# Help! My OBT Escaped!



## arachnidkid (Jan 1, 2014)

I need some serious advice! I've been keeping for about 3 years and while transferring my inch and a half orange baboon he (we think its a he) decided to bolt! any advice on catching him? we've searched everywhere! he's been gone since last night around 7 pm! i need to find him asap, and do not want any of my roommates or myself to have  run in with him in the middle of the night!


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## Taranto1989 (Jan 1, 2014)

Be vigilante and equip everyone in the house with a catch cup.  Eventually you will see him but in the mean time clean clean clean the fewer spots to hide the better.  Also get into the habit of checking your shoes a bite on your toe in the morning is a guaranteed bad rest of the week.  On the brighter side you cant get much better pest control lol.  When you do see him stay calm and keep your eye on him.


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## arachnidkid (Jan 1, 2014)

any ideas where he may be hiding? ive never had one escape before him. im not used to this hha


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## fyic (Jan 1, 2014)

How big of a area we talking? Take it you didn't do this transfer in say a bathroom (small place)? I would put out a water dish and keep a flash light handy...seems like most people find them close to where the transfer went down and being it's a OBT small chance it could be on the walls or corners......good luck and keep us posted


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## arachnidkid (Jan 1, 2014)

its a pretty small apartment we are 70% sure hes in the kitchen, which was where we did the transfer. weve pulled out appliances and such but to no avail


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## fyic (Jan 1, 2014)

how about under the sink? and does your cabinets have that lil lip on the bottom (kick plate)? might be hiding up under there it's dark and samll.....hmmm keep the lights out and use a flash light and again put out a water dish

any small kids around?


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## arachnidkid (Jan 1, 2014)

nope haha just four college kids. we are pretty lucky. as long as we find him before break is over we are fine, but if we cant find him soon they are probably going to bug bomb our place.


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## fyic (Jan 1, 2014)

who is THEY going to bug bomb? and I'm guess you will be moving any other T's out?


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## arachnidkid (Jan 1, 2014)

its the apartment complex security. i felt obligated to contact them since he is venomous. and oh yes oh yes. worst case scenario we will be moving all 20 of Ts to my colleges reptile room till its safe for them again


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## fyic (Jan 1, 2014)

Sounds like a good old horror movie.........College kids/Apartment complex/OBT Escapes hahahaha

Reactions: Like 1


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## Poec54 (Jan 1, 2014)

brycejacob said:


> nope haha just four college kids. we are pretty lucky. as long as we find him before break is over we are fine, but if we cant find him soon they are probably going to bug bomb our place.


A bug bomb will render the apartment unsafe for T's for a long time.  You may need to sell your collection.


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## arachnidkid (Jan 1, 2014)

welp we are spending ll day today and all night hunting him down! so wish us luck!


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## Tgrip77 (Jan 1, 2014)

collect any mouse/sticky traps immediately


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## arachnidkid (Jan 1, 2014)

would a sticky trap seriously injure or kill him?


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## chrisacres (Jan 1, 2014)

A sticky trap won't kill it directly but trying to get it off the trap after will result in death. Glue + ventral book lungs = spider corpse.


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## LazzeZee (Jan 1, 2014)

I know that some people uses flour when a snake is missing, maybe the same would work for your obt. But then again, he might be sitting and waiting?


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## arachnidkid (Jan 1, 2014)

thats what we are hoping we have the air low in hopes of freezing him out so he moves to the warm dishes of water in each room


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## SgtSparkles (Jan 1, 2014)

We had a bohemi that escaped and was literally gone for a month before we found him alive and kicking also literally under the refrigerator


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## katythrailkille (Jan 1, 2014)

*Re: OBT MIA*

My SO and I recently encountered this dilemma as well.  We were also in the kitchen, and the little guy decided to bolt under the oven.  We removed the bottom pan tray and didn't see him anywhere, but luckily spotted him on the vertical wall in the inch-wide space between it and the wall of the oven (is this clear? lol. difficult explanation).   We spotlighted him, gathered a catch cup, and coaxed him out with a paintbrush.  He was definitely ready to bolt again, so a quick hand is definitely necessary. 

