The most FAIL EVER. EVVVEERRRRR. (Escapee)

[Teal]

I am in a speechless, surreal, horrifying moment that has been going on since I woke up this morning...

...

And discovered that I had conveniently left open the lid for 3" P. chordatus "Rise" to take a merry stroll wherever she chose :wall: :wall:

We need the "panic smiley" because it's pretty accurate at this point.

Yes, I am in total panic mode!

I've only ever had one other escapee... and that was a less-than-1" P. cambridgei sling! Who I found later that same day.

THIS... is soo different.

There is a house full of dogs to worry about. A small child. Other people in the home who will not take so kindly to seeing "Africa in their living room" (I don't remember who first said that, but I love it!).

I called in work, saying I had an emergency to take care off... this should be interesting when my supervisor calls back to ask what exactly is going on :wall::wall: but I really don't feel I can leave until I have looked everywhere! I already scoured the room she escaped into... no sign. This isn't looking good.

Any tips for finding a bitchy African terrestrial? :?

I can't even describe how much I fail right now.. though I'm sure yall prolly already figured that out hehe

 

[forrestpengra]

Was it in your 'hot box'? Check between habitats... Try to follow any webbing. Look in holes like shoes, under clothes, etc... Seal off the room, it's unlikely it left the room its in.

Good Luck! My 2yr old getting ahold of my OW scare the sh!t out of me. I'm sure you'll find it...

 

[xhexdx]

Well, if something like that were to happen to me and I couldn't find it right away, I have already reconciled with myself that I would bomb the house.

I'd clear out all the animals and we'd spend the night with my parents.

For me, it's absolutely not worth the risk to Joseph. Yes, I know it's very unlikely a bite would kill him, but I'm not going to even allow for a bite to potential occur.

So...spend as much time looking as you can. If you've hit a standstill where you just can't find it, then that's what I would do.

Just my two cents though. I certainly hope you find it.

--Joe

 

[Teal]

Thanks yall

No, Rise wasn't in my hot case.. she was a display spider on top of it. Unfortunately, that is also right next to the door... and she would have fallen several feet, as she would have had to make it down the side of her glass tank, down the side of the 10g glass tank below her, and then down the side of the 3' or so hot case... and then a step to the right, and she'd be out of the door to the room.

If I don't find her, the people I live with WILL demand that we vacate and bug bomb the house... which I can't fight. WHY did it have to be my 2nd most prized spider?

My son is actually at a friend's house and won't be back until tomorrow... so at the moment, it's the dogs I am worried about - and having a near literal panic attack. I would DIE - absolutely DIE - if one of my dogs was bitten.

All I can do is shake my head at how stupidly forgetful I can be, and get back to searching...

 

[Teal]

I am the luckiest person sometimes.

Guess who I have in a deli cup, safe and sound?

She was definitely NOT in the room she escaped from.

I was alerted by "JAIRIIII!! JAAAAIIIRRRIII GET IN HERE NOOOOOOOOOOWWW!!!" to find her on the other side of the house next to a toilet. I immediately starting bawling with relief - she's safe, she's found, and she wasn't killed when I wasn't the one to find her. And if I leave now I'll even make it to work on time!

Damn it, I hate this hobby lol.

 

[barabootom]

if you don't find it. I'd place some sticky traps at every doorway and in every corner. They are non-toxic and meant for mice but they will trap anything running across them. It will mean the death of your sling though. I think I pay $2 for a pack of 4 at Walmart, so they aren't expensive. I use them for catching phorids that come out of my T tanks. Keep us posted it goes and good luck. Of course you don't want your two-year old in the traps either. They are VERY sticky.

 

[xhexdx]

Glad you found it.

 

[barabootom]

Good news is better than gooey news!! I guess my post wasn't needed.

 

[forrestpengra]

I'm curious as to how this affected the others in your house, in regards to greater fears or anger... I know my wife would be righteously pissed.

Maybe time to look into a 'hot closet'? I'm actually thinking about going with one of those BlackandDecker laundry closet/wardrobes until I build my T room in the basement.

 

[Teal]

barabootom - your post is still very much appreciated! I never would have thought of something like that!

