Generally, snakes are considered by many hobbyists as master escape artists. Corn snakes are known to be curious creatures and usually want to explore their surroundings. Losing a baby corn snake can be quite a crazy experience, and you may be wondering how you can find a lost baby corn snake.
You can take several steps to find a lost baby corn snake. You can search the area where you have seen your corn snake last for signs of its presence. Another thing is that you should ensure you don’t scare the corn snake with sudden movements or loud noises when searching for it.
Finding a lost baby corn snake can be hard for beginner hobbyists. We have helped prepare this article to give you insights into the reasons your snake disappears and “How To Find a Lost Baby Corn Snake”
Contents
Why Do Baby Corn Snakes Suddenly Disappear?
Generally, corn snakes are very curious creatures, and they usually want to explore their new surroundings. This way, they can be sure they are not in any danger. It is also possible for baby corn snakes to disappear suddenly if you keep them in an enclosure that is not ideal for them.
For instance, your corn snake may try to escape from its enclosure for a warmer spot in the house if you keep them in an enclosure that is too cold.
How to Find A Lost Baby Corn Snake
Generally, it is quite easier to find a lost corn snake if lost indoors, unlike when lost outdoors. However, you should avoid freaking out when you notice that you have lost your pet, so you don’t scare them. It is important that you are gentle and avoid making loud noises when you are searching for them.
Some steps you can follow when looking for your lost baby corn snakes are stated below.
Search Near the Snake’s Enclosure
There is a good chance that your snake has not gone very far when you first notice that your corn snake is missing. It is possible that your corn snake is climbing or just hiding somewhere. Therefore, you should check the room with your snake’s enclosure as thoroughly as possible.
Baby corn snakes are quite small, and you must look very closely. You can check the substrate, hide box, accessories, under the couch, inside of the frame, and other things found in the room. Following this step is a 50/50 chance of finding your lost snake.
Note: you will need to close the doors when you start to search the room where their enclosure is located to help ensure they don’t get out.
Secure Your Pets
The next thing to do is remove free-roaming pets like cats, dogs, etc., from the room. This is because they pose a threat and can harm your baby corn snakes, especially the cat. Another thing is that you will need to keep these pets from roaming around the house when you are not home or at night when the snake becomes more active.
Lock Down the Rooms You Checked and Expand Your Search Area
You may then need to check other places in your house if you are 100% sure that the snake is not in the room. However, you need to ensure that you lock down the room that you have checked and put some towels or blankets under the door to help prevent the snake from going back in.
You can then head to the adjacent rooms to search for your snake. When searching, check your furniture inside out, the vents, any hollow space in your house, and so on. You should be able to find your snake if it is still inside the house by using this method.
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Observe Your Dogs and Cats’ Behavior
Another great way to find your lost baby corn snake is to use other pets like cats and dogs to find it for you. All you have to do if you want to use this method is to ensure your home is as quiet as possible and wait for your pet to become alerted to something.
This method works because dogs and cats have a sense of smell and can easily spot animals in their surroundings. You will then notice when your dog or cat finds the snake as they will display alarming behavior, and you can notice your dog barking.
Set a Tracking Trap
This is a great tip to follow if you have not found your baby corn snake after searching everywhere on the first day. Instead of losing your hopes that you will not find your snake again, you can try to set a tracking trap. Some of the common ideas you can use are stated below:
Flour Trap
You can use this trap if you are ready to clean up the mess made in the morning. All you have to do is pour flour into your house’s room and surrounding rooms. You will then notice your snake tracks as it moves around.
You can then follow the track to get to your lost corn snake’s location.
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Penny Trap
This is another great tracking trap you can use to find your lost baby corn snake. All you have to do is to exchange like $10 into 1000 pennies from your bank. After exchanging the penny, you can then line the pennies at the entrance of each room, closet, or top of furniture found in your house.
You can determine the direction in which your lost corn snakes move as they will dislodge the pennies. You will also be alerted of your snake’s location if your snake is on furniture, as the pennies will fall.
Tape Trap
Another method you can use is the tape trap. All you will need is a clear tape, and you will then put two-foot-long strips of tape with the sticky side up in places where you think your snake might go. This way, the tape can stick to your snake’s body and can lead you to its hiding spots.
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Aluminum Foil or Newspaper Trap
You can also use aluminum foil or newspaper to detect your lost snake’s location. You will just need to place the aluminum foil or crumbled newspaper around the room in between doorways, wardrobes, shelves, and possible hiding areas.
You will be able to hear your snake’s movements when they pass by or crawl over it.
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Plastic bag trap
Generally, snakes love moving along furniture and walls. You can then line the possible areas where your snake can move with plastic grocery sacks. When it is about 9-10 at night, turn off all the lights, sound system, and anything that makes sound and sit down while you wait for noise.
