OBT Escape Saga continued...

[Beardo]

ALthough I've never had any spiders escape, my experience with MIA snakes is that they will turn up when you least expect it, sometimes long after you consider them gone forever lol. I have had an adult Honduran Milksnake escape on me twice, both times she stayed gone for about 4 months lol.

 

[Nerri1029]

Small flashlight and a mirror on a telescoping wand.. ( dollar store )

Oh and shamrocks, horseshoes, small Irish people, and the sticky traps all good..

 

[Sheri]

Ok, went to Canadian Tire (this is a good store for everything a single woman might need) and got double sided tape, 150 feet of it, 7 sticky traps, another flashlight, spider spray (jic), 3 waterguns (ty/tan/me) and get this... some cool "elbow" piping to start burrows with. I was looking at the piping, and some man askedme which I needed and showed me how to fit them together. So I just said;
"I need them for tarantula burrows, actually."

Swear to dog, he turned and walked away without a word.

Ok, Tyler and I are going to start laying down the tape and then once we do, I am going to crank the air conditioning to see if its in the venting system... I would suspect that it would try to get out once that turned on and I will place sticky tape around all of the registers.

AND I bought some boxes and I am packing up all non essential items to make the house as bare bones as possible, less place to check and re-check.

I will also set up a heating pad tonight and keep the airconditioning on very high in order to hopefully draw it out.

Good plan? I sure hope so!

 

[cryptly]

Sounds like a good plan to me.

Best of luck!

 

[Kid Dragon]

Bad for the entire hobby? Really? You think so? Maybe if these were Bushmasters... but they are non-deadly spiders. I mean... is an escaped cat bad for the entire feline hobby?

Sheri,

Yes, I do think stray cats are bad for the responsible pet owners that have numerous cats and none of their cats are "stray".

Do I think it is irresponsible to lose an exotic pet? Yes I do. Does it cause problems for responsible keepers of exotics that don't allow the opportunity of their animals escaping? Yes. The fear the general public has about people keeping exotics is that they will get loose. When they get loose, government regulations are soon to follow, such as the Florida Arthropod Permit.

Are they "just bugs", so its no big deal if they escape? With that kind of attitude the future of this hobby will be dim.

By keeping any exotic you have the responsibility to make sure it does not escape. Do you need government to tell you how many "bugs" you can safely handle? If you want to rationalize its no big deal, you are a poor role model to others on this message board and our hooby. I hope you reconsider the seriousness of an escape. JMO.

 

[becca81]

Sheri,

Yes, I do think stray cats are bad for the responsible pet owners that have numerous cats and none of their cats are "stray".

Do I think it is irresponsible to lose an exotic pet? Yes I do. Does it cause problems for responsible keepers of exotics that don't allow the opportunity of their animals escaping? Yes. The fear the general public has about people keeping exotics is that they will get loose. When they get loose, government regulations are soon to follow, such as the Florida Arthropod Permit.

Are they "just bugs", so its no big deal if they escape? With that kind of attitude the future of this hobby will be dim.

By keeping any exotic you have the responsibility to make sure it does not escape. Do you need government to tell you how many "bugs" you can safely handle? If you want to rationalize its no big deal, you are a poor role model to others on this message board and our hooby. I hope you reconsider the seriousness of an escape. JMO.

Just because you've never had a spider escape doesn't mean that it can't or won't happen to you in the future. This wasn't an irresponsible owner who used a towel as a lid or left the lid off.

I personally take extreme precautions with all of my tarantulas, yet I almost had an escape once when my B. smithi was actually chewing through a screen that I didn't think it was possible for it to chew through.

Accidents happen and just because they do it's not a reason to call someone irresponsible. Many knowledgeable and responsible keepers have had the occasional escapee even though they take as many precautions as possible to avoid it and are highly responsible.

From the escape polls that have been done in the past, it seems that the longer someone is in the hobby, the more likely it is that they've had an escape. Whether its a sling that escapes while trying to divide them from a sac or an adult that gets loose during rehousing, it does happen. The spider is not life-threatening and I from what has been posted it seems that Sheri is already doing everything she can to locate it.

