URGENT!!!CORN SNAKE LOST IN WALLS!!!!

[Zach8498]

I was letting my 2 year old corn snake explore with my supervision, then he started exploring the dish washer. At first, I thought he was just interested in it because it was warm. Then I realized there was a crack under the dishwasher. I tried holding him in place to get him out, but he already had a super strong grip, and I couldn't pull him out. I could only prevent his progress. I decided to put his heat mat near the dishwasher and put a mouse near the mat, but he found a hole behind the dishwasher and now he is in the walls. It probably wouldn't be that hard to get him out from under the dishwasher, but he's in the walls. Is there any way to get him out? Please help me soon.

 

[bcr229]

All you can do is wait and see if the mouse lures him out. Just make sure he can't actually get to the mouse so he doesn't eat it and then disappear again.

 

[Zach8498]

All you can do is wait and see if the mouse lures him out. Just make sure he can't actually get to the mouse so he doesn't eat it and then disappear again.

Should I put the mouse in a trap like the one in the picture below.

 

[AbsoluteApril]

Yes I would.
Also put lines of flour or sugar around the dishwasher so you can see if he exists and goes to another part of the home. Something I found that helps is also putting plastic bags (something that makes noise easy) around the edges of all the walls - then sit there late at night not making any noise, you may hear the snake moving (they tend to move along edges of things).

I wish you the best of luck!
I've lost one to a hole in the wall before (baby corn). Sadly mine never reappeared.

 

[Zach8498]

Yes I would.
Also put lines of flour or sugar around the dishwasher so you can see if he exists and goes to another part of the home. Something I found that helps is also putting plastic bags (something that makes noise easy) around the edges of all the walls - then sit there late at night not making any noise, you may hear the snake moving (they tend to move along edges of things).

I wish you the best of luck!
I've lost one to a hole in the wall before (baby corn). Sadly mine never reappeared.

Thanks. I'll do that tonight.

 

[Helenthereef]

Good luck, do let us know if you get him.

 

[hotlips]

This time of year it's very likely that your corn snake may decide to hibernate in the wall for a "while", as in a few months. So don't give up...he may not come out again until it warms up & then he'll want food. I once had a 5'+ bull snake get loose in mid-November: I looked everywhere without success, but in mid-May, I was walking thru my kitchen one night & there she was on the floor! She had been hibernating all that time under the kitchen cupboards where she was well out of sight & out of my reach...she was just fine, hungry & thirsty, and she went on to live (& breed) for many years beyond that. I've never tried a snake trap like what is shown above but it couldn't hurt (just make sure the hole is slightly larger than your snake so she doesn't get stuck!). Snakes are superb at disappearing into holes (including into upholstered furniture and even down drains or toilets!), I really hope you get a second chance.

 

[Zach8498]

This time of year it's very likely that your corn snake may decide to hibernate in the wall for a "while", as in a few months. So don't give up...he may not come out again until it warms up & then he'll want food. I once had a 5'+ bull snake get loose in mid-November: I looked everywhere without success, but in mid-May, I was walking thru my kitchen one night & there she was on the floor! She had been hibernating all that time under the kitchen cupboards where she was well out of sight & out of my reach...she was just fine, hungry & thirsty, and she went on to live (& breed) for many years beyond that. I've never tried a snake trap like what is shown above but it couldn't hurt (just make sure the hole is slightly larger than your snake so she doesn't get stuck!). Snakes are superb at disappearing into holes (including into upholstered furniture and even down drains or toilets!), I really hope you get a second chance.

Would it be bad if my mom uses the dishwasher while he's hiding?

 

[hotlips]

Quick afterthought: corn & other rat snakes love to climb, so if he comes out of the wall (like at night when you're not watching) he might head for furniture, like tall bookshelves. I've played "hide & seek" with a few snakes over the years, but never permanently lost any.
One was a new baby king snake that escaped a store bought cage with sliding screen (there was just a tiny bit of wiggle room...turns out snakes have nothing better to do than find any such weakness)...it helped that she was an albino, it made her easier to see: she ended up in a boot in my closet!
Many years ago when I was new at keeping snakes I had a spare bedroom that was fairly empty & that I made "snake proof" so I could let a snake out to get some exercise. Well I think I ended up getting the most exercise, lol: I gave the highest score to one of my rat snakes...I found her vertically clinging to the inside of a coat hanging in the closet, and the way I spotted her was that the tip of her tail was sticking out through one of the button-holes. (I regret having no picture of that, it was funny)
I've since given up playing "hide & seek" with my snakes, they're way better at it than me!

 

[Zach8498]

Quick afterthought: corn & other rat snakes love to climb, so if he comes out of the wall (like at night when you're not watching) he might head for furniture, like tall bookshelves. I've played "hide & seek" with a few snakes over the years, but never permanently lost any.
One was a new baby king snake that escaped a store bought cage with sliding screen (there was just a tiny bit of wiggle room...turns out snakes have nothing better to do than find any such weakness)...it helped that she was an albino, it made her easier to see: she ended up in a boot in my closet!
Many years ago when I was new at keeping snakes I had a spare bedroom that was fairly empty & that I made "snake proof" so I could let a snake out to get some exercise. Well I think I ended up getting the most exercise, lol: I gave the highest score to one of my rat snakes...I found her vertically clinging to the inside of a coat hanging in the closet, and the way I spotted her was that the tip of her tail was sticking out through one of the button-holes. (I regret having no picture of that, it was funny)
I've since given up playing "hide & seek" with my snakes, they're way better at it than me!

