Oops. Escaped adult male G. pulch wandering?

Delight

Arachnopeon
Joined
Dec 15, 2011
Messages
26
I made a terrible error and thought that my adult male Gp had finally bit the dust. It had begun leaning, limp, legs laid sideways until I checked on it and poked him to see if he was all corpsified. He's been an adult male for about a year now.
Last night I assumed it was the end and I opened the waaaay top of his container to let it air out some and forgot and fell asleep. And this morning he was gone. He had to climb up-side down on glass to make it out, and he's about six inches spread.

I've checked the curtains, checked the corners, checked the shelf that the terrarium is on. Checked the shoes etc and everything nearby.

Should I assume he's gone as far as possible because he's in wandering stage?
Anyone with adult males know how likely he would to be hiding? Heading toward fresh air?

I'm up for just about any hints.

Thanks.
 

EulersK

Arachnonomicon
Staff member
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Feb 22, 2013
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3,292
And adult male is the worst thing to have escape. He won't hunker down in a corner like juveniles or females - he'll stay in one place during the daylight, but come twilight and nighttime, he'll roam constantly. He'll then find a new place to rest when daylight comes.

No real hints here, just what to expect.
 

Chris LXXIX

ArachnoGod
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Dec 25, 2014
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5,845
I never had an escape so I can't help you now, but IMO doesn't exists 'tricks or insider secrets' to share of all sorts: it's always a question of luck, pure finest luck.

I've heard of course about the "water dish on the floor", lights off, check, rinse and repeat. And a captain obvious search, search, search everywhere (of course if the spider leaved the room...) But again, a pure luck only issue. There's a lot of things to consider.

For instance, where you live. How your house is, the environment... an escape here of an adult specimen I have will result probably in a Theraphosidae in the garden lol.
 

Ellenantula

Arachnoking
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Sep 14, 2014
Messages
2,009
Search by daylight seems to be the key. Or invite an arachnophobe to your home -- all spiders are drawn to someone afraid of them.
Hope you get lucky in your search.

On the bright side, there are far worse Ts to have loose in your home....
 

Vanessa

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Borrow someone's cat. They will lead you right to him. I'm not joking. Just make sure you are following very closely behind the cat so they can't kill him when they come upon him.
My Nigel would lead me right to him in under five minutes.
 

Chris LXXIX

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Dec 25, 2014
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Now, forgive me Delight, it's not a directed to you rant nor to others, but a personal consideration I have to state... it's beyond me, I can't remain silent :angelic:

How in the hell are possible all of those escapes stories I keep reading here and in other forums? I started with Theraphosidae in '92, and I was a pest, basically. I always had an helluva of T's (prior the ban of 2003 lots of P.cambridgei slings to trade, "invertsonals", local breeding projects for fun etc) and cats as well, yet never happened nothing, no cat-astrophe of all sorts, while the rule "here" is cats smashing/stomping on the enclosures.

Anyway, my questions are: it's due to the holes, too big, or drilled too big? People forget to close well the lid after a cricket? Which kind of enclosures are used? I can't figure out how that possible. I mean, sure... an escape could happen during a re-house/transfer/out for packing T's etc when a fast as light Theraphosidae (maybe an arboreal one like S.calceatum) is/are involved... but seriously, a spider that 'Papillon' him/herself out of the enclosure means that something was not did the right way.

I was concerned a lot about my S.subspinipes (now those, unlike T's, are really escape masters, people that are into Centipedes will confirm this) still, nothing to worry, I did the things the right way. Was a sensation of mine, given to me by the fact, that, unlike with T's, I'm new to those.

Just a rant of mines in general, uh... as I've said not directed to you Delight.
 

magicmed

Arachnobaron
Joined
Jun 4, 2016
Messages
404
Now, forgive me Delight, it's not a directed to you rant nor to others, but a personal consideration I have to state... it's beyond me, I can't remain silent :angelic:

How in the hell are possible all of those escapes stories I keep reading here and in other forums? I started with Theraphosidae in '92, and I was a pest, basically. I always had an helluva of T's (prior the ban of 2003 lots of P.cambridgei slings to trade, "invertsonals", local breeding projects for fun etc) and cats as well, yet never happened nothing, no cat-astrophe of all sorts, while the rule "here" is cats smashing/stomping on the enclosures.

Anyway, my questions are: it's due to the holes, too big, or drilled too big? People forget to close well the lid after a cricket? Which kind of enclosures are used? I can't figure out how that possible. I mean, sure... an escape could happen during a re-house/transfer/out for packing T's etc when a fast as light Theraphosidae (maybe an arboreal one like S.calceatum) is/are involved... but seriously, a spider that 'Papillon' him/herself out of the enclosure means that something was not did the right way.