  Call someone? idkkkkk. lol.  Keep looking.  You'll find it.  Best of luck!


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## Beary Strange (Jan 1, 2014)

I think bug bombing your place because an OBT _sling_ got out is a bit extreme, especially since most stories of run away slings start with "found it a month later..." and come on now, it's not a freaking cobra. It's out in your house now, and doesn't want anything to do with you, your roommates or anyone else; it just wants to hide and feel safe.

You may want to try towels all bunched up and scattered around instead of water dishes. OBTs are an _arid_ species, but a shy one. Take advantage of their need to be hidden. Some people actually scrunch up towels about the area they're transferring an OBT (and similar Ts) in for this very reason; the logic being if they bolt out, they're more likely to seek immediate shelter in the towels folds.


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## freedumbdclxvi (Jan 1, 2014)

I think the bug bomb is not the op's choice but the dorm's if he is unable to locate it.  I agree it is overkill, but the college doesn't want a potential lawsuit I imagine.


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## Ultum4Spiderz (Jan 1, 2014)

brycejacob said:


> its the apartment complex security. i felt obligated to contact them since he is venomous. and oh yes oh yes. worst case scenario we will be moving all 20 of Ts to my colleges reptile room till its safe for them again


Why would they bug bomb for a baby spider?? They aren't even dangerous bite is just painfull,.
Maybe you shouldn't have told security as tarantulas are mis-understood.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Poec54 (Jan 1, 2014)

freedumbdclxvi said:


> I think the bug bomb is not the op's choice but the dorm's if he is unable to locate it.  I agree it is overkill, but the college doesn't want a potential lawsuit I imagine.


Then he shouldn't have caused a panic about an 1 1/2" spider.  He compounded the problem.

Reactions: Like 1


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## LordWaffle (Jan 1, 2014)

Compounded or not, the situation is what it is now.  If I were in your shoes, OP, I'd stick to the kitchen since that's where the escape happened.  Try to remember that OBTs are fast when you're looking places.  If you pick up a toaster and cause a racket doing it, your sling can escape the area without you even noticing.  Make slow, deliberate movements to try to avoid startling it and make sure to check crevices, lips of cabinets, under and behind major appliances, etc.  Try shining a light in there before you move it, and have a catch cup handy the entire time.  A light may startle it, but at least you'll have a chance to see it.  If you have access to one, use a red light and darken the kitchen while you look in these places.  Good luck.


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## freedumbdclxvi (Jan 1, 2014)

Poec54 said:


> Then he shouldn't have caused a panic about an 1 1/2" spider.  He compounded the problem.


I would agree but what happens when someone who doesn't understand tarantulas encounters the spider or gets bit?  It's a delicate situation that I don't envy.


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## SuzukiSwift (Jan 1, 2014)

freedumbdclxvi said:


> I would agree but what happens when someone who doesn't understand tarantulas encounters the spider or gets bit?  It's a delicate situation that I don't envy.


Agreed, even though we as T keepers know that an OBT sling has a painful but not dangerous bite (like many animals) most others do not. With the fear of spiders that has been sewn into people, it is easy for them to over-react.

The ideas for catching him that have been given are good, however the odds of him leaving his hiding place even for water are unlikely, OBTs don't need to drink that much, that's why people drop water in their webs instead of providing water bowls lol You'll probably have to keep searching carefully, but I'm sure it will turn up, most seem to


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## viper69 (Jan 1, 2014)

Man, it could be ANYWHERE, and not necessarily on the floor. It could be INSIDE an appliance to be close to the heat its motor puts out. I guess you hadn't seen the bag method for transferring Ts. I would however keep an eye out on the place it last was seen. Animals often come back or remain in the nearby vicinity of the point of escape. It's tiny, it could be against,inside any tiny crack. Good luck


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## just1moreT (Jan 1, 2014)

As of today I never have found a escaped T, and there has been 4 or so ..I keep hoping oneday a full grown P subfusca will show up in the closet  good luck on finding the little guy , keep us informed  happy endings are always nice.


