I messed up...

[Mirandarachnid]

I had heard of a tale where the keeper put a heat pad in a pile of towels/clothes then cranked the AC down low (although I would hope 65ish was the lowest).

I like this idea, especially since you have an idea of where it's hiding. You'd probably have to unplug your fridge so it's not producing heat anymore.

 

[WildSpider]

So I don't know if it's really a good idea or not, but perhaps lay down a few towels (so that there's folds and creases all over, not completely flat) near the fridge and other places you think it might go?

Wow, glad I read this thread. Good work guys on maybe coming up with a new way to find lost Ts.

One more idea, since the T might be wandering looking for food. Could you put some noisy prey in a container and see if the T would come looking for it? Maybe the prey could sit near the towels?

 

[fullmetalcommunist]

Update: So I haven't found her yet, but I've kept the fridge pulled out and kitchen as secure as possible, checking it occasionally at night. Put some towels out, different hides etc. and a cricket keeper with the water bowl. Almost certain she's still in the fridge but I'm a little worried if she got out of the kitchen and into one of my boxes or into something. I'm still in the middle of unpacking so it's chaos and so scared of hurting her!!

Re: size, She's like 2.5" right now. Re: spraying insecticide, I saw a roach so I don't think they did. Re: criticisms, yeah, I know, hence the title. Re: venom, that is comforting, I was kind of thinking that their venom wasn't bad because of the bite reports I saw and the research I did before getting the guy, but when I went to buy him (this was like a year ago) the seller told me a bite would make you feel like you had stomach flu for a few days. But I had had nobody else confirm that and from everything I could see online it didn't look that bad. So I thought it would be safe to assume somewhere in between, but relieved to have this many people validate that it's just mild swelling like the bite reports said.

Anyway, thinking about a crappy scenario, IMO chances is that your spider will die somehow somewhat in a dark crevice rather than enter into one of your neighbours home.

At this point, what is the most likely thing to kill him? Obviously underneath the fridge is nasty, are we talking mites or bacteria or what? How long should I keep my kitchen torn up before I give up and assume he's dead? gosh I really hope I find my puppy

 

[Chris LXXIX]

At this point, what is the most likely thing to kill him? Obviously underneath the fridge is nasty, are we talking mites or bacteria or what? How long should I keep my kitchen torn up before I give up and assume he's dead? gosh I really hope I find my puppy

Technically? Everything, and nothing. Seems absurd, but isn't. For instance, happened to certain keepers, during years, that certain escaped T's were founded again after a week, two weeks, and nothing happened.

The main issue is the every possible form of contamination that a spider can find/enter in contact/even eat (like in the case of normal 'house' roaches etc) such chemical agents on the floors (like cleaning stuff ones) to basically almost everything, including ants (not saying that this could be one of your issues, just thinking about everything).

Those situations are very stressful, because there isn't a 'time' or else to stick with, plus the obviously normal life issues (like going to work/school, hence not having the time to search) that enters. It's a very crappy situation, the keepers nightmare, hands down.

My advice? I would start with a return to "normality", putting order to the kitchen etc besides, you never know.

 

[Teal]

There seems to be no rhyme or reason behind which escapees live and which don't.

I had an escapee smashed by dogs within hours, and another that was on the lam for weeks before I recaptured it in the hallway onr morning (a little dehydrated, but otherwise none the worse for wear).

I, personally, would go back to life as normal at this point and hope the T shows up.

 

[fullmetalcommunist]

OMG! So, it's been almost a month now, my kitchen has been set up to catch a T and I've been checking as much as possible at night with no luck. Today I decided to try and get my kitchen put back together, but something told me before I do so to take the back panel off the fridge and look around. As I opened it and all the dust flew my heart sunk and I figured if I found anything it would just be a corpse. Spent 20 minutes shining a light in the back looking from every angle and didn't see her, moved the fridge some to get another angle and I see a blue leg! I start panicking, I think for sure she's dead. I grab a tongs and poke at the leg and she turns around and strikes at it! I can see now that she looks tiny and emaciated and dehydrated, as small as when I got her as a juvie a year ago. I tried injuring a cricket and putting it in the back of the fridge and she doesn't go for it. I feel like bawling. What do I DO? I can't reach her with all this mess in the way and even if I could she would just bolt further into the fridge if I tried. I put a lunch tray with some substrate and water and tried to build a tunnel with coconut fiber leading to the water so maybe she will feel safe enough to try and get out. I'm so sad

 

[fullmetalcommunist]

WAIT she got one of the lame crickets I threw in but it didn't get her any closer to a spot where I can catch her!

