Hurricane Gustav

Tokendog

Arachnosquire
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Aug 7, 2008
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Hi every one

I am new to Ts and as such I have LOT to learn.

I also just so happen to live in the predicted landfall area of Hurricane Gustav. I have 4 Ts. 3 of which are slings. A 4" Rosea, a 1" GBB, a 1/2" Versi, and a 1/4" B. Vagans.

Houma, that being where I live, is blessed with ideal humidity for these wonderful arachnids, but it is also cursed with the annual hurricane season. In most cases we will lose power for 2 to 3 days. In REALLY bad storms, we will lose power for a week or more.

I am, at the moment, planning on evacuating if the storm continues to strengthen. I plan on putting my Ts in a closet and closing them in. I plan on feeding/watering them on the day I leave. The Rosea will get a fresh bowl of water and I am assuming I can give the GBB a small cap of water as well. The Versi and B. Vagan are the two that I am concerned about. All of my arachnids have plump rear ends so they are stocked as far as that goes...

but I am VERY VERY worried about two things... High humidity after the storm, along with no air conditioning for three days or more (I usually keep my apartment at 78-80 degrees) and the lack of a Human being to provide them with fresh water.

I have considered taking them with me but I really do not have the means nor know-how on how to fabricate a safe means of transporting and feel that with that in mind, I would case them more harm trying to move them than I would if I just left them be and hoped for the best.

I care a great deal for my Ts and do not want them to be harmed/starved in any way, but I really see no options other than leaving them behind and praying for the best.

Any ideas? recommendations? How long can Ts survive the potential conditions they may face? If the storm hits any where near Houma, we WILL lose power, and it will be out for at least two to three days.

Please help me with any info or advice you can provide.

Thanks.

P.S. I did search and read through the other topics on hurricanes before posting this, but am still seeking information. thanks again.
 

Kris-wIth-a-K

Arachnoprince
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hmm

Where do ya live?? The t's should be fine. If you do evac your home and you leave the t's make sure you tape the enclosures lid down and keep them snug from maybe shifting. The heat shouldnt be a problem and neither should the humidity especially in a closet where its dark and cool...
 

Tokendog

Arachnosquire
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Where do ya live?? The t's should be fine. If you do evac your home and you leave the t's make sure you tape the enclosures lid down and keep them snug from maybe shifting. The heat shouldnt be a problem and neither should the humidity especially in a closet where its dark and cool...
I could probably put a damp paper towel in each of the containers or perhaps specifically the B. Vagans and Versicolor, to help provide them with moisture for as long as possible? though humidity around here is like 80% so they can get a lot of water from the air.

Edit: also I live in Houma, LA. 30-45 minutes south of New Orleans and at the moment, the predicted ground zero for the BAD side of the Hurricane.
 

Kris-wIth-a-K

Arachnoprince
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hm

again t's can withstand a lot. A few days of a little humidity wont hurt them. What you could do is buy a little fan and stick it in the closet. Might help ya if you are concerned about the heat and humididty.
 

dianedfisher

Arachnobaron
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Mar 14, 2007
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Leave the rosea and take the slings with you. The rosea can take the heat, hunidity and lack of food. Your other slings shouldn't take up much room at all. I'd wrap up each vial in bubble wrap or paper toweling to cushion the vials from being jarred and put them all in a larger container that you can easily keep track of. Good luck. Latest reports indicate this is going to be a serious storm. Di
 

Tokendog

Arachnosquire
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Leave the rosea and take the slings with you. The rosea can take the heat, hunidity and lack of food. Your other slings shouldn't take up much room at all. I'd wrap up each vial in bubble wrap or paper toweling to cushion the vials from being jarred and put them all in a larger container that you can easily keep track of. Good luck. Latest reports indicate this is going to be a serious storm. Di
Any one else want to offer their thoughts???
 

Tokendog

Arachnosquire
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Ok. I want to take them, but I don't have much time. Should I take them in their containers and make sure they are secure or should I pack them in new containers with damp paper towels?
 

Tokendog

Arachnosquire
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Basically I was thinking of using these small salsa ziplock like bowls and filling them with paper towels until the top, then making an impression and dampening that part of the paper towel - then folding a few sheets, dampening that, and lightly placing that on top of the Sling.

I will also bring their homes with me so when we're in the hotel room I can put them back where they are familiar.

How does that sound? They will be riding up front with me in a 10gal tank filled with a blanket or some thing to keep them from rolling around, etc.

Any thing else I should take care with or watch out for???

I would like to leave them be - as that would be the least stressful, but I would also hate to return home and find them dead.

I am so frustrated about this!
 

ShellsandScales

Arachnobaron
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Don't understand why you wouldn't pack them in vials(presumably the slings are already in vials) and deli cups. Put them in a small styrofoam lined box with a few airholes and bring them with you.
 