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## Beary Strange (Jan 1, 2014)

viper69 said:


> Man, it could be ANYWHERE, and not necessarily on the floor. It could be INSIDE an appliance to be close to the heat its motor puts out. I guess you hadn't seen the bag method for transferring Ts. I would however keep an eye out on the place it last was seen. Animals often come back or remain in the nearby vicinity of the point of escape. It's tiny, it could be against,inside any tiny crack. Good luck


+1 I would say in all likelihood, it's probably not more than a few feet away from where it got out. 

The kitchen is also a very dangerous place for a sling, because like viper said, it could have gotten into an appliance and if that appliance were to be turned on... well. :/ There's a chance the poor thing isn't even alive anymore.


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## arachnidkid (Jan 1, 2014)

Poec54 said:


> Then he shouldn't have caused a panic about an 1 1/2" spider.  He compounded the problem.


My one roommate is the son of the head of campus security, so we didn't have an option because his mom would have been LIVID had we kept it from her. He too is a T keeper so he didn't want it to come to this either.


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## LordWaffle (Jan 2, 2014)

Just look anywhere and everywhere within a few feet of the escape. If a toaster is nearby, turn it over and shake. That kind of thoroughness is about the best you can do.


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## Poec54 (Jan 2, 2014)

just1moreT said:


> As of today I never have found a escaped T, and there has been 4 or so ..I keep hoping oneday a full grown P subfusca will show up in the closet  good luck on finding the little guy , keep us informed  happy endings are always nice.


Houses are too dry for most T's to last very long, and house spiders will catch most anything running loose.  You're not going to have one emerge months later.


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## brezo (Jan 2, 2014)

Just one remark i want to put in. Do not ever never transfer a fast T in a kitchen. 

Good luck on finding your T!

Reactions: Like 1


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## arachnidkid (Jan 7, 2014)

still havent found him guys


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## LordWaffle (Jan 7, 2014)

That's a bummer. :/


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## ClosetCollector (Jan 8, 2014)

brycejacob said:


> still havent found him guys


Still a no show, are they really going to bomb the place?


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## MrCrackerpants (Jan 18, 2014)

brycejacob: Find your OBT?


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## BigTarantulaGrl (Jan 19, 2014)

A few years ago I had an obt get loose when i was pulling some substrate out of the tank. He was a dot no bigger than my finger nail. After searching the room forever we found him in the wheel of the computer chair. Look everywhere!!!!! Good luck!


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## mattman (Jan 19, 2014)

I lost my avic mettalica 2.5 inch and it took two days to find it I found it in the corner of my ceiling web up the corner


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## MrCrackerpants (Jan 19, 2014)

mattman said:


> I lost my avic mettalica 2.5 inch and it took two days to find it I found it in the corner of my ceiling web up the corner


lol...that's pretty cool. Typical avic... : )


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## Femangel (Jan 20, 2014)

mattman said:


> I lost my avic mettalica 2.5 inch and it took two days to find it I found it in the corner of my ceiling web up the corner


He made it easy for you! Would it be easier at any rate to find an escaped arboreal? Since they tend to go upwards and be more visible to us. As apposed a terrestial would look for a tight space to hide in?


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## LordWaffle (Jan 20, 2014)

Depends on the arboreal and its size. Pokie slings are so good at hiding I doubt you'd ever see them again without a cubic butt ton of luck. "Up" is most certainly relative to the size of the T.


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## Jamie H (Jan 20, 2014)

Yeah, I would say it'd depend on the species and size of the arboreal, how easy it may or may not be to find a lost one. I had an MF P irminia escape overnight due to an unlatched lid. 3 months later I found her hanging out over the door frame of the bedroom closet (the opposite end of the small apartment she was lost in). Irminias tend to be pretty active so I was lucky.  

Sent from my K00L using Tapatalk


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## Tfisher (Feb 10, 2015)

Is it possible to bait a T? I very large pile of dead bugs? Lol

If they haven't found it by now maybe it was bombed...  :: few moments of silence::

Reactions: Like 1


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## 14pokies (Feb 10, 2015)

Tfisher said:


> Is it possible to bait a T? I very large pile of dead bugs? Lol
> 
> If they haven't found it by now maybe it was bombed...  :: few moments of silence::


That might work for some species but I'm pretty sure to bait an obt you need a stone altar a dagger some black mirrors, silver chalice and a virgin tied to stake!

