Poll: Have you ever had a tarantula escape in your house/apartment?

[FrDoc]

I am happy to see that the "no" vote has the caveat, "So far, so good". Nerve say never, and never gloat over someone who has had the experience. I served in the Marine Corps, and law enforcement for 32 years (all operational, not administrative duties). It was my experience, unfortunately more times than I can count, that the more experienced one is in a task (be it firearms, T's, whatever), familiarity can breed complacency. I have been witness to MANY veteran tactical officers shooting their vehicle trunks, ceilings, lockers, etc.. ALWAYS be cautious! Everybody thinks it happens to others.

 

[FrDoc]

I had one actual escape about 7 or 8 years ago. AF G. porteri with a makeshift temporary lid. I found her across the house crawling through clothes in the laundry room. Otherwise, closest I've had since then was an MM balfouri went on a tour of my T room a couple of weeks ago. I knew where he was, but came close to losing him a few times as he bolted around the walls and stridulated at me. hahahahhaha
I do think, however, if I get more successful sacs going, especially with OW arboreals or baboons, I'll probably end up with a handful of loose slings. Seems to happen to a lot of people when trying to gather them.

She detected your scent on the clothes, and she was trying to find you. HA!

 

[Moakmeister]

Regina once got out of her enclosure, and onto the table right next to it, but is that really an escape? Especially since it was me who caused it to happen. I touched her with a tissue, and she whirled around to grab it and I jumped and pulled up on the tissue and she got out of the enclosure.

 

[Nightshady]

I am happy to see that the "no" vote has the caveat, "So far, so good". Nerve say never, and never gloat over someone who has had the experience. I served in the Marine Corps, and law enforcement for 32 years (all operational, not administrative duties). It was my experience, unfortunately more times than I can count, that the more experienced one is in a task (be it firearms, T's, whatever), familiarity can breed complacency. I have been witness to MANY veteran tactical officers shooting their vehicle trunks, ceilings, lockers, etc.. ALWAYS be cautious! Everybody thinks it happens to others.

There are two types of gun owners... those who have had an accidental discharge, and those who WILL have an accidental discharge.

An instructor told me that once and it is so true. About 12 years ago I accidentally discharged a 7.62 through the ceiling and roof of my house.

 

[Arachnophoric]

Had a scare a couple days back, but to my immense relief (and embarrassment) the N. incei "escapee" had in fact never escaped... She's just a ninja who's mastered the art of camouflage.

 

[beaker41]

I've had a few scary escapes, most involving mature males. They can be pretty determined and surprisingly strong. One of my t. stirmi males walked right out of the t room, down the hall past a box fan and climbed right onto the chair sitting next to me ! Once I caught my 4" b. smithi in the dead center of my ceiling one morning. Out of the hundreds of slings from my vagans hatch last year I found one 3 months later in my bin for used coco fiber, looking quite fat. It's a good idea to have a look at where you are keeping your t's and imagine what it would be like to devote the next X hours of your time to carefully removing every object from the room. In the case of an OW the added bonus of a possible surprise every time you pick up anything. Yikes the joys of keeping !

 

[Dennis Nedry]

In the case of an OW the added bonus of a possible surprise every time you pick up anything. Yikes the joys of keeping !

I don't want to imagine the horror of an escaped H. mac or OBT flying out of the Christmas decorations a day after the escape

 

[Vanessa]

My very first tarantula - within a month of getting her. I didn't think they moved enough to interest the cats, but I was wrong. I came home to find her acrylic tank had been pushed off the shelving unit and was open on the floor. I found her crammed under a bookcase less than four feet away. She was fine and lived another 17 years.
Since then, I have taken the necessary precautions and not had an incident since.

 

[Tia B]

@Dennis Nedry
That is a hilariously horrifying image. I genuinely chuckled at that.

 

[Swoop]

There are two types of gun owners... those who have had an accidental discharge, and those who WILL have an accidental discharge.

I work at a gun range. Had a customer come in once and tell us our rental Desert Eagle was jammed. I went out and the slide was locked to the rear so sent the slide forward on what I thought was an empty chamber. I put the magazine in and tried to chamber a round but the slide wouldn't open so I decided to take it and give them our back-up DE. I was pretty sure it was clear, but 'pretty sure' is not absolutely sure so I pointed it downrange with one hand, pulled the trigger, and BOOOOOM!

So I hope that's my one.

 

[Nightshady]

I work at a gun range. Had a customer come in once and tell us our rental Desert Eagle was jammed. I went out and the slide was locked to the rear so sent the slide forward on what I thought was an empty chamber. I put the magazine in and tried to chamber a round but the slide wouldn't open so I decided to take it and give them our back-up DE. I was pretty sure it was clear, but 'pretty sure' is not absolutely sure so I pointed it downrange with one hand, pulled the trigger, and BOOOOOM!

So I hope that's my one.

Yikes. I used to have a .50 Desert Eagle. I ended up selling it. It’s a bit ridiculous.

 

[Swoop]

Yikes. I used to have a .50 Desert Eagle. I ended up selling it. It’s a bit ridiculous.

I had one in .357 and it sucked, very picky about ammo.

It's fun to 'test fire' the .50 at work though.