OK, need some snake advice:

[Robb]

...Anyone? :D

My wife's corn snake got out last night with a new trick, pushing a pretty darned big lid open. I've been looking earnestly, but in the meantime I read an idea online: put one of her frozen mice in a 2-liter bottle with a slightly enlarged opening, wait for her to climb in and eat it, then she's too big to get out.

This seems brilliant. How often do I need to change the mouse out? Will a frozen mouse go bad in 24, 48 hours?

[InvisibleTouch]

1. Make sure the mouse is thawed first.

Not good for a snake to swallow a frozen prey item. :) It should be fine for a day or so, then will start to get smelly. Keep in mind that corn snakes are rat snakes, and thus are climbers, so look up as well as under things.

Good luck - I've been there!

[livvy]

2. Been there...

My adult corn escaped early last May. It was the same thing. She pushed her top off even though I had it weighted down. I looked everywhere for her, practically tore the house apart, but I could not find her. For days I was up several times in the middle of the night with my flashlight, hoping to catch her on the move. No luck.

After a couple of weeks, I gave up serious looking, but still hoped she would turn up one day. One day late in July, I was heading into the living room, glanced down on the floor, and there she was. She was fat and healthy. I suspected she had gotten into the wall space, and had been hanging out in the attic. I'm pretty sure there are some mice up there, as once in a while I can hear some scritching sounds, and have trapped an occasional mouse. Where she got water from, I couldn't figure out, until today. I was cleaning down in the basement, moved a box, and there on the floor was a perfectly shed skin. Then I figured out where she got the water she needed...the dehumidifier.

I've heard about the bottle/mouse thing, but didn't try it as mine ate live mice (ick). I've also heard the suggestion to lay a thin layer of cornstarch in doorways, etc. If it is disturbed, it gives you an idea of where the snake might be.

Good luck and don't give up hope. Mine was on the loose for 3 months. Since her return, I have not one, not two, but four lid locks on her aquarium. Her days of roaming are over.