I'm moving across the country on Thursday so I have most of my stuff boxed up or at least piled up to be boxed. I figured before I leave I'd do a little trading. I have a friend who wanted one of my LP's (about 4 inches, I'd say maybe a bit more).
I put the tarantula in a plastic tupperware-like snap-lid container. The cheap kind---I think it's for Chinese food or something...I got it with the purchase of a recent tarantula acquisition. Anyway, what I didn't realize was that I had slightly damaged the lid when I opened it last and it didn't seal down very well.
You know where I'm going with this, our meeting got delayed and this afternoon when I went to check on it, the tarantula was nowhere to be found. It pushed the lid open and snuck out some time in the night or this morning.
I pretty much examined every square inch of the room, removing all the boxes and all my stuff and then putting them back. I've been at it all afternoon. I have checked adjacent rooms too. Unfortunately one of those is the kitchen and there are a million places it could hide away in there.
Ordinarily I wouldn't be stressed. It's not exactly a dangerous tarantula or a valuable one. Eventually it will turn up...or would if we were to stay here. After searching the house for several hours my wife has pretty much given up and just said "either we'll find it as we are hauling stuff out or it's gone forever." I guess she has a point...I'm not sure looking any more right now will help. I feel like I've checked everywhere.
The thing is, I'm worried about how this will turn out.
1. We have a bunch of friends coming to help us move out. Should I tell them there's a rogue tarantula loose and to keep their eyes peeled as they grab boxes? I think that would freak them out unnecessarily. But if someone does find it, they would freak and I would be a bad friend for not warning them.
2. What if we move out and somehow the tarantula remains in the apartment, later to be found by the next tenants? I don't want to give tarantula keepers a bad name. The neighbors and landlord know I keep tarantulas but I always assured them they are safely locked away, and they aren't dangerous anyway.
It's horrible timing to have my first escape. I won't be here to find it after Thursday. On the other hand, the fact that we are moving out makes it very likely that we will be able to catch the little stinker soon. Man I wish it was a big old 9 inch LP or something. These juveniles can hide away so well!
I put the tarantula in a plastic tupperware-like snap-lid container. The cheap kind---I think it's for Chinese food or something...I got it with the purchase of a recent tarantula acquisition. Anyway, what I didn't realize was that I had slightly damaged the lid when I opened it last and it didn't seal down very well.
You know where I'm going with this, our meeting got delayed and this afternoon when I went to check on it, the tarantula was nowhere to be found. It pushed the lid open and snuck out some time in the night or this morning.
I pretty much examined every square inch of the room, removing all the boxes and all my stuff and then putting them back. I've been at it all afternoon. I have checked adjacent rooms too. Unfortunately one of those is the kitchen and there are a million places it could hide away in there.
Ordinarily I wouldn't be stressed. It's not exactly a dangerous tarantula or a valuable one. Eventually it will turn up...or would if we were to stay here. After searching the house for several hours my wife has pretty much given up and just said "either we'll find it as we are hauling stuff out or it's gone forever." I guess she has a point...I'm not sure looking any more right now will help. I feel like I've checked everywhere.
The thing is, I'm worried about how this will turn out.
1. We have a bunch of friends coming to help us move out. Should I tell them there's a rogue tarantula loose and to keep their eyes peeled as they grab boxes? I think that would freak them out unnecessarily. But if someone does find it, they would freak and I would be a bad friend for not warning them.
2. What if we move out and somehow the tarantula remains in the apartment, later to be found by the next tenants? I don't want to give tarantula keepers a bad name. The neighbors and landlord know I keep tarantulas but I always assured them they are safely locked away, and they aren't dangerous anyway.
It's horrible timing to have my first escape. I won't be here to find it after Thursday. On the other hand, the fact that we are moving out makes it very likely that we will be able to catch the little stinker soon. Man I wish it was a big old 9 inch LP or something. These juveniles can hide away so well!
