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I'm curious how many keepers of exotic animals have had an animal escape. Tell your story on how the escape happened, or what you do to insure it never happens.
Exotic Escapes
- Thread starter Kid Dragon
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To insure it never happens keep your eyes on the exotic (or exotics) at all times while feeding and enclosure cleaning. Most escapes happen when open enclosures are left unattended.
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It was the first week I had my P.lugardi and I had it in it tank inside my room, well I had a plastic lid on and didnt weight it. any way some time in the night my mom's cat came in and wanted to play or somthing anyway it pushed the lid off of the tank and that was it. I figured the cat ate it or it went out through my open window. I looked and looked but never found it. Well a year later we where moving and I went to clean my floor and as I was doing so I notced somthing was moving, and their my T, a bit thinner but none the worse for wear.
And a year ago I left the tank lid open and my T crawled out. So I whent in to my room at night to look for her and I found it crawling on my wall.
And a year ago I left the tank lid open and my T crawled out. So I whent in to my room at night to look for her and I found it crawling on my wall.
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i had several roach nymphs escape....not really a big deal though, just had to put paper towl under the lid of the enclosure to prevent future escapes
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Well I haven't had a T escape but I have had a couple of hermit crabs pull a Houdini routine a time or two. And a long time ago a garter snake got out of it's tank too.
I had purchased two large strawberry hermit crabs and put them in a hospital tank next to the 45 gal I keep the rest of the crabs in. My son walked into his room (where the crabs are kept) and saw one of our large purple pinchers sitting on the table checking out the newbies. I guess he really really wanted to meet them.
Another time the Ecuadorian we had escaped and was later found in a garbage sack <alive and well>.
I was about 10 when I caught the garter snake and put it in a 10 gal tank with a screen lid. Little guy pushed off the lid in the middle of the night and made a break for it. My kreepy crawly phobic father about had a heart attack. It too was found alive and well living in the basement around the water heater <dirt floor and lots of food> He had gotten fat and sassy on salamanders, toads and bugs.
I had purchased two large strawberry hermit crabs and put them in a hospital tank next to the 45 gal I keep the rest of the crabs in. My son walked into his room (where the crabs are kept) and saw one of our large purple pinchers sitting on the table checking out the newbies. I guess he really really wanted to meet them.
Another time the Ecuadorian we had escaped and was later found in a garbage sack <alive and well>.
I was about 10 when I caught the garter snake and put it in a 10 gal tank with a screen lid. Little guy pushed off the lid in the middle of the night and made a break for it. My kreepy crawly phobic father about had a heart attack. It too was found alive and well living in the basement around the water heater <dirt floor and lots of food> He had gotten fat and sassy on salamanders, toads and bugs.
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I already told this story, but I'll tell it again. I had a 4" female P regalis escape from a homeade container (my little experiement did not work) and she was never found. The lid had velcro fastenings, and she was able to work them loose. Needless to say, I threw that container (and idea) away.
I've also had an A avic sling escape when the airholes were too large.
When I was a kid, we caught a rosy boa, and kept it in a wicker clothes hamper. Of course it escaped, and my mother about had a heart attack. She had a terrible snake phobia.
Once we found it, we had to put it back outside!
I've also had an A avic sling escape when the airholes were too large.
When I was a kid, we caught a rosy boa, and kept it in a wicker clothes hamper. Of course it escaped, and my mother about had a heart attack. She had a terrible snake phobia.
Once we found it, we had to put it back outside!
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I spend most of my time attempting to contain the prey, rather than the spiders. Those fruitflies and crickets constantly seem to find new ways to evade the boxes they came from.
Having said that, catching them is always fun, and my reaction time has improved a hundred fold since I've been trying
Having said that, catching them is always fun, and my reaction time has improved a hundred fold since I've been trying
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This isn't really an escape because I let him out, but I had an iguana that went outside and climbed the Maple Tree. He stayed there for a couple days until he got cold, then he waltzed back down onto the porch til I let him back inside. He used to venture into the neighbors house too, she would be laying on her couch watching TV and find a big iguana come crawling up onto her couch. She would just bring him on home!
Thankfully I've had no spiders escape yet. *knocks on wood*
Thankfully I've had no spiders escape yet. *knocks on wood*
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I went with Verts only.. because that's it so far.
I used to keep lots of lizards.. in the school classroom..
now I keep only T's ..
and haven't had a T escape YET..
I say YET .. cause the odds are there..
can't deny that.
I used to keep lots of lizards.. in the school classroom..
now I keep only T's ..
and haven't had a T escape YET..
I say YET .. cause the odds are there..
can't deny that.
