A lesson learned

[Dave Gunter]

Talk about a fright, i was having a good look at my new beastie, an usambara orange that i had just picked up this morning when i somehow managed to knock the tank over and the lid popped off - believe me they're fast on level ground !!

Ok says i, stay calm, he's sat there by the (closed) door, just drop a pot over him, no probs - HA!

Soon as i go near it it takes off again UNDER the door and into the bedroom hallway, i live in a bungalow and all the rooms in the house except the kitchen come off this hallway, so i dive out the bugroom door, shove the living room door shut with crossed fingers that it didn't go in there because the missus is sat on the sofa and she freaks enough if a cricket runs into the room, had a very quick look round the hallway just in time to see him disappearing into the bathroom, that was for me the best room he could've gone in as there are no hiding places in my bathroom except behind the waste bin which was right where he headed for, i got lucky with the pot second time and he's now back where he belongs.

This is the culprit, now named "Houdini", it's about 4" - 5" legspan so not far off full size.

[Phil Rea]

Rather you than me Dave. I'd be sleeping in the shed if that happened here

[Glen Feasey]

There was anoter post very recently on here about these little dudes! I think that one classed them as 'A walking Tank' or something like that!
Your story shows how easily accidents can happen, but i am glad you managed to capture your little friend without to much fuss!

[CJ_GRISDALE]

i noticed the very same thing ive got 5 of these slings and they are rapid, luckily when they are younger you dont need to worry about being bit. I have just lost a p.ornata though today unfortunatly, its still in my spider room but it has managed to scurry into a boxed in part of the room so no idea how im going to get him back. theres a cold spell coming in i just hope he`s got the sense to come back out and go near the warmth so i can rescue him. Anybody got any ideas other than tearing down the boxed in part of the room of how i might coax him out

[Colin D Wilson]

Anybody got any ideas other than tearing down the boxed in part of the room of how i might coax him out

Don't Laugh, a chap once tied a cricket to a piece of string and fished for his B Smithi that had "found" a new burrow in the bathroom floor where the pipes go through. once it struck he pulled it out safely.
can you inprovise on this at all, long stick with a a short piece of string and a locust maybe.