other rooms, though, be sure to check thoroughly in the room where the snake escaped, especially the area within about 10 feet from the point of escape.
If there are any clothes, shoes, bags, boxes, etc. laying around anywhere near the area of escape, be sure to check through them thoroughly, as escapees are likely to hide in them. If the area near your cage is clear and open, it might be helpful to lay down some crumpled clothing in case your corn snake decides to come back and wants to hide inside of them. Shake them out periodically, and you might just find your snake! Also, if you can do so without creating a fire hazard, a heating pad with crumpled clothing around it located near the point of escape might also attract an escaped snake that is wishing to warm up. While you are still looking, also place a small water dish along the wall near the cage in case the snake comes back and is thirsty. The snake can go for weeks without food but not more than a few days without water. You might want to place several dishes of water around the walls in the room where your snake escaped or in the next room / closet if there is a door the snake might have slithered under.
You may be able to identify your snake's location by spilling flour or sand around the edges of the room and observing whether the snake returns and makes tracks through it when you are not looking. It is a bit messy but has been known to work for some keepers in helping them to identify where their snake may or may not be hiding. Snakes are most likely to come out and move around when it is dark, and that is when you will be most likely to catch them out exploring.
Probably the most effective type of trap to catch an escaped corn snake is a tape trap, which is pretty easy to set up. First of all, don't use duct tape or masking tape, as it is too sticky and can injure your snake. Transparent tape works well, and painters' tape might also work okay. If by chance the tape you have selected does turn out to be too sticky, cooking oil may be helpful to remove it from the snake, but it's probably best just not to start off with super sticky tape in the first place. In order to start your tape trap, peel off a long strip of tape (a couple feet or so in length) and place sticky side up along a wall in the room where you think your snake is most likely hiding. Secure both ends. to the floor with more tape or by flipping over the ends of your sticky side up piece. From our experience, the most effective tape traps seem to be the ones that are set in the corner of a room with tape on both sides of the wall leading into the corner with bait placed right in the corner. No matter what size your snake is, the best bait is a live pinky mouse, which will just lie there, wiggle and smell enticing for over 24 hours if needed. You can try a frozen / thawed prey item as well, but it will go bad and lose its appeal much more quickly. Once you have set your tape trap, be sure to check it frequently, so your snake won't be on it too long if it is trapped.
If you have other pets, such as cats and dogs, a snake on the loose is at higher risk of being killed. Cats tend to catch and kill them silently, so it is best to keep your cat out of the area where you suspect the snake is hiding and maybe even out of the house until you do locate the snake or decide to stop looking. Dogs may or may not be helpful in finding an escaped snake. They will sometimes bark and make it known to you if they have discovered the escapee. That is the best case scenario, though. If the dog finds the snake when you are not around, it could very well injure or kill the snake, so it is best to supervise a dog that is anywhere near where you believe the snake might be hiding.
Our worst outcome ever with an escaped corn snake involved a sliding glass door and a hatchling that decided to hide right under it and was crushed before we knew he had gotten out. So, if the point of escape is anywhere near a sliding glass door, you might want to refrain from using it until the snake is recovered. You may be able to check underneath it with a flashlight or get a better look by having a strong person lift up the door off its track, while a someone else looks for the snake and picks it up if it is indeed found there.
Unfortunately you may not recover every snake that escapes, and sometimes you may not find them alive. Over the years we have had numerous escapes, despite our best efforts to keep them well contained, but we have had over 90% success rate in locating escapees alive. The longest period of time that it ever took us to find an escapee was two months, and he ended up being just fine. Luckily it was summer, because we found him outside of our house sunning himself on a rock! He had two months to go anywhere he wanted, and he stayed right at our house. You just never know! Good luck with your snake hunt!
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