I was concerned a lot about my S.subspinipes (now those, unlike T's, are really escape masters, people that are into Centipedes will confirm this) still, nothing to worry, I did the things the right way. Was a sensation of mine, given to me by the fact, that, unlike with T's, I'm new to those.

Just a rant of mines in general, uh... as I've said not directed to you Delight.
I assume it's keeper error more often than not. In my years I've had one pet escape, that was a ball python I had in a giant custom enclosure years ago that one of the wing nut locks failed on. My fault for not checking the lock. Luckily my snake only spent about a week lost when my girlfriend at the time woke me up in the middle of the night to inform me that the snake was under the covers warming up on her stomach (she luckily was ok with this snake lol). So it all worked out and I got a story out of it :)
 

Thistles

Arachnobroad
Old Timer
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Mar 21, 2012
Messages
624
Put an AF's enclosure on the floor near where he was, and check back at night.

Shoulda sent him to me! My girls promise to be gentle.
 

Delight

Arachnopeon
Joined
Dec 15, 2011
Messages
26
HE HAS BEEN FOUND! We dismantled the couch and the book room and found him behind the piano!

And this was 100% keeper error and me being an exhausted idiot. I'm normally rather careful and really didn't think he could climb upside-down on glass to get out, but I was clearly mistaken about his determination to get a female.

I also admit that I was less careful with him because he is harmless and I live in Ohio so there's no chance a released T would survive.

He's been an adult male for close to a year, and so I felt certain he was on his way out. Apparently it was an evil plot to appear feeble so he could strut his stuff on the town. Too bad lady spiders aren't impressed by dog hair and dust bunnies.
 

Attachments

Vanessa

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I never mess with the spiders when I'm tired. I was late home, and pretty tired, a couple of weeks back on feeding night and I just skipped everything. I looked in on everyone, but didn't open up even one enclosure.
Nobody was going to die if I put off feeding and watering them for a day... but it would be my luck that it would be the one time when I wasn't prepared for something to happen and it ended in tragedy.
Putting things off for a few hours, and even a full day, is always the better option.
 

Ellenantula

Arachnoking
Joined
Sep 14, 2014
Messages
2,009
HE HAS BEEN FOUND! We dismantled the couch and the book room and found him behind the piano!

And this was 100% keeper error and me being an exhausted idiot. I'm normally rather careful and really didn't think he could climb upside-down on glass to get out, but I was clearly mistaken about his determination to get a female.

I also admit that I was less careful with him because he is harmless and I live in Ohio so there's no chance a released T would survive.

He's been an adult male for close to a year, and so I felt certain he was on his way out. Apparently it was an evil plot to appear feeble so he could strut his stuff on the town. Too bad lady spiders aren't impressed by dog hair and dust bunnies.
He has earned a female. C'mon! lol
Poor little fella.
 

Ellenantula

Arachnoking
Joined
Sep 14, 2014
Messages
2,009
I never mess with the spiders when I'm tired. I was late home, and pretty tired, a couple of weeks back on feeding night and I just skipped everything. I looked in on everyone, but didn't open up even one enclosure.
Nobody was going to die if I put off feeding and watering them for a day... but it would be my luck that it would be the one time when I wasn't prepared for something to happen and it ended in tragedy.
Putting things off for a few hours, and even a full day, is always the better option.
Prolly true. But if I waited until I wasn't tired - nothing would ever get done at my place. :(
 

Ellenantula

Arachnoking
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Sep 14, 2014
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2,009
Looking back at pix -- he's not as leggy as I figured he'd be. Could be the angle. Chunky lil thing.
 

EulersK

Arachnonomicon
Staff member
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Feb 22, 2013
Messages
3,292
Operation couch deconstruction (With apologies to Mr. Delight for taking photos)
I'm very happy you found him! Great job, although your husband looks none too happy about any of this. I have to admit, I'm pretty surprised you found him, simply because he is a mature male. Just take this whole thing as a learning experience. No harm, no foul :)
 

Delight

Arachnopeon
Joined
Dec 15, 2011
Messages
26
I'm very happy you found him! Great job, although your husband looks none too happy about any of this. I have to admit, I'm pretty surprised you found him, simply because he is a mature male. Just take this whole thing as a learning experience. No harm, no foul :)
Yeah, it won't ever happen again.

And he wasn't exactly thrilled.... But forgave me instantly because he was the one who had fallen asleep on the living room floor first last night!
 
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