 

[Sheri]

Sheri,

Do I think it is irresponsible to lose an exotic pet? Yes I do. Does it cause problems for responsible keepers of exotics that don't allow the opportunity of their animals escaping? Yes.
Are they "just bugs", so its no big deal if they escape? With that kind of attitude the future of this hobby will be dim.

By keeping any exotic you have the responsibility to make sure it does not escape. Do you need government to tell you how many "bugs" you can safely handle? If you want to rationalize its no big deal, you are a poor role model to others on this message board and our hooby. I hope you reconsider the seriousness of an escape. JMO.

Wow. You are incredible.
Don't allow the opportunity? Perhaps I should have designed a NASA style isolation chamber and built a contained room off the back of the house.

It happens - it is part of the hobby, a risk that of course one tries to minimize. I mean, having one bolt and run out is a lot different than leaving the lids off on a regular basis because of sheer stupidity or forgetfulness.

As for being "just bugs" I am saying that I can only give the matter the seriousness that it deserves. This is not a lethal animal, therefore, I will do whatever is in my means to try and locate it, but there is no need to alert local agencies, or neighbors like there would be with a venomous snake.
But where did I once say it is no big deal? Am I not taking steps to locate it? Get a grip - over-reactionaries like you are bad for the hobby.

And you never did say why I should sell off the remainder of my collection. I am quite curious to hear your reasoning.

 

[K MUELLER]

:? Sheri, your best bet is a red filtered flashlight, and late at night do the ''Steve Irwin'' thing and hunt all around the house. They are very active at night,cause the only time I saw my OBT was at night,and like everybody says,once you give up trying to find them ,then they turn up. Good luck and don't sweat it, cause it is probably is long gone,later-Karl

 

[Deschain]

Sheri,

Yes, I do think stray cats are bad for the responsible pet owners that have numerous cats and none of their cats are "stray".

Here you go again with the pointless animal comparisons.

Do I think it is irresponsible to lose an exotic pet? Yes I do. Does it cause problems for responsible keepers of exotics that don't allow the opportunity of their animals escaping? Yes.

You have got to be kidding me? Who the hell made you Tarantula Morals Monitor?

Are they "just bugs", so its no big deal if they escape? With that kind of attitude the future of this hobby will be dim.

About as dim as...nevermind...no personal attacks.

By keeping any exotic you have the responsibility to make sure it does not escape. Do you need government to tell you how many "bugs" you can safely handle? If you want to rationalize its no big deal, you are a poor role model to others on this message board and our hooby. I hope you reconsider the seriousness of an escape. JMO.

You think that everyone who has had an escape is a poor keeper and not good for the hobby?
I hope you don't buy, sell or trade with any of those irresponsible fools! Oh wait...that would be 99% of those in the hobby.

You are one of the most argumentative people I've ever had the displeasure of associating with. JMO (just majority opinion)

 

[Kid Dragon]

Here you go again with the pointless animal comparisons.



You have got to be kidding me? Who the hell made you Tarantula Morals Monitor?



About as dim as...nevermind...no personal attacks.



You think that everyone who has had an escape is a poor keeper and not good for the hobby?
I hope you don't buy, sell or trade with any of those irresponsible fools! Oh wait...that would be 99% of those in the hobby.

You are one of the most argumentative people I've ever had the displeasure of associating with. JMO (just majority opinion)

Deschain,

Actually it was Sheri that made the cat comparison, so you are actually saying that she made a pointless comparison, I just responded to her.

And I remember your personal attacks from another thread where you are very attacking for no reason.

If you let your exotics escape, it could be a sign you have too many to handle responsibly. JMO.

You are now on my ignore list, because from past experience, you are not worth reading or reponding to, have a nice life.

 

[Immortal_sin]

Kid Dragon, you are also treading a fine line here. I suggest now that your opinion of Sheri (and myself as well, since it's happened to me) is known, there is no need to be redundant about it.
I might suggest that people with your moral superiority complex are just as bad for the hobby. You are very smug and judgemental for no reason.

 

[becca81]

If you let your exotics escape, it could be a sign you have too many to handle responsibly. JMO.