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I have been lucky to have only had vertebrates escape. I has a carpet python named Vlad that was a master at finding the constructural flaws in my home made lids for his enclosures. It culminated once at 5 am when my dad ripped me out of my nice, warm, cozy bed by my shirt while yelling at me to "get my god@#%&ed snake off the TV" Usually when he did get out I could just follow the swath of destruction to his hiding place. I recently had an irian jaya python escape. I actually thought he got eaten by his cage mate but was actually hiding in a stack of small flower pots I use for my t's. So in summary, no inverts have eluded me yet.
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escapee
-same thing i read from someone already -
an A. avic s'ling got out of an enclosure that I had double lined with screening... through the space left by the two little attatchments that hold it in place. I had not looked at it from the odd angle before, but covered it and had no more problems after that.
By the way, the little guy naturally just climbed up onto the top and hung out on another T tank. Did not make a dash for it!
Just open and close meticulously and one at a time for care and feeding/water - so the phone does not distract or something else - so all well made tanks are well closed.
And hope for no Houdinis.
-same thing i read from someone already -
an A. avic s'ling got out of an enclosure that I had double lined with screening... through the space left by the two little attatchments that hold it in place. I had not looked at it from the odd angle before, but covered it and had no more problems after that.
By the way, the little guy naturally just climbed up onto the top and hung out on another T tank. Did not make a dash for it!
Just open and close meticulously and one at a time for care and feeding/water - so the phone does not distract or something else - so all well made tanks are well closed.
And hope for no Houdinis.
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- Feb 22, 2005
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Escaped exotic tally after 25 votes
After 25 votes in this poll 72% of the people that took the time to vote answered that they have had an exotic animal escape at least one time.
Am I surprised at this percentage? Yes.
In my opinion an escape represents carelessness that could have and should have been prevented. Due diligence before you purchase an exotic pet should be done to prevent escapes and insure proper enclosures and proper feeding and cleaning techniques.
How many of you use transfer enclosures while you are cleaning primary enclosures? How many of you transfer centipedes using a bathtub as a "safety net". How many of you know you can't let a centipede reach a screen top or they can "chew through"? How many of you knew your enclosure was too small to safely lift the lid for the given size and species, but did it anyway?
Is this a big deal?
In my opinion it could be a very big deal.
Do we want government to tell us what we can and can't keep, or how many we CAN keep?
NYC will tell you you can't own Ts or many other exotics. In Florida there are restrictions and a Florida Arthropod Permit is required. Your area could be next. Ironically, you allow your exotic animal freedom, that could result in all of us losing some of our freedom.
After 25 votes in this poll 72% of the people that took the time to vote answered that they have had an exotic animal escape at least one time.
Am I surprised at this percentage? Yes.
In my opinion an escape represents carelessness that could have and should have been prevented. Due diligence before you purchase an exotic pet should be done to prevent escapes and insure proper enclosures and proper feeding and cleaning techniques.
How many of you use transfer enclosures while you are cleaning primary enclosures? How many of you transfer centipedes using a bathtub as a "safety net". How many of you know you can't let a centipede reach a screen top or they can "chew through"? How many of you knew your enclosure was too small to safely lift the lid for the given size and species, but did it anyway?
Is this a big deal?
In my opinion it could be a very big deal.
Do we want government to tell us what we can and can't keep, or how many we CAN keep?
NYC will tell you you can't own Ts or many other exotics. In Florida there are restrictions and a Florida Arthropod Permit is required. Your area could be next. Ironically, you allow your exotic animal freedom, that could result in all of us losing some of our freedom.
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Kid Dragon,
This poll just proves that it happens. There have been other polls (which you probably should have searched for before posting this one) which show the same thing.
It's not usually irreponsible and it happens to the best of keepers. No one is immune from the possibility.
I'm extremely paranoid about escapes and I've almost had one happen (as I mentioned in another thread) because the T was trying to chew when I was *sure* the screen was too thick to chew through. Mistakes happen and we learn from them.
The authors of TTKG, I believe, mention escapes. It doesn't make someone a bad keeper.
As another example, when I was rehousing a P. murinus sling in the sink (which is nice and deep) and there were two of there ready to catch it in case something happened, it still managed to get past us and hide in a door hinge for awhile before finally being able to catch it. We had everything ready and were taking precautions, but it still happened. We are dealing with wild animals that are very fast and act on instinct.
This poll just proves that it happens. There have been other polls (which you probably should have searched for before posting this one) which show the same thing.
It's not usually irreponsible and it happens to the best of keepers. No one is immune from the possibility.
I'm extremely paranoid about escapes and I've almost had one happen (as I mentioned in another thread) because the T was trying to chew when I was *sure* the screen was too thick to chew through. Mistakes happen and we learn from them.
The authors of TTKG, I believe, mention escapes. It doesn't make someone a bad keeper.
