# Help! Snake in car air vent



## dtknow (Feb 27, 2010)

Due to a stupid moment of inattention on my part a small Honduran milksnake gamely squeezed itself into the airvents in a Honda Acura. Anyone ever run into this before??? :wall: I really want to get him out safe and sound. I have a little cream cheese container with a hole just big enough for him and a FT fuzzy mouse inside on the dashboard hoping to bait him out.

Anyone know anything about cars know where he might be at this point? i know their is a heater core+the fan so it seems the snake will be restricted merely to the passageways leading to the vents inside the car?


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## 8by8 (Feb 27, 2010)

*WOW*. You could search for diagram on how to take the dash apart. You may be able to detach the hose he went into on the other side of the firewall, see if you can find him there. Sure is a very small snake to get lost in such big world.


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## dtknow (Feb 27, 2010)

Not very mechanically inclined and it is actually my roomies car. we use it frequently.

I sure hope he's ok and wasn't injured when I got the rear half of his body. I was going to see if I could wear him out but he slid inexorably through my hands(also pooped on me...never done that before)so I let him go and down he went.

After looking on google is seems this happens fair frequently actually!


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## Malhavoc's (Feb 27, 2010)

The result of man and beast, shall never cease to amaze me, I am almost left speechless at this concept, but then, I lost a snake to the upholstering of a chair during a handling lesson and not paying attention to the person I had given him to.

((snake survived, chair did not))


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## imd12nv (Feb 27, 2010)

I lost my ball phyton in my car when it crawled out of its gunny sack. I found it a month later in my trunk alive and well. I found it lying on the heat that the muffler makes on the floor of the trunk.


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## ShawnH (Feb 27, 2010)

A friend of mine had the same thing as this happen with a Dumeril's boa.  We basicallly took the whole dash out of the truck to find the snake, it took about 3 hours.


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## dtknow (Feb 27, 2010)

Either a tiny Dum, or mbig airvents! I came across a story or two of much larger snakes getting into dashboards but the mode of entry must be different than used in this case.

I'm really hoping someone with car anatomy knowledge could confirm that the snake is indeed trapped in the airvent and the only way out is into the passenger area of the car(from where he could slip into any other hole, I suppose).

The baiting failed, no surprise I have yet to find a escapee story where it worked in truth. I think I'll put out a bag with some moist coco fiber in it.


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## jayefbe (Feb 27, 2010)

If you really want to get that snake out you're going to have to take apart the whole dashboard and vent system.  The snake is going to travel to where there is the most heat, and that's only going to spur it further into the crevices of the car.  No amount of baiting is going to lure it away.


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## dtknow (Feb 27, 2010)

Considering the snake is confined within the ventilation system unless that entire thing was removed(probably need professional help here) couldn't see that working. Plus, even with it removed, you'd have to figure out a way to flush him out or something.


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## BrettG (Feb 27, 2010)

Tech at Honda....What kind of Honda/Acura product is it?I bet its in the heater core already.


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## Smitty78 (Feb 27, 2010)

BrerttG said:


> Tech at Honda....What kind of Honda/Acura product is it?I bet its in the heater core already.


Wouldn't you think it is trapped prior to the cabin air filter?


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## dtknow (Feb 27, 2010)

Honda Acura 2004 3.2 TL.

Thought of putting down some glue traps...maybe one on the dashboard and maybe under the seats/in trunk? Heard a few success stories with those. O course unless the snake actually comes back out into the passenger compartment all is for not.


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## sharpfang (Feb 27, 2010)

imd12nv said:


> I lost my ball phyton in my car when it crawled out of its gunny sack. I found it a month later in my trunk alive and well. I found it lying on the heat that the muffler makes on the floor of the trunk.


I lost a Platinum Ball Python, the Day of Purchase {$1500} in a Vehicle, similarly......