Thanks Joe... I am shaking from the scare, and decided that rather than rushing right off to work I am going to calm down and eat breakfast first lol

forrest - the other folks in the house were still sleeping, and I had a speech all planned out if I didn't find her by the time they woke up... outlining why it's important that she's found, what to do if you find her, and what we'll do if we don't find her. I expected them to be INSANELY pissed off, and I think part of why I cried was because they weren't. We're scared-laughing about it now!
I am running out of room in my hot case, and plan on trying to devise another object for my display Ts like an entertainment centre or something that I can heat as well.

What we find most amusing, is that *every* animal that escapes from this particular room.. ends up in that particular bathroom :?

 

[skippy]

probably a straight line along a wall, no? Ts usually like to hug a wall as they have no silk down to let them know where they are

glad you found her! my wife was a little perturbed when she came home to find me tearing up the room and unloading the bookcases. this was the conversation:

"what are you doing?"
"ummmmmmmmmm, well, the OBT kind of escaped and i think she's under this bookcase..."
"you mean, the pregnant bitey one?"
"uhhhhhhhhhhhh, yeah"
"i'm gonna go shopping, you call me when you find it"
"ok honey, i love you!"
"whatever"

 

[Nerri1029]

Well, if something like that were to happen to me and I couldn't find it right away, I have already reconciled with myself that I would bomb the house.

I'd clear out all the animals and we'd spend the night with my parents.

For me, it's absolutely not worth the risk to Joseph. Yes, I know it's very unlikely a bite would kill him, but I'm not going to even allow for a bite to potential occur.

...
--Joe

I have mentally prepared myself for the exact same response in the event of an African Escapee ( or Asian ). Will I do the same if a G. rosea is on the loose? not likely. ( but then I'd let my wife decide that one)

 

[barabootom]

My wife was perturbed when I had some large sacs of Lasiodora parahybana hatch and I had the females with the sacs in large plastic tubs. The lids weren't on tight enough and several thousand 2nd instar slings ran all over the entire apartment. They covered all the walls of our living room. I spent hours vacuuming all I could find before she came home, hoping she wouldn't find out what happened. But, lo and behold, I missed some and it wasn't even 5 minutes after she came home that she started finding a bunch of slings I missed. It was a few days before we stopped finding them. I can't write what she said here. That was a long time ago. Luckily she tolerates my T's a lot better these days.

 

[Edd Eskimo]

Vacuum work at its finest:evil:..Sucks you had to vacuum all those little guys..But when there's that many loose..what else do you have to do..;P

 

[xhexdx]

I have mentally prepared myself for the exact same response in the event of an African Escapee ( or Asian ). Will I do the same if a G. rosea is on the loose? not likely. ( but then I'd let my wife decide that one)

That's a good point and something I didn't mention in my first post. If a NW spider escapes, I doubt I'd bomb the place. I'd only do that if something OW were to get out.

 

[Terry D]

Glad you found it!

Teal, Whoah! In the first few posts this wasn't the best scenario one could wake up to. Along with everyone else on these boards, I have an idea of how much you care about that little guy. Had me going there at first and glad it resurfaced. This is one of several reasons why I only have seven. Certainly was relieved to see the outcome, making it to work on time, to boot.

Barabootom, From looking at your posts of wife holding the crocodilian, along with your photos from trips afield, I figgered she was as into this thang as much as you. Alas, toleration............I'm with you on that. My ex nearly had a heart attack when a Hogna carolinensis got loose from a deli cup and was hanging from my finger by chelicerae. The moment was priceless.

Well, for the 999 zillionth time in a row I'm rained out of work for Fri, possibly Sat. The good news is I'm about to go pick up a shipment of du du dubia whoa oooh! Teal, I'm glad your story had a happy ending. I'll bet there won't be a repeat of that any time soon. Cheers, T

 

[Adversary]

Glad everybody was ok!

 

[Jilly1337]

I think everyone has an escapee from time to time which is exactly why I am not keeping any OW's for the time being. I have a 6 year old and a small dog. Glad you found it. I'm sure you are very relieved.

 

[cobaltbrew]

I'm glad your spider was found, Jairi.

I don't think I could ever vaccuum or bomb because of an escaped tarantula. But then again they don't scare me. And I don't have dogs or anything.

 

[azgbb]

Glad you found it.

I found one of my escapees this morning at five a.m. getting ready for work. I had a miranda and striata get out last week some how.

Found it on the wall, ten feet up this morning. Climbing around on dressers half asleep is not a fun morning.

I got it, but they were both about an inch, so right now I'm not sure which one it is lol.