Escaped tarantula?

[Sannah]

I have a B.Smith who is 5 months old. I've never had a tarantula before so I'm new to it all. My cousins came to visit today and wanted to see her, so when they left I put her back in her enclosure. I'm pretty sure I closed the lid properly and a few hours later she wasn't in her hide. I used the flash on my phone to make sure I could see in her hide but she wasn't there. I don't know if she is hiding or she escaped. Please help! What do I do if she did escape?

 

[Krystal Anne]

How big is your tarantula? Do you have any photos of her before she went missing?

Also, can you post a photo of the whole enclosure?

 

[SpaceM]

Is it possible that she is burrowed behind something else or deeper in the hide where you can't see her? Brachypelma are terrestrial species so if she escaped she is probably down low somewhere or hiding under something near to the enclosure. I'd start by moving things carefully out of the room piece by piece to track her down. A picture of your set up and the surrounding area would always help.

 

[Sannah]

How big is your tarantula? Do you have any photos of her before she went missing?

Also, can you post a photo of the whole enclosure?

Shes slightly bigger than a bottle lid

 

[Nightstalker47]

Shes slightly bigger than a bottle lid

How large are your vent holes? If the carapace can fit through, so can the rest of the spider.

 

[Sannah]

How large are your vent holes? If the carapace can fit through, so can the rest of the spider.

Her carapace is too big to fit through the vent holes. Would placing a water dish or hide spot lure her out?

 

[Ellenantula]

Well, it's sad if you lost your T -- hopefully it is just hiding. BUT...

You shouldn't take a T out to show it to someone. If they can't see it in the enclosure, then... so be it. Ts don't like being disturbed or handled. Any handling or unnecessary removal from its enclosure just increases the risk to the T.

Now I don't know if your T just wasn't as easily seen in its enclosure, or if your cousins just wanted a closer a look, or if your T was in its hide making it impossible to view... But especially if your T was hiding -- a hiding T should be allowed to hide if it wants. Ts need to feel safe and secure.

Sad thread, hope you find your T.

 

[Nightstalker47]

Her carapace is too big to fit through the vent holes. Would placing a water dish or hide spot lure her out?

A pre killed feeder would be your better option.

So you had closed the lid right? Shes probably just burrowed in there somewhere...slings are very good at hiding.

 

[Sannah]

A pre killed feeder would be your better option.

So you had closed the lid right? Shes probably just burrowed in there somewhere...slings are very good at hiding.

Ok i will try that and hopefully i find her

Well, it's sad if you lost your T -- hopefully it is just hiding. BUT...

You shouldn't take a T out to show it to someone. If they can't see it in the enclosure, then... so be it. Ts don't like being disturbed or handled. Any handling or unnecessary removal from its enclosure just increases the risk to the T.

Now I don't know if your T just wasn't as easily seen in its enclosure, or if your cousins just wanted a closer a look, or if your T was in its hide making it impossible to view... But especially if your T was hiding -- a hiding T should be allowed to hide if it wants. Ts need to feel safe and secure.

Sad thread, hope you find your T.

I dont really handle her so i thought it would be fine to handle her this once but thanks for the advice.

 

[Krystal Anne]

Her carapace is too big to fit through the vent holes. Would placing a water dish or hide spot lure her out?

You should already have a water dish in there regardless, in my opinion. A bottle cap works fine!

Please post photos of the enclosure in case there's anything we can help you out with!

 

[Sannah]

You should already have a water dish in there regardless, in my opinion. A bottle cap works fine!

Please post photos of the enclosure in case there's anything we can help you out with!

I do have a water dish in her enclosure. I meant have a water dish in the room so i can lure her out from where she is hiding and put her back in her enclosure

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

I have a B.Smith who is 5 months old. I've never had a tarantula before so I'm new to it all. My cousins came to visit today and wanted to see her, so when they left I put her back in her enclosure. I'm pretty sure I closed the lid properly and a few hours later she wasn't in her hide. I used the flash on my phone to make sure I could see in her hide but she wasn't there. I don't know if she is hiding or she escaped. Please help! What do I do if she did escape?

if it can’t fit though air vents it can’t escape . Only larger Ts have strength to lift off a lid . Unless lid is on poorly, you see any thrown up dirt? I it burrows don’t dig it out to show a friend. And I wouldn’t handle them they do not become familiar like a reptile or a mammal pet.

 

[Mpmackenna]

I lost a B. hamorii about 25 years ago. It was about that same age. I came home one day and it was just hanging out in the middle of the floor. I scooped it up and put it away. It lived to be 19. Keep your eyes open and watch your step. It might turn up, assuming it isnt in the enclosure somewhere. Good luck!

 

[beccadarling]

Lost my C. Versicolor the other day. Turns out the vnt holes where just ever so slightly big enough for it to squeeze through them. I haven't been able to find it yet, but it's a good idea to always keep your eyes peeled. You never know when they might turn up!

 

[Krystal Anne]

Lost my C. Versicolor the other day. Turns out the vnt holes where just ever so slightly big enough for it to squeeze through them. I haven't been able to find it yet, but it's a good idea to always keep your eyes peeled. You never know when they might turn up!

Exactly! That's why I keep asking OP to post photos of the enclosure so we can possibly rule that out but oh well.

Good luck on finding yours! I've heard of people losing arboreal T's but finding them on the corners of the ceiling/in curtains/above wardrobes/etc.

 

[Sannah]

Exactly! That's why I keep asking OP to post photos of the enclosure so we can possibly rule that out but oh well.

Good luck on finding yours! I've heard of people losing arboreal T's but finding them on the corners of the ceiling/in curtains/above wardrobes/etc.

I lost mine upstairs and because its only little will it be able to get down the stairs when its roaming around? Or does it just stay upstairs?

 

[lostbrane]

If it so wills it, it will go downstairs. This is of course IF it did indeed escape.

*Skip this if you don't care about anecdotes*

slings are very good at hiding.

The other night I thought my H. maculata sling had gotten out (I was also wary because it bolted during the rehouse I had done earlier that night), and I couldn't see it at all. Turns out it had made use of a very slight gap in between the cork bark and the sub, and started burrowing from there. For all intents and purposes it looked like no tarantula was present in the enclosure. I still checked because I wanted to make sure I needed to start a search. Lo and behold, it popped out when I nudged the cork.

*End*

 

[Sannah]

If it so wills it, it will go downstairs. This is of course IF it did indeed escape.

*Skip this if you don't care about anecdotes*



The other night I thought my H. maculata sling had gotten out (I was also wary because it bolted during the rehouse I had done earlier that night), and I couldn't see it at all. Turns out it had made use of a very slight gap in between the cork bark and the sub, and started burrowing from there. For all intents and purposes it looked like no tarantula was present in the enclosure. I still checked because I wanted to make sure I needed to start a search. Lo and behold, it popped out when I nudged the cork.

*End*

Mine does blend in with the hide and the substrate so she might have burrowed further where i cant see her. Thanks for telling me

 

[lostbrane]

And, if at all possible, could you please post a picture of the enclosure, so we can get an idea of if it would be possible for it to have escaped through the air holes?

The reason we have asked is only to help. If we can rule that out then it makes it all the more likely that it burrowed.

 

[Sannah]

Picture of her enclosure. I will post a picture of the lid they have the vent holes