Malhavoc's said:


> The result of man and beast, shall never cease to amaze me, I am almost left speechless at this concept, but then, I lost a snake to the upholstering of a chair during a handling lesson and not paying attention to the person I had given him to.
> ((snake survived, chair did not))


I lost one {well, friend did - Milksnake} in a sofa - My sofa survived, though
Damaged.


ShawnH said:


> A friend of mine had the same thing as this happen with a Dumeril's boa.  We basicallly took the whole dash out of the truck to find the snake, it took about 3 hours.


Same Timeframe that it took Me and two friends, to find BP inside Upolstery of
Nissan Altima. I am a little more careful and Attentive w/ pets in cars now. 

I KNOW the Feeling man, and wish you the Best of luck, Don't lose too much sleep Over it though. Basically, outta-your-control now...Labor and Stress Alone....Is costly on you......Although I'd like 2 hear that snake shows up under seat, Or something   -  Jason


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## snakemaster1 (Feb 27, 2010)

You could try taking a hair dryer and adding heat into the vent to make it too warm for him then he will exit on his own maybe . Hair dryer on low.


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## dtknow (Feb 27, 2010)

snakemaster: We did turn on the heat briefly almost immediately after he went in. Nothing. I think it would have a bad affect of dehydrating him if for whatever reason he did not want to come out so we turned it off. Better for him to survive longer and give us more chances of finding him. Also if you used a hairdryer it would likely cause him to go farther back into the car.

sharpfang: Thanks for that! I really do hope this has a happy ending. The only sign of him since he escaped is the smear of urates he left as he went in so that I know it indeed did happen. :/


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## arachi american (Feb 27, 2010)

*good luck...*

the snake will come out when it's good and ready, just be thankful it isnt something spicy.  i got tagged by a sidewinder a couple months ago and i didnt perfectly secure the bucket i put the little she-demon in.  she got loose in the trunk on my way to the ER and i didnt find for over a week.  turned up on the ROOF on the car, in the garage.  only thing that maybe got her on the move was having the underside of the car powerwashed.  how she got from the trunk to the roof tho...


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## dtknow (Feb 28, 2010)

Hope so.

Is their a possibility he is actually trapped?(as in, fell in, and can not get out?) I would doubt it but if the air vent passageways are very steep, wide, and smooth...it seems a possibility.


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## billopelma (Feb 28, 2010)

As already mentioned the car probably has a filter between the inside/outside, check the owners manual to see if it's 'owner servicable' for replacement. The likely place to find it is under the hood close to the windshield. Might be a possible access point into the system. You could also switch the vent system to 'recirculate' which further closes off the outside access but could be a bit late for that. 
Try putting a heatpack in with the bag of coco fiber and then turn on the a/c, though maybe turning on the fan isn't such a good idea...

If it dies in there, you'll be smelling it for a long time.

Bill


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## 8by8 (Feb 28, 2010)

Go to auto-zone and buy a Hanes book on your model car. They cost about $20 dollors, but tell you how to break down and re build everything in your car. And once you find your snake the book is still extremly valuable.


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## BrettG (Mar 1, 2010)

Smitty78 said:


> Wouldn't you think it is trapped prior to the cabin air filter?


Not all Hondas have those filters. they MOSTLY started in the 04 model year.


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## BrettG (Mar 1, 2010)

Google HELMS manual for your car. HELMS,not the Chilton crap.It is the bible for any H/A products. You can normally download them in PDF from their site. Other than that,I would start at the cabin air filter,which is normally in back of the glovebox. Next would be removal of the whole dashboard.Since I only work on Honda products at our dealership,I am not quite sure about how to remove that.If its anything like an Accord,its bolted in with 10mm bolts,and phillips head screws.But seriously,look up the HELMS .It will save you a LOT of time...If you cannot find it,.go to the Acura dealer and have the parts guy print out the dashboard diagram.Just sucks that enough though they are made by honda,the aacuras are assembled differently from anyhthing with a Honda label....They should have no issue doing that for you at the parts/service counter. just tell them why you need it!