As another example, when I was rehousing a P. murinus sling in the sink (which is nice and deep) and there were two of there ready to catch it in case something happened, it still managed to get past us and hide in a door hinge for awhile before finally being able to catch it. We had everything ready and were taking precautions, but it still happened. We are dealing with wild animals that are very fast and act on instinct.
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one of my c. fasciatums escaped once, but I found him after about 2 hours of seaching. He was behind my subwoofer. The only reason I found it was because of the webbing.
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Whee~ In my opinion, self-righteous, sanctimonious morality police are bad for any hobby. But that, of course, is my opinion.Kid Dragon said:
I'm just a little curious how long you've been keeping exotics and how many you have? Feel free to impress me or underwhelm me, either way I've long since discounted anything you say by virtue of the fact that the way you present it is both arrogant and ignorant. Frankly you sound like someone who has been keeping exotics just long enough to think they're an expert and have an answer to every question under the sun. I'm sorry, but you don't.
Professionals have escapes. Zoos have escapes. No matter what measures we take and what care and thought we put into enclosures, the fact remains that animals are *not* meant to be caged and they will make it their business to test you every moment they're in your possession. What you are encountering is not complacency but simply an acceptance that even the most diligent keeper will sooner or later encounter an animal that will outsmart them. We are human and by our very nature that renders us fallible. Far better to plan for the occasional escape and know how you will handle it than to smugly sit back and assume it will never happen. Talk about asking Fate to bite you in the rear.
Basically what it boils down to is that anyone that hasn't had an escape is not a super-keeper, they're simply lucky. Here's hoping your luck holds.
~Jenn
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I have never, ever had one escape. Ever.
If I did, well, I think the entire hobby might collapse upon us in a heap of legislation and fines.
Oh.... crap.
I think most people really want to avoid an escape and generally are very cautious when it comes to transferring, containing, and feeding.
I am sure if you looked at percents in term of how many animals have been lost compared to the numbers of animals kept, we would look, as a whole, as a pretty responsible group.
I've had over 220 tarantulas come and go through this house - one escape.
Holley?
Ever.If I did, well, I think the entire hobby might collapse upon us in a heap of legislation and fines.
Oh.... crap.
I think most people really want to avoid an escape and generally are very cautious when it comes to transferring, containing, and feeding.
I am sure if you looked at percents in term of how many animals have been lost compared to the numbers of animals kept, we would look, as a whole, as a pretty responsible group.
I've had over 220 tarantulas come and go through this house - one escape.
Holley?
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2xx Ts, one escape ... thats why I keep asking to mister Kid dragon how many t he owns, wich he did'nt answered me ... under 40 ts its normal that you dont have any lost, when you have to care of 150 ++ then its another game ...
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Hi Jenn,Snakecharm said:Whee~ In my opinion, self-righteous, sanctimonious morality police are bad for any hobby. But that, of course, is my opinion.
I'm just a little curious how long you've been keeping exotics and how many you have? Feel free to impress me or underwhelm me, either way I've long since discounted anything you say by virtue of the fact that the way you present it is both arrogant and ignorant. Frankly you sound like someone who has been keeping exotics just long enough to think they're an expert and have an answer to every question under the sun. I'm sorry, but you don't.
Professionals have escapes. Zoos have escapes. No matter what measures we take and what care and thought we put into enclosures, the fact remains that animals are *not* meant to be caged and they will make it their business to test you every moment they're in your possession. What you are encountering is not complacency but simply an acceptance that even the most diligent keeper will sooner or later encounter an animal that will outsmart them. We are human and by our very nature that renders us fallible. Far better to plan for the occasional escape and know how you will handle it than to smugly sit back and assume it will never happen. Talk about asking Fate to bite you in the rear.
Basically what it boils down to is that anyone that hasn't had an escape is not a super-keeper, they're simply lucky. Here's hoping your luck holds.
~Jenn
This topic touches a raw nerve with many people, sorry if my opinion offeded you. I keep 16 Ts, 106 millipedes, three centipedes, seven frogs, 11 snakes, four lizards, one alligator, a parrot, and a dog. They are very well cared for, and I enjoy the freedom to keep what I want to keep. So far I've been lucky for 25 years.
You make a good point that accidents happen. Maybe we could share the accidents on this thread and learn from them without passing judgement.
Maybe we can also share the successes without passing judgement also? This was my hope for this thread, but it might not happen. Peace.
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Kirdec,Kirdec said:
I agree with you that there is a limit to the number of Ts a person can keep responsibly. Do you think 40 is a breaking point for most people? I think that number could vary under many different variables.
I don't have any problem against someone having 150+ Ts as long as they take excellent care of them, however I totally understand its not against the law to neglect a T.
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Hmmm. I'm assuming that you're insinuating something with the "not against the law to neglect a T" statement. The vast majority of the people here wouldn't think of neglecting their Ts, regardless of whether or not it's illegal.Kid Dragon said:
Out of curiousity - where are you from?