My plan was to stay by the dishwasher 24/7. Is it bad if my mom uses the dishwasher while he is behind or under the dishwasher?

 

[hotlips]

Would it be bad if my mom uses the dishwasher while he's hiding?

I'd have to say yes, probably...at least if he's still right there, nearby. The vibration might scare him further into the walls. And kitchens are very dangerous places for snakes anyway: they can get killed* if they get into appliances, possibly attracted by moisture or warmth. (*by the motor or fan in the refrigerator, etc)
Honestly I was worried sick when my bull snake got loose, I hope you (and your snake!) get lucky too. I really think yours will take a snooze for a while, and it's lucky you have a corn snake, not something "tropical" (like a BP) that would likely get sick from being too cold. Corn snakes need a little extra warmth (80-85*) to digest, of course, but otherwise often prefer 70-72*. On the floor, it's usually chilly in winter time no matter how warm your house is, so it's likely your snake will 'chill out' for a while. Like I said, don't give up if you don't see him for several months. It may take that long for him to get active.

 

[hotlips]

I can appreciate your plan to "stay by the dishwasher for 24/7" but while I'd certainly do that tonight too, at some point you have to sleep & go on with other things. I hope he comes out tonight for you, I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

 

[hotlips]

Is he hungry (due to be fed) right now, by any chance? If so, you might be able to lure him out with the scent of a mouse if you sit quietly...but it could take much longer than you can stay awake, I'm afraid. Good luck!

 

[hotlips]

...
Also put lines of flour or sugar around the dishwasher so you can see if he exists...

I wouldn't use sugar, you might end up with ants everywhere, and when I lived in the desert, I had ants get into a gecko cage once that was high up on a cabinet, mostly for the mealworms (the gecko's dinner) but sadly, they also killed the gecko. Ants eat most anything & I wouldn't put it past ants to get on a snake too.

 

[Zach8498]

I can appreciate your plan to "stay by the dishwasher for 24/7" but while I'd certainly do that tonight too, at some point you have to sleep & go on with other things. I hope he comes out tonight for you, I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

I do an online school, so I could stay by the dishwasher 24/7. Although, I guess I should just hope he comes out.

Is he hungry (due to be fed) right now, by any chance? If so, you might be able to lure him out with the scent of a mouse if you sit quietly...but it could take much longer than you can stay awake, I'm afraid. Good luck!

I fed him three days ago.

I wouldn't use sugar, you might end up with ants everywhere, and when I lived in the desert, I had ants get into a gecko cage once that was high up on a cabinet, mostly for the mealworms (the gecko's dinner) but sadly, they also killed the gecko. Ants eat most anything & I wouldn't put it past ants to get on a snake too.

I realized that ants would take over my house if I left sugar out (it happened before), so I used flour.

 

[Lucille]

There is an easily removable front bottom panel in many dishwashers, go ahead and remove it. Do the 'scatter flour' thing so you can see if he moves in the area. I have tried to find on the internet a picture of the bottom/back of a built in dishwasher without much success, so I am not sure what moving parts would be accessible to a snake. I would think that you should volunteer to wash all dishes by hand during this time if you do not want the dishwasher used. Good luck, hope you find him soon.

 

[Zach8498]

There is an easily removable front bottom panel in many dishwashers, go ahead and remove it. Do the 'scatter flour' thing so you can see if he moves in the area. I have tried to find on the internet a picture of the bottom/back of a built in dishwasher without much success, so I am not sure what moving parts would be accessible to a snake. I would think that you should volunteer to wash all dishes by hand during this time if you do not want the dishwasher used. Good luck, hope you find him soon.

At this point, I'm not sure if he's in the wall behind the dishwasher, or under the dishwasher. My dad moved the dishwasher yesterday, and he wasn't there. But we saw a hole in the wall where the pipes went into the wall. We put the dishwasher back, so he might have gone back under the dishwasher since yesterday. I put a mouse, his hide, his heat mat, and his water dish by the dishwasher, but he still hasn't come out. I can tell because the flour I scattered on the floor hasn't changed. Would turning the temperature up to 73 help him come out of the wall?

 

[hotlips]

...Would turning the temperature up to 73 help him come out of the wall?

Who knows? He's full of food & should be digesting, not looking to snooze right now, but if his heat pad is on [under the DW-?] I don't think your room temperature will matter.

I can remember someone else buying or renting a long flexible & lighted "scope" to look inside walls for their escaped snake. I think that was normally used by plumbers & contractors (maybe electrical too?) to see what's inside walls without tearing out the wall. Just another idea...?

 

[hotlips]

One other thing: if snakes have to choose between the proper temperature (like for digesting) and feeling the most "secure", they'll choose security. So it's possible, even though you're offering his heat pad, he may choose to stay in the wall & end up tossing up his recent meal. Your nose should tell you (within a few days) if this occurs, I hope not...but if something smells dead, it's probably not your snake (at this point).

 

[Zach8498]

One other thing: if snakes have to choose between the proper temperature (like for digesting) and feeling the most "secure", they'll choose security. So it's possible, even though you're offering his heat pad, he may choose to stay in the wall & end up tossing up his recent meal. Your nose should tell you (within a few days) if this occurs, I hope not...but if something smells dead, it's probably not your snake (at this point).

Thanks. I'll try to create a secure environment to lure him out.