Estein
Arachnoknight
- Joined
- Feb 11, 2016
- Messages
- 153
Or, how I evacuated my tarantulas.
If you live in the US, you probably know that the southeast is being plagued by wildfires. About six hours ago, we got the call to evacuate.
Thankfully, I only have four tarantulas and they're not too big--largest is my 5" G. porteri. I put each of them into an airtight container not much bigger than their legspan and put all of the containers into a 3L Really Useful Box padded with washcloths.
Now, I live and work at an environmental education center, so not only did I have to evacuate myself and my Ts, but I also had to help my coworkers/neighbors evacuate one hundred fourth and fifth graders. The T box spent the next three hours moving among three different vehicles while we got all the kids and their stuff together and I did my darndest to make sure the box was coming with us.
The box ended up in a fifteen passenger van with me and fifty kids' worth of luggage. After 30min of driving (and listening to some soothing radio tunes), the T box and I ended up at a staging area. I hid them in our staging building under a table so the kids wouldn't find them.
A couple hours later, all the kids were on buses headed home. After another hour debriefing the process, the T box and my coworkers and I drove to a hotel. I had not only the T box in the van, but also their enclosures (whew), so at the hotel I transferred them back into their enclosures.
And they're all okay! After six hours moving car to car in less than ideal temperatures (high 50sF) and high winds, the Ts are all alive and active and in one piece.
So the reason I posted this here was a) to share how I successfully evacuated my Ts so hopefully it will help others in the future, and b) because y'all will understand my relief that everything worked out.
Tarantulas and I are all safe at the hotel. I hope everyone else in the southeast is safe. I'm sending y'all good vibes.
Rock on, y'all.
If you live in the US, you probably know that the southeast is being plagued by wildfires. About six hours ago, we got the call to evacuate.
Thankfully, I only have four tarantulas and they're not too big--largest is my 5" G. porteri. I put each of them into an airtight container not much bigger than their legspan and put all of the containers into a 3L Really Useful Box padded with washcloths.
Now, I live and work at an environmental education center, so not only did I have to evacuate myself and my Ts, but I also had to help my coworkers/neighbors evacuate one hundred fourth and fifth graders. The T box spent the next three hours moving among three different vehicles while we got all the kids and their stuff together and I did my darndest to make sure the box was coming with us.
The box ended up in a fifteen passenger van with me and fifty kids' worth of luggage. After 30min of driving (and listening to some soothing radio tunes), the T box and I ended up at a staging area. I hid them in our staging building under a table so the kids wouldn't find them.
A couple hours later, all the kids were on buses headed home. After another hour debriefing the process, the T box and my coworkers and I drove to a hotel. I had not only the T box in the van, but also their enclosures (whew), so at the hotel I transferred them back into their enclosures.
And they're all okay! After six hours moving car to car in less than ideal temperatures (high 50sF) and high winds, the Ts are all alive and active and in one piece.
So the reason I posted this here was a) to share how I successfully evacuated my Ts so hopefully it will help others in the future, and b) because y'all will understand my relief that everything worked out.
Tarantulas and I are all safe at the hotel. I hope everyone else in the southeast is safe. I'm sending y'all good vibes.
Rock on, y'all.
