I know snakes aren't everybody's preferred pet but I do love mine dearly.
My pastel Ball Python, Alice, escaped his tank sometime between late Thursday/early Friday.
He is the 'smart guy' who always fiddled with his locks and he finally managed to get one open.
He squeezed out of the gap he created and I have hunted everywhere.
Here's the big problem; the house is a house log house almost 300 years old, there are holes everywhere, 'false walls' where layers of clapboard and siding were added later in the history of the house and the bottoms of those additions are NOT sealed from the outside.
We have torn apart both rooms where the snakes are.
Upended fridges and stoves.
Took down a 'wet wall panel' and looked back in the plumbing space.
Gone down into the dirt dug Root Cellar Of Horror, just in case.
Looked in every box, piece of clothing, looked up, looked down, looked all over the other snakes' racks.
He's just nowhere to be seen.
He's a bright yellow Pastel almost 4 feet long and weighs over 1700 grams so we're not looking for a little camouflaged snake, here.
I've got a drinking bowl with flour around it.
Foil/plastic laid down does no good because I'm too hard of hearing to know if he goes over it.
I've done everything you do when a snake goes missing and there's no sign of him everywhere.
I'm am just devastated.
This is my beloved 'lap snake' Alice who is like a dog with scales.
He's hopeless when it comes to being a 'real snake'.
He can't survive on his own and being somewhere in temps below 75 degrees will either make him very sick or kill him.
I am leaving out a dead mouse every night *but* he only eats his mice if they're very warm and won't touch them, cold.
I don't know what else to do but pray.
I could kick myself for leaving that one key in.
It's the one he 'picked' and that gave him a difficult but apparently doable way out of his tank.
Even though he's not a fluffy kitten or cute puppy, he is very dear to me and I miss him terribly.
I stalk the dark house every night, flashlight in hand, hoping to catch a glimpse of him but I fear he may have gone under the house and there's absolutely no way I can get under one part of there to even look.
I have done everything I can and God is now his only hope of survival and safe return.
This is a photo of him sleeping on my lap with his head resting on my fingers.
http://file.walagata.com/w/the-salamander/alicesleeping.jpg
Those of you who know me understand what this is doing to me.
Prayers for his return would be deeply appreciated.
Thank you,
Shari
Finger’s crossed and a quick prayer to St. Anthony (St. Patrick just wouldn’t understand).
ping
Prayers sent
We’ll all be hoping he shows up soon and safe!
Prayers sent for Alice.
I do indeed pray you find Alice.
Just curious, where do you live?
Every time my brothers find snakes in the house, they’re up high and near something warm: water pipes, water heater, and ducts. You have duct work there he can get into?
Once you find him, you’ll need to figure out a way to put bells or GPS on him. ;o) Seriously, prayers up that you’ll find him.
My uncle got a pet snake back over a year after it went missing. Out of the blue, a neighbor called Uncle George to say he had found it in his garden shed. If Alice can hide in or under the house she will survive the weather until she decides to come back to the one that takes care of her.
I will be praying.
A light dusting of flour, cornmeal, or baby powder (baby powder won't attract bugs, might not bother Alice) in likely traffic areas might show where your baby has gone--or if it has been through a part of the house at all.
PS: Look up. Alice might have headed for high ground...
Well, good luck finding your snake.
Praying for you. Please do keep us posted. I hope he is found soon.
I know how much people love their pets and treat them like family. My heart goes out to you and will say a prayer that Alice returns safe and sound.
Please keep us posted. You came to the best place for support.
As always, with all my heart - Alice come home and Pain take a hike!
In Jesus’ Holy Name (Who would not have ~any~ of His Father’s creatures perish.)
Hope you find your beloved python soon. It hurts to lose a pet.