This process can take from 30-60 minutes as the snakes will try to wait until the coast is clear before they start moving. Once you hear any noise, you can then use your flashlight to trace the noise.
Note: you should avoid running when you hear the noise as this can scare your snake to go back into hiding.
Lure It Out of Hiding
This is a great method to use if your baby corn snakes have gone lost for a couple of days or longer. Some ways you can lure your snake out of hiding are stated below.
Lower the Temperature in Your Home and Place Heat Sources
Generally, a lost snake usually searches for a warm area in the house where it can hide. Therefore, you can lure your snake out of hiding by lowering the temperature in your home to around 68F. You will then create a snake-sized space in your house that is warmer inside in a place where you have seen your snake the last time.
You can then check in the morning whether your snake is there, as they will likely choose it as its next hiding place.
Use Food To Entice It
Another way to lure your snake out of hiding is with food. Since corn snakes are known to hunt for food at night, place a warm, freshly thawed rodent in a wire cage in the evening. You must ensure the cage has enough openings for your snake to slither in, but it can get stuck inside it after ingesting the food.
Apart from using freshly thawed rodents, you can also use fresh, unwashed chicken eggs for this method.
Patiently Search at Night
As stated before, corn snakes are nocturnal and active at night. Therefore, the best time to find a lost baby corn snake is at night. When you lose your corn snake, it is best to check your house regularly at night using a torch until you find them.
Corn snakes like moving close to the room’s edges; you should look around that area. You should also check warm, dark places in your house, like under the furniture, when searching for them.
Talk to Your Neighbors
There is a chance that your baby corn snake may have escaped into your backyard if you have lost it for a long time. Therefore, it may be best to inform your neighbors that your corn snake is missing. This way, they can easily inform you if they see the snake on their property.
You can even show your neighbors a picture of your snake with your contact information and tell them they have nothing to worry about.
Pro tip:
You should avoid freaking out once you realize that your snake is missing. Try to look for your snake daily and be on the lookout for a snake shed. There is a big chance that you will find your snake’s skin even if they have been missing for days or weeks.
Do Corn Snakes Know How to Return Home/Enclosure?
Yes and no. Some corn snakes can return to their enclosure after exploring the area if their enclosure is the warmest spot in the house. Therefore, you should try to keep your snake’s enclosure open whenever they get lost.
When Should I Give Up Looking
Generally, snakes can live for several months without food, so your baby corn snakes can survive for about 4-5 weeks outside. Therefore, it is best not to give up if you do not find your lost baby corn snakes in the first few days.
You should try to search for them daily.
How to Prevent a Baby Corn Snake from Escaping
Like a common saying, prevention is better than cure. Therefore, the best way you can find a lost baby corn snake is to prevent it from escaping in the first place. Here are some tips that you can follow to help prevent a baby corn snake from escaping.
- You should invest and install a lock if your enclosure does not have a built-in lock.
- You can buy good clamps or bolts based on your lid type to help keep your snake’s enclosure firmly shut if you use a top-opening enclosure.
- Create a suitable feeding schedule for your snake to prevent them from going out to hunt for food when hungry.
- Ensure your snake’s enclosure is at an ideal temperature, as your snake is likely to escape if the enclosure is colder than the room temperature.
- Ensure that the racks do not have gaps between the shelf and the top of the tubs. Furthermore, you should place the tubs in a way that a snake can’t push out and create an opening.
- Always supervise your snake closely if you are allowing it to roam freely. However, if you cannot do this, try to create a snake-proof room for your snake to roam.
- Try to fix any holes in the wall or floor around your home. This is because it can be hard to retrieve your snake if they hide inside the wall or floor.
FAQs
How do you lure a corn snake out of hiding?
You can lure a corn snake out of hiding using food. All you have to do is place warm, freshly thawed rodents or fresh, unwashed chicken eggs in a wire cage and wait for the snake to come out and eat.
Another way to lure your corn snake out is to lower the temperature in your home and then put a heat source in the middle of the room.
How long can a corn snake live when lost in a house?
Generally, snakes can live for several months without food. Therefore, a corn snake can live for about 4-5 weeks without food and even survive for about two months when lost in a house.
Where would a baby snake hide in your house?
Baby corn snakes can hide anywhere in your house if it is dark and warm. Your baby corn snake can hide under, inside, or on top of the following places:
– Drawers
– Garbage disposal
– Cupboards
– Radiators
– Washing machines and any connecting vents
– Toilet tanks
– Hollow areas like plant pots, shoes, gloves, bins, bags, etc.
– Clothing piles
– Floorboards, etc.
Key Takeaways
Like most pet snakes, corn snakes can escape from their enclosure if given the opportunity. Corn snakes are very sneaky, and you can easily lose them even as an experienced hobbyist. Finding your lost snakes requires a lot of patience, and the good thing is there are several tips you can follow to search for your lost snakes.
You should avoid getting frustrated if you try a method that does not work immediately.