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## sharpfang (Mar 2, 2010)

*Please do LMknow - dtknow, what happens...*

I have been tellin' people/friends bout'........I truley hope U get her back! - J


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## Rabid538 (Mar 13, 2010)

This happened to me before.....only with a monitor lizard. :wall:
It happened the day of purchase and the monitor sadly didn't survive. 
I really wish you the best of luck in getting your snake out safe and sound. These things happen and it really sucks.


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## Kirsten (Mar 17, 2010)

I lost a ribbon snake the day I purchased it in the van we had at the time.  BIG van and small snake. Found it 6 weeks later after a very cold snowy winter, barely moving and sickly. We thought we would never see it again after extensive searching so had bought another one.  After finding it, we rushed to pet store to get another snake setup,etc. and gave it to our youngest son.  Of course, after about a year (and the snake staying a bit small due to it's ordeal) our son's friend let the snake out and replaced the lid without telling anyone.  Gone for good this time.


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## pouchedrat (Mar 19, 2010)

Oy I actually had a FERRET do this to me, except he went underneath the car wheel and into the dashboard.  That was an ordeal, let me tell you!! Wasn't a tiny baby ferret either, but a HUGE male!!!


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## Tim Benzedrine (Mar 19, 2010)

Ferrets can squeeze in anywhere. I think they have the ability to fold space and time! I swear, if I were looking for one and saw a thimble on the floor, I'd check inside it!


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## SixShot666 (Mar 19, 2010)

Tim Benzedrine said:


> Ferrets can squeeze in anywhere. I think they have the ability to fold space and time! I swear, if I were looking for one and saw a thimble on the floor, I'd check inside it!


LOL!!! Crazy....


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## Bazzgazm (Mar 19, 2010)

i lost a tokay gecko in the car foolishly showing it off to friends, and i put a little bowl with water in it under the bottom of the dash... and i could see him but not get him.. then he'd keep going further and further in when i tried.. so i let him sit in there for  about 4 days when i caught him out when driving.. he was in the water bowl drinking away... i grabbed him quick and put him in a little tank.. he was malnourished when i got him, and him and his tankmate (both wild caught specimens) died within a few weeks even after parasite cleaning and food/water.

but make a little tub with a hole and put a mouse it in.. see if you can lure him into that... do that overnight for a few nights.


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## bitzy1 (Mar 23, 2010)

dtknow said:


> Due to a stupid moment of inattention on my part a small Honduran milksnake gamely squeezed itself into the airvents in a Honda Acura. Anyone ever run into this before??? :wall: I really want to get him out safe and sound. I have a little cream cheese container with a hole just big enough for him and a FT fuzzy mouse inside on the dashboard hoping to bait him out.
> 
> Anyone know anything about cars know where he might be at this point? i know their is a heater core+the fan so it seems the snake will be restricted merely to the passageways leading to the vents inside the car?


i have a way safer way. take a few drops of rubbing alcholhol/gasoline (dont get in on ur plastic) and place it in ur vent, the smell will drive him out.


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## dtknow (Mar 25, 2010)

Sounds like a good way to kill the snake actually, and dribbling gasoline into the vents is anything but safe. I'll pass on that one.


Bazzgazm: I'm trying something similar tonight actually...but from the many stories I've had their has been very limited success with luring escaped snakes with prey items.


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## bitzy1 (Mar 25, 2010)

dtknow said:


> Sounds like a good way to kill the snake actually, and dribbling gasoline into the vents is anything but safe. I'll pass on that one.
> 
> 
> Bazzgazm: I'm trying something similar tonight actually...but from the many stories I've had their has been very limited success with luring escaped snakes with prey items.


sorry i was just hopeing my advice would be somewhat usefull or put a new idea in your head. my father is a mechanic and he gave me the advise.


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