-HELP- WATER SNAKE ESCAPED AND HAD BABIES!
 

I need tips... Anything... My water snake escaped last week and we could not find her... Now I look under a lid from a snake bin that fell and there are 2 dead ones still in there sac. I look around some more and I find little tiny snake sheds all over. I found about 8+ sheds and the two dead ones... Searched my WHOLE basement (My reptile room is in the basement) and NOTHING. Anyone have an idea for a trap of some sort or anything like that? I really don't want a bunch of dead babies laying around :'( I can't even sleep because of this :c.Normally I wouldn't ask for tips on a snake getting out but... This is such a different story! Snake escapes > Has babies > Babies all over... D:

Try placing a few hides/boxes around with a hole just big enough for a baby to get in & place a pinkish in there. Hopefully, it will not be able to leave after eating. **note** I have never tried this so I don't know if it works. **

I found an escaped sand boa under a freezers, so look where it is warm & dark.

Well that wouldn't work... Have to be some other kind of tactic since they are water snakes... They are just born so they definitely won't take any mice... Possibly fish... could keep replacing them because they are cheap until I find the babies :c

Look anywhere the is water & it is dark and warm.

If they are hungry enough, I am sure they will try a pinkie

Scent the pinkies with fish?

Why would I bother to scent the pinkies when I can just get a cheaper food like fish which there is more of a chance of them eating... XD Since when did this become a "Snake wont eat pinkies" post x.x ?

Once of the best suggestions I have heard (but not personally tried) is to dust the floor with flour - you'll see any tracks.

Also, not this species, but I had a baby escape once and they all went UP - so check windows, latticework, anything possibly climbable.

Devin, people are just trying to help and throwing out suggestions.

They are probably right there under your nose if they aren't getting out of the basement.

Long story short, many years ago I lost a couple of baby garters in a closet.
Couldn't find them. There was a hole in the corner of the closet so I believed they got out and were gone.

I set up a deli cup with a couple fish, set several upside down clay flower pots with holes in the bottom around the deli cup. I placed light on the pots.

First time I checked, nothing. Second time one was checking out the fish when I opened the door, he bolted for the hole but I was able to block it and catch him. Next couple of times nothing. Then I found the fish gone and sure enough the other one was inside a flower pot curled up.

My suggestion is focus on one small section of the basement. Food, heat, hides in close proximity of each other and check often. I know of no nonlethal trap for recovery.


Note: At the time I used those types of pots as hides in their normal setup.

Minnow trap for snakes?
 

I had seen something like a minnow trap for snakes. I just gave mine to my boss after he found baby Copperheads in his house. I have not seen them commercially available for many years though. Basically it looks like two mini plastic cones like the kind used for sports or roadside construction. The points of the two cones insert into opposite sides of a 4" PVC pipe. The pipe with cones stuck into either side is placed on the floor butted up to the wall running parallel to the wall. The snake follows the edge of the wall, crawls through the cone and into the PVC pipe. Once inside the PVC pipe, it can't find it's way back out through the little hole at the top of the cone. I have used this trap with some success. You may be able to fashion something similar if you are handy. Best of luck.