Help, i have my first escapee.....

[MelvB]

Hi everyone, please help me find Stan.....I am always so careful and making sure I close Stan's enclosure every single time. Well last night I was reorganising soil and logs and apparently I had closed the doors but one door must not have been closed properly and never caught on the lock.
Obviously I came downstairs this morning and the door was ajar by less than an inch- normally I feed the goldfish then check on Stan to make sure he's OK, only this morning he was nowhere to be found. I've searched with a UV light, a lot today and through the night too (currently sat in UV torch light at 1.40am).
His enclosure has a heat mat and recently been fed. He's less than a year and never molted his skin with me yet- may have with previous owner. When he squashes in tight he's between 2-3inches but when he's wandering around he's a good 4inches.
Is it better to find him through the day or night time because I've tried both?
He's Asain forest scorpion and my very first escapee (not including the crickets).
Thanks for as much help as possible- I have 2 children so do need to find Stan.

 

[darkness975]

We will discuss the improper enclosure later.

For an escape, a UV flashlight is your best friend. Search at night and if it is near a more humid place like a bathroom with a shower pay special attention to that.

 

[Brewser]

Search Cracks & Crevices

Tight Spaces to Squeeze a body into.

 

[TheraMygale]

Watch floor to wall connections.

was enclosure above clothes drawers?

look first where it could fall.

then, where you would think last.

 

[Motherofspiders112707]

Do you keep him on a shelf? If so, he might be under it. I’d also look under any dark, narrow spaces like couches.

 

[MelvB]

Well for starters the encloser is on an office desk, downstairs in the open plan dining room.
The bathroom is upstairs.
The clothes drawers are also upstairs.
The desk is tucked away in the corner.

 

[TheraMygale]

Good luck. Don‘t stop looking. Bathrooms and kitchens are always good places to look.

 

[MelvB]

We will discuss the improper enclosure later.

For an escape, a UV flashlight is your best friend. Search at night and if it is near a more humid place like a bathroom with a shower pay special attention to that.

Sorry what's wrong with it? On these photos you see 5% of the enclosure.

 

[Charliemum]

You can try placing a very shallow dish of water with corkbark over it place in several places around the room next to the desk walls ect and check them throughout the night he will be hiding throughout the day. Hopefully Stan will go looking for water and enjoy the humidity under the corkbark n stay till you find him. N as suggested above blacklight torch in the dark will help you see him better then anything.
I suggest you get a top opening enclosure for him so this doesn't happen again, lost count of the amount of times I have seen ppl say the lock didn't catch on my viv now my invert is in my room. Without major modifications they aren't safe for any invert.
I wish you n Stan luck hopefully he will turn up soon no worse off for his holiday .

 

[MelvB]

Here is a rough guide of where his enclosure is located

Yes I was using the top enclosure to reorganise the soil and logs.

If he's reached the kitchen he could be anywhere because he can get under the units

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

If he's reached the kitchen he could be anywhere because he can get under the units

ouch …
Keep looking.

 

[Charliemum]

Traps (cork n water or damp sub) under the chair next to where he lived around the base board particularly near corners or cracks in the wood and near and furniture in that room. Them n a black light is your best shot. Unless you want to dismantle every bit of furniture in your room, if you do that do one at a time put any bits in big tubs so if he is in cracks n you missed him he won't escape if he runs. My ex lost a t once n this was what he did, he got him bk too, little guy was in a fake plant. The chair n stairs would be my first ports of call both dark n full of little nooks to hide in.

 

[MelvB]

So I've put a shallow tray mixed with warm water and subsoil- has bark chippings in too. I've put one of the bark logs over the top so the steam from the water gets caught so it's extra humid in there. Placed this directly under the desk below his enclosure.
I'm having another hunt throughout the day while I move things around.
Any other ideas please do share.

 

[The Snark]

Reading this thread title 'not the first and won't be the last' instantly came to mind. It didn't escape. It's giving you a wonderful learning experience. You always wanted to crawl around on your hands and knees a few dozen times, right. Think of it as a second childhood.
And of course the major rule, don't move anything in the room If you must move something, it's gently, carefully lifting straight up.

(I've been playing hide and go seek with a chunky momma Venatoria for a week now. Not only light speed, she can turn invisible. Turn my back for a moment and poof. Gone.

 

[MelvB]

Eurgh.....if Stan was a spid there's zero chance I'd put this much effort in looking for him. I am not good with spiders and I would have handed the keys back to my landlord and told him it's his house again. Left all my belongings in with the spid and instantly made myself homeless
You know what it is- the universe always listens because I was just telling my youngest that very morning that it's a bad job that the scorpion is better behaved than the critters that's bought for his food.....yep and then the universe listened and now I'm burning more calories on a hide and seek hunt than a workout

 

[The Snark]

I am not good with spiders and I would have

Scorps is spiders. Just got twin heavy duty front bumpers and a really nifty trailer hitch thingy like something the military would cook up.

 

[MelvB]

Ah ha ha ha that is a funny way to look at it!! Next time I'm in full panic, sweating, fear and mumbling nonsense trying to catch and release a spider I will certainly try and remember that

 

[The Snark]

She came out. Midnight bathroom patrol. So CUTE!

 

[MelvB]

Oh mate, get her in that towel. Now is very much your chance!!

 

[MelvB]

I actually can't decide whether to make my house hot so Stan comes out for water or make it cold so he comes out for heat