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HELP!! - Snake escaped in car

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bigjej

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I picked up a corn snake earlier today and transported home in the rubbermaid shoe box that he was given to me in (stupid move on my part). I get home and unloaded the car to find the snake is missing! He left a number two on my plastic mat in the back seat but its been a couple hours and no other sign of him. Its an Altima so limited space in the car to hide in the cabin. I think he may either have gotten under the dash or made it out to the engine through one of the small holes in the drivers foot well that allow wires and such to pass. Tore the car apart and searched in the engine compartment (which was still warm so I was hopeful ) but no luck. Its about 50 degrees outside right now (Chicago) so I am hoping he is still in the car. I left his shoebox with his bedding and frozen mouse in hopes that he will eat it and stay in the box (at least if he eats it I know he's still in the car). My 2 fears are that either he will cause a mechanical/electrical problem when I start the car if he's hidden in the engine compartment, or he will come out while my wife is driving my car (and cause a panic caused accident). Any suggestions ?
 
This might sound stupid, or obvious, but what if you used something to attract him? like maybe female rat pheromones, or baby rat scent, or both. or maybe a female snake scent. Food or love seem to be what drive all creatures, that's the only reason I mention this idea.
Best of luck
 
Thanks. I did leave him a FT mouse in the rubbermaid with his bedding. If the mouse is eaten tomorrow I will buy hand warmers and try it again. I searched again and found the foot vents under the front seats. I think he may have gone into one of them.
 
A looong time ago, a friend got into my car with a baby iguana he had just gotten at petco, it jumped out of his hand and ran into my air vents, I turned the A/C on and the lizard ran back out to get away from the cold. Just a thought? It's been a few days so I don't know if it would work. Hopefully it's not up in the engine. Some tricks for finding snake escapes in the home may work here as well, try leaving flour in lines around the vents and on the mats, that way you'll be able to see if the snake is still moving around inside the car (as it moves through the flour, it would leave a trail).
Good luck!!
 
So I tried both cold and hot air, thining it crawled into the floor vent under the driver seat (closest thing to where the container was) and no luck. The mouse wasnt touched. It has been only one day at this point so I will try the flour trick. Maybe I'll try and put a live mouse in a critter keeper to see if I can lure it out as well.
 
Had it happen myself. A few years ago I was taking a group BRB's to drop of at NARBC. One deli cup must have not been secured properly. I tore my car apart and didn't find him. Tried leaving prey in a container and didn't work. About three weeks later I was going to get into my a car and he was climbing up the seat belt strap.

If it is colder outside more than likely he we stay put and show up when you least expect it and given up hope. Most of the time they don't go far.
 
Is it possible for him to escape the car cabin via the air duct, into the engine compartment itself? If that happened, then he can be anyware, but if not I will remain hopeful and continue to make excuses for my wife to use the minivan instead!
 
bigjej said:
Is it possible for him to escape the car cabin via the air duct, into the engine compartment itself? If that happened, then he can be anyware, but if not I will remain hopeful and continue to make excuses for my wife to use the minivan instead!
Click to expand...

I think its possible. With my scenario I thought the same. I checked and checked. He had to have gone into the dashboard or up through bottom to the engine there was no other place. Yes he could be anywhere but just as likely to stay in the closest secure spot. IMHO...
 
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Update - On Friday I was rear ended, taken to local hospital by EMS and car was towed to a local lot by the police. I stopped to empty the car on my way home and check for the snake (I setup a trap I saw on a website using a bait (as in fishing) trap with a FT mouse) but no luck. Oh well. Today I stopped there again to pick up a few things I forgot. Checked the trunk one last time (which has been open since Friday d/t the damage) and lo and behold, curled up on a plastic bag is the snake! Good thing I had some bags in the car to transport him in (cab driver would not have appreciated me transporting him in my hand I think)! Photos to follow.
 
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