Darlingi has colonized a drain.

[Bugmom]

He escaped, and has apparently been living in the bathtub drain in our rarely used spare bathroom for some time.

I've removed the drain stopper, but he's too quick for me to catch when he's mocking me by hanging half out of the drain.

Any suggestions on how to catch him?

 

[Arachnomaniac19]

Feed him? Maybe he'll come out then.

 

[sdsnybny]

Tarantula fishing...use a juicy prey item held by some sewing thread just far enough away to allow you to plug his retreat when he goes for the bait

 

[Bugmom]

So which one of you wants to come tie thread around a cricket? Lol

 

[sdsnybny]

You buying the ticket/gas LOL....or maybe an Area 51 taxi would be quicker.
sorry couldn't resist

 

[Bugmom]

Lol. Well I moved actually. In the Pacific now.

 

[MrsHaas]

Did you leave the t there?



--J.Haas

 

[Bugmom]

He escaped after a feeding after I moved up here. The lid didn't shut like I thought it had. Opportunistic spider made his break.

 

[ShadowBlade]

Thread a needle and then thread the needle through the cricket... Have fun 'fishing'.

-Sean

 

[Lucky Luciano]

I was gonna say "why not make a youtube video of the drain dwelling tarantula" but then again, the internet would probably have a panic attack.

 

[widowkeeper]

take a couple pipe cleaners remove all the fuzzy stuff except on the last inch of both twist them togather bend the ends to a 90 degree on one end and tie a string on the other stuff it down the drain then sit back and wait .when he comes to the top give the string a tug and he will dart out assuming you tap his back end with the fuzzy part

 

[TsunamiSpike]

Or leave a couple of crickets in the bath. She might come out hunting at night.

 

[MrDave]

Definitely get some pics at least. Terrorizing the internet with a youtube video is a great idea, though.

 

[Ellenantula]

I keep checking back hoping you'll catch your T. I was thinking dimmed lights, cricket offered at distance, and cover drain as soon as it emerges. Easier said than done, no doubt.

 

[Bugmom]

I've put feeders in there. It looks to me like he's waiting until they go IN the drain to get them.

Things I never thought I'd say: "I need to feed the drain spider."

 

[Bugmom]

Picture.

 

[Ellenantula]

Things I never thought I'd say: "I need to feed the drain spider."

Now everybody's gonna want a drain spider! lol


Wish there were a way to "flush him up and out" but not down beyond retrieval. I keep thinking if there was a U drain, a little water would make coming on out appeal to the fellow but PLEASE DON'T TRY THE WATER IDEA -- it is VERY flawed.

 

[cold blood]

I would NOT feed or offer it food. That's just gonna keep it comfy in the drain longer. The longer it goes without food, the more it will be out of its hide, which in this case is the drain....the more hungry it gets, the more likely it is to venture away from the drain and get captured.

I'll tell you what I'd do, and its based on the incredible reactions I consistently get. Buy some superworms, and after the t seems hungry, put the whole container of superworms in the tub (closed), away from the drain a bit....a hungry t will be on the superworm container remarkably quick...then plug the drain and collect your t. The sound of supers wiggling around drives t's NUTS, use it to your advantage.

 

[Ellenantula]

I like cold blood's idea. I had also been thinking about perhaps opening an access panel and unconnecting then blocking drain pipe from the other end, and forcing T out into tub. Cold blood's idea sounds a whole lot better!

Ellen <-- specializes in unnecessarily complicating things lol

 

[EulersK]

Why is everyone going all MacGyver on this? lmao Buy a male roach (my experience is with dubias), use tongs to hold on to a wing so the legs kick freely, and dangle it outside the hide. Like sdsnybny said, just plug it when the T comes out. I understand that they're fast little buggers, so it might take a few attempts, but it should work just fine.