 

[WildSpider]

OMG! So, it's been almost a month now, my kitchen has been set up to catch a T and I've been checking as much as possible at night with no luck. Today I decided to try and get my kitchen put back together, but something told me before I do so to take the back panel off the fridge and look around. As I opened it and all the dust flew my heart sunk and I figured if I found anything it would just be a corpse. Spent 20 minutes shining a light in the back looking from every angle and didn't see her, moved the fridge some to get another angle and I see a blue leg! I start panicking, I think for sure she's dead. I grab a tongs and poke at the leg and she turns around and strikes at it! I can see now that she looks tiny and emaciated and dehydrated, as small as when I got her as a juvie a year ago. I tried injuring a cricket and putting it in the back of the fridge and she doesn't go for it. I feel like bawling. What do I DO? I can't reach her with all this mess in the way and even if I could she would just bolt further into the fridge if I tried. I put a lunch tray with some substrate and water and tried to build a tunnel with coconut fiber leading to the water so maybe she will feel safe enough to try and get out. I'm so sad

That's great you found her!

Can you take a picture of the situation?

 

[lostbrane]

I wonder if this is going to turn out similar to the drain spider.

Glad ya found her though.

 

[fullmetalcommunist]

This is the best I can get

 

[lostbrane]

I mean if you had something long enough there is an angle to try and chase her out but your fears of her going further into the fridge are valid.

 

[WildSpider]

This is the best I can get

I mean if you had something long enough there is an angle to try and chase her out but your fears of her going further into the fridge are valid.

I usually use something like a yardstick to get critters out of these situations (haven't had to do it with a T yet but I'm guessing it'd be similar). How fast is this T? Do you think it would bolt if you tried the yardstick?

 

[fullmetalcommunist]

She's super fast haha. I think it walls off behind her and if I come on the left maybe I can chase her out. Will she run with a cricket still in her mouth? She's doing the eating butt wiggle

 

[WildSpider]

She's super fast haha. I think it walls off behind her and if I come on the left maybe I can chase her out. Will she run with a cricket still in her mouth? She's doing the eating butt wiggle

The eating but wiggle, lol.

I'm guessing she will still run even with food in her mouth. Maybe you could make a barricade around the area (books, tubs, etc) so if she does run, she'll hopefully stop long enough for you to catch her. Catch cup should be at the ready.

 

[fullmetalcommunist]

Confirmed: it walls up in the back so as far as I can tell she can't get any further in than she already is. I'm trying to scare her out now

 

[PidderPeets]

I wonder if this is going to turn out similar to the drain spider.

Glad ya found her though.

That's exactly what I was thinking

OMG! So, it's been almost a month now, my kitchen has been set up to catch a T and I've been checking as much as possible at night with no luck. Today I decided to try and get my kitchen put back together, but something told me before I do so to take the back panel off the fridge and look around. As I opened it and all the dust flew my heart sunk and I figured if I found anything it would just be a corpse. Spent 20 minutes shining a light in the back looking from every angle and didn't see her, moved the fridge some to get another angle and I see a blue leg! I start panicking, I think for sure she's dead. I grab a tongs and poke at the leg and she turns around and strikes at it! I can see now that she looks tiny and emaciated and dehydrated, as small as when I got her as a juvie a year ago. I tried injuring a cricket and putting it in the back of the fridge and she doesn't go for it. I feel like bawling. What do I DO? I can't reach her with all this mess in the way and even if I could she would just bolt further into the fridge if I tried. I put a lunch tray with some substrate and water and tried to build a tunnel with coconut fiber leading to the water so maybe she will feel safe enough to try and get out. I'm so sad

Go the drain spider method: tie a string around a superworm or mealworm and let it make it's way towards the spider. Then go spider fishing

 

[WildSpider]

That's exactly what I was thinking



Go the drain spider method: tie a string around a superworm or mealworm and let it make it's way towards the spider. Then go spider fishing

Lol, what was the drain spider?

 

[fullmetalcommunist]

Argh I keep running him around but he won't even try to come out in the open. I'm gonna try the cricket on a string method once he's had an hour to digest this one and calm down a little. I put coco husk tunnel over the route he would use to get into the open and some water on the outside, turned the lights back off.

 

[fullmetalcommunist]

I don't have mealworms will a cricket work?

 

[WildSpider]

Argh I keep running him around but he won't even try to come out in the open. I'm gonna try the cricket on a string method once he's had an hour to digest this one and calm down a little. I put coco husk tunnel over the route he would use to get into the open and some water on the outside, turned the lights back off.

Good luck!