Reactions: Like 6


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## Tfisher (Feb 11, 2015)

14pokies said:


> That might work for some species but I'm pretty sure to bait an obt you need a stone altar a dagger some black mirrors, silver chalice and a virgin tied to stake!


Lmao......

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## Angel Minkov (Feb 11, 2015)

14pokies nailed it! I've had 2 OBT slings escape in my apartment. 1 of them was found by my dad and killed by accident (by him again haha) and I don't remember what happened to the second.

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## Sana (Feb 11, 2015)

I don't think that I could sleep in a house with a loose OBT.  I realize that they aren't going to seek me out intending harm, but still, what if it ended up on the bed while I was asleep and I moved and scared it?  Gives me the willies to think about waking up to an OBT latched onto my leg or something.

Reactions: Like 1


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## cold blood (Feb 11, 2015)

Sana said:


> I don't think that I could sleep in a house with a loose OBT.  I realize that they aren't going to seek me out intending harm



It might

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## tbrandt (Feb 13, 2015)

Sana said:


> I don't think that I could sleep in a house with a loose OBT.  I realize that they aren't going to seek me out intending harm, but still, what if it ended up on the bed while I was asleep and I moved and scared it?  Gives me the willies to think about waking up to an OBT latched onto my leg or something.


Just buy an indoor hot tub, fill it up and prop yourself sleeping in the middle. Should be good.

Reactions: Like 1


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## klawfran3 (Feb 13, 2015)

Sana said:


> I realize that they aren't going to seek me out intending harm


I don't know... Knowing their temperament it might come looking for blood and seeking revenge for keeping their kind in a fish tank. _"Long live the Spider empire!"_

Reactions: Like 1


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## Sana (Feb 14, 2015)

tbrandt said:


> Just buy an indoor hot tub, fill it up and prop yourself sleeping in the middle. Should be good.


That's a very good reason to spring for that hot tub I've always wanted.


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## Oreo (Feb 14, 2015)

Nothing to do but check all crevices. Might also want to block off cluttered areas with a towel to reduce the number of places it can hide. Not sure how it can escape if you saw it bolt. Unless maybe you closed your eyes and ran away? Good luck.


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## tbrandt (Feb 14, 2015)

Oreo said:


> Nothing to do but check all crevices. Might also want to block off cluttered areas with a towel to reduce the number of places it can hide. Not sure how it can escape if you saw it bolt. Unless maybe you closed your eyes and ran away? Good luck.


The escape in question happened over one year ago unfortunately and I don't think we have a definitive update on whether the escapee was ever found.

Reactions: Like 1


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## annanlove19 (Feb 14, 2015)

14pokies said:


> That might work for some species but I'm pretty sure to bait an obt you need a stone altar a dagger some black mirrors, silver chalice and a virgin tied to stake!


What people say about OBTs is maybe my favorite part of the species xD


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## 14pokies (Feb 15, 2015)

tbrandt said:


> The escape in question happened over one year ago unfortunately and I don't think we have a definitive update on whether the escapee was ever found.


I'm guessing the obt did a lot of growing in the past year and found the owner! Its been said that some particularly evil male obts transfigure into ouchy the clown upon their ultimate molt, I'm guessing we won't be hearing from the op anytime soon! Lol! 

PS don't Google ouchy the clown it will change you!!! You have been warned! Lol!


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## Poec54 (Feb 15, 2015)

When small spiders get loose, they usually get caught in the webs of house spiders.  If they manage to avoid that, they'll die of dehydration or starvation.  You're not going to have them survive long term.

Reactions: Like 2


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## BobGrill (Feb 15, 2015)

My GBB escaped when it was a sling, but luckily it didn't go far. I found it crawling up the wall two days later.


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## SeniorSpidieLovr (Aug 28, 2021)

2014 gotit. 
Great reading still.

Reactions: Funny 1


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