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PsychoSpider

Arachnoknight
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Basically I was thinking of using these small salsa ziplock like bowls and filling them with paper towels until the top, then making an impression and dampening that part of the paper towel - then folding a few sheets, dampening that, and lightly placing that on top of the Sling.

I will also bring their homes with me so when we're in the hotel room I can put them back where they are familiar.

How does that sound? They will be riding up front with me in a 10gal tank filled with a blanket or some thing to keep them from rolling around, etc.

Any thing else I should take care with or watch out for???

I would like to leave them be - as that would be the least stressful, but I would also hate to return home and find them dead.

I am so frustrated about this!
That sounds like a great idea!
 

Tokendog

Arachnosquire
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Don't understand why you wouldn't pack them in vials(presumably the slings are already in vials) and deli cups. Put them in a small styrofoam lined box with a few airholes and bring them with you.
Because they are in their own containers (not deli cups or vials) and its full of substrate, etc. etc. and you can't buy stuff when a hurricane is coming because EVERY THING shuts down. Walmart shut down yesterday, grocery stores sold out of stuff yesterday, etc. etc. Only thing open is gas stations... so when you decide to get some thing or realize you need some thing, there is no where to purchase it.

I have to make do with what I have and I am looking for the best way to do that. :> I understand why that would confuse you but when you live this close to the water, every one (the sane people anyways) all take off and close down shop.
 

Tokendog

Arachnosquire
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I don't want this to happen to my babies... The poor little fella. I hope he made it and has a good long life. :)

 

equuskat

Arachnoprince
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Take them with you....

I am in Lakeland, FL, and we have been getting hammered with rain bands all day and the storm is still in CUBA. The storm is huge and widespread, it'd be so much better to take them along with you. Pack them in small containers and get yourself, your family, and your critters out of the path of that storm.
 

Tokendog

Arachnosquire
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Take them with you....

I am in Lakeland, FL, and we have been getting hammered with rain bands all day and the storm is still in CUBA. The storm is huge and widespread, it'd be so much better to take them along with you. Pack them in small containers and get yourself, your family, and your critters out of the path of that storm.
Yeah, we're getting out of here tonight. Its a big storm. We're still not fully recovered from Katrina. I was going to put them in a closet and feed/water them before I left, but then I realized there is a very high chance of flooding with this storm and the amount of rain we're going to get...it would be OK because they would be up high on the shelf, but what would NOT be ok is the fumes and vapors that will fill my house from all of the pollution and crap being mixed with the ocean/rain water. It becomes toxic enough to kill all kinds of things and carries a crap load of diseases.

Atm I am just debating about whether or I should try to take them in their small cages with substrate and all or if its better to just disturb them and move them in to padded ziplock containers. We're heading up to Monroe, Louisiana., which is like a 4 to 5 hour drive normally, but heading through New Orleans the traffic is going at about 15 miles every 1 and a half hours...

so this can easily be a 10 hour trip. Thats about what it took last time. We are going to try to get a hotel on the way though but most every thing is booked all the way up to Tennessee.

I will have to move further inland before I increase my T collection. I did not consider Hurricanes when I started this addicting hobby. :(
 

Flying

Arachnoknight
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I don't want this to happen to my babies... The poor little fella. I hope he made it and has a good long life. :)

That is one stunning picture and I sure hope he made it. Looks like an Aphonopelma.

Also take them with you. Any idea where you're going? I recently moved and just brought everything (the larger and smaller tarantulas, even one that was bred) in the containers they were in.
 

Tokendog

Arachnosquire
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Here is the containers they are in...

GBB (just moved in three days ago)



Versicolor (been in this one for a week or two) He's hiding in his web hammock at the top. The residue on the outside is from the sticker that shows up really bad in pictures for some reason...not so bad in person.



My B. Vagan who is still in his vial that he was shipped in because he is so small. He has started digging a small tunnel but its very small and does not go deep at all. You can see him in the above picture next to the Versi sling enclosure.

And my G. Rosea. She has been in this enclosure for about three weeks and seems to like it. She goes in to her hide every so often, but hangs out outside, and drinks often. She never climbs the walls so seems content...



and this is what I am thinking of relocating the GBB and the Versi in to.



I have two of them and like I posted earlier, going off advice given here, I was going to fill them with paper towels (does it matter if its printed or does it need to be blank to avoid exposure to the ink chemicals???) and dampen the top layers of the paper towels, make a small impression, place the Sling in the impression, and put more damp towels on top of him. Then I was going to put that in an aquarium with a blanket in it and make sure they were snug, keep them out of direct light, and try to keep the ride as still as possible...but we will be in the car for a long long time.

What do you guys think? Relocate or take them in the enclosure? I know you have been giving me advice so far but I just want to make sure I do the right thing. :(

Thanks!
 

equuskat

Arachnoprince
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Those enclosure seem pretty small...you might not need to relocate the Ts, if you have room in your vehicle. I have gone on long car trips (10-12 hours or so) with Ts in their normal enclosures and I haven't had an issue.
 
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