Awhile back I made some similiar assumptions that you have about escapes (although not the exact same..). I thought that it was something that could be prevented and if someone *did* have an escape it meant that they probably could have prevented the escape and weren't being as responsible as they could be.

However, the more I read and experienced I realized that it just wasn't true. Go through and read other escape threads - some are because of irresponsible owners, but many are not. You learn from your mistakes and change things based on past experiences. You may not have some of the ideas about how to prevent escapes if not for the learned techniques of others who have passed their knowledge on from their experience with escapes.

 

[Kid Dragon]

Wow. You are incredible.
Don't allow the opportunity? Perhaps I should have designed a NASA style isolation chamber and built a contained room off the back of the house.

It happens - it is part of the hobby, a risk that of course one tries to minimize. I mean, having one bolt and run out is a lot different than leaving the lids off on a regular basis because of sheer stupidity or forgetfulness.

As for being "just bugs" I am saying that I can only give the matter the seriousness that it deserves. This is not a lethal animal, therefore, I will do whatever is in my means to try and locate it, but there is no need to alert local agencies, or neighbors like there would be with a venomous snake.
But where did I once say it is no big deal? Am I not taking steps to locate it? Get a grip - over-reactionaries like you are bad for the hobby.

And you never did say why I should sell off the remainder of my collection. I am quite curious to hear your reasoning.

I never said you should sell of your collection. I said I would sell MY collection before I would jepordize losing MY kids. I was saying the obvious, MY kids are more important than MY tarantulas.

Please do not read between the line and think I am saying you think your kids are less important than your tarantulas, because I do not.

My point was I think escapes are bad for the hobby. Others seem to think they are just part of the hobby. I do not.

I know tarantula breeders that have huge inventories that have NEVER been bit, and NEVER had an escape in over a decade.

This is just my opinon on escapes being a sign of irresponsiblity and a collection possibly too large to maintain safely. If you have a different opinion about escapes, I think you have the right to that opinon.

 

[Kid Dragon]

Kid Dragon, you are also treading a fine line here. I suggest now that your opinion of Sheri (and myself as well, since it's happened to me) is known, there is no need to be redundant about it.
I might suggest that people with your moral superiority complex are just as bad for the hobby. You are very smug and judgemental for no reason.

Immortalsin,

Didn't mean to be smug and judgemental, just had an opinion that many don't like. Since I'm under attack for that opinon from all sides, I'll sign off this topic. Thanks for the warning.

 

[CedrikG]

im just curious to know hopw many ts you own ? ans wich species

 

[fantasticp]

What spieces was it? A V.salvator would of tore that cat up!

A bit late in answering, but it was a baby timor monitor, only a little over a foot long with tail.

 

[CedrikG]

A bit late in answering, but it was a baby timor monitor, only a little over a foot long with tail.

a foot long?! jeez

 

[meatbeef]

Its amazing how a thread looking for advice can turn into attacks and verbal garbage. If somebody has a question, be helpful instead of quick assumtions and B-S remarks and comments. It's no wonder people get freaked out to ask a question here. It seems a question always gets a jerk-off reply or harsh remark questioning your abilities as a keeper. Saying that, I'm certainly no expert tarantula keeper, as 99% of you probably aren't either, so I come here for advice, not a scrap.

if you wanna be an ass, start a <EDIT> only thread somewhere else.

Sheri..
good luck on tracking the little guy down, I'm sure this is quite the inconvienence for you to say in the least. Also, thank you for all of the wonderful contributions you've given this website. I know I don't have to think twice about asking someone like you a question.

Rob

 

[Beardo]

The assertation that anyone whose exotic escapes is "irresponsible and a danger to the hobby" is completely rediculous. Of course, there are boundaries and exceptions (for example, if someone kept Cobras and let them free roam, that IS dangerous and irresponsible). But just because someone has a spider or 2 escape doesn't make them inferior or bad people. Everyone makes mistakes and sometimes things like this are unavoidable. Its all part of the territory of keeping animals.

 

[David Burns]

You are now on my ignore list, because from past experience, you are not worth reading or reponding to, have a nice life.

Please , can I get on your ignore list too.
I hope you never make a mistake, in your whole life.