# Dart Alive After Missing For 3 Months!



## MSon (Aug 15, 2014)

Hi all. I'll start the story with how one of my thumbs went missing..... Late May I received several thumbs FedEx overnight. Who I recieved them from I will not say. But anyways, I'm unpacking them all in my family room putting them one by one into their vivs, and half way through I notice a container without a lid..... I immediately secure the box after pulling the rest of the pdfs out hoping it's in the packiging somewhere. It was no where to be found. Till this day I didn't even believe it was shipped to me..... So today in Michigan we had a nice little storm, and because of the flooding a couple weeks ago the earth around my house must of been real loose because somehow my basement received some water. Well I get off work at 11 pm tonight and as soon as I walk in I hear a faint call from my basement. Now mind you there are no vivs down there, just a washer / dryer, bathroom, heating unit, and water tank etc. I believe the flooding and humidity down there made him call, or show himself lol. So to end my story, I did not locate it. I looked forever. But now I know it's down there thriving somehow. Has this happend to anybody? Did you recover the frog?


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## oddlot (Jun 28, 2010)

For you I hope so, but I am a bit skeptical.It would need to be in a moist spot for the whole three months or it would be frog jerky. It may be able to find food if you have an ant issue or something along those lines.It would be very cool if you are correct and I'd say extremely rare.I'm skeptical but hopeful for you.


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## MSon (Aug 15, 2014)

Believe it or not. It's an unfinished basement, I'm sure there's moisture and some supply of food down there. I'll probably lean a garbage can on something and try to fake it out by using another calling male. (In a secure container.) Hopefully I can catch him in there tomorrow when I try.


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## Styx (Oct 25, 2008)

I sure hope you catch him, that would be amazing.


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## dam630 (Dec 11, 2009)

or... maybe its just a cricket


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## MoCarp (Dec 3, 2013)

you might try a "trap" a clean pizza box. "ask they will give u one" with a clear dish tall sides with FF or some moving insect they can see....damp a sponge or 3 set set box over the bait/sponges around the wall/edges.. get you a fish net like for guppies and sneek down with a flash light and flip over boxes if hes there youll find him


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## Boondoggle (Dec 9, 2007)

I hope you're right and you find it, but I'll believe it when I see it. 

The closest I've ever come to this situation is with a well planted tank full of sirensis. When I was feeding I somehow missed one's escape. I wouldn't have know except about 3 hours later I happened upon him hopping down the hallway. My brain stopped and it took me a second to realize what I was seeing. I have hardwood floors, it would have been hard to spot him otherwise. 

I seem to remember Rich Frye telling a story years ago about a Pumilio that spent a few months wandering his basement before recapture. If I'm remembering the story right it looked like it had been eating OK. After that I always imagined his frog basement as dank and dungeon-like.


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## Mantella71 (Oct 7, 2013)

I once had a Costa Rican auratus escape in my basement and could not find for a few months. I finally found him next to the sump pump. He was slightly thin but went on to recover. The basement was unfinished and all cement floor. Hopefully you find him soon.


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## Enlightened Rogue (Mar 21, 2006)

MoCarp said:


> flip over boxes if hes there youll find him


Or something with 8 legs


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## MSon (Aug 15, 2014)

Lol. Some of these made me laugh. Well I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one that this happen to. I plan on trying several methods to capture him. And I also have cement floor in my basement with lots of "moist" areas. I plan on laying several bins on their sides with potted plants and coco huts, possibly some ff cultures. I'm just going to start checking them every day.


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## Charlie Q (Jul 13, 2013)

Sounds like someone should develop a "frog whistle"


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## dam630 (Dec 11, 2009)

spread a real light amount of flour around the floor, that way you will be able to see any tracks that are laid by any creature that may be down there chirping.


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## Charlie Q (Jul 13, 2013)

Won't flour absorb any moisture that might be there?


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## dam630 (Dec 11, 2009)

I think the whole process will be a lot easier once he identifies what is chirping in his basement. If he sees frog prints, set up some feed stations and plenty of water.
If he sees cricket prints, then the Chinese would say he has good luck


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## MSon (Aug 15, 2014)

It's not a cricket. Once something new happens I'll inform the thread.


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## ZenMonkey (Sep 17, 2013)

I'm kind of on the edge of my seat. Do let us know.


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## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

dam630 said:


> I think the whole process will be a lot easier once he identifies what is chirping in his basement. If he sees frog prints, set up some feed stations and plenty of water.
> If he sees cricket prints, then the Chinese would say he has good luck


The problem there is that you wouldn't find frog prints. If there is in fact, a frog down there, and you spread flour on the floor, you would simply find a dead wad of dough. That would suck to deliberately kill it, after it has somehow managed to survive.


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## dam630 (Dec 11, 2009)

I did mention spread it really light, didn't I?
Like barely a dusting... but it would be enough to see tracks I am sure.
And they could be followed


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## MSon (Aug 15, 2014)

So last night I set up a baby monitor hopeing to catch him in the act and about 10ish this morning, sure as shit he was cruising right across my basement floor. By the time I opened the door, crept down the stairs, he was already long gone. Now one day I have work off I plan to sit down there for a couple hours patiently waiting to suprise attack and capture him.


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## ZenMonkey (Sep 17, 2013)

Wow! That is one hardy froggy. 


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## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

How about setting up a brom as close to the floor as possible? Put it right in line with the trail he followed. Fill the pockets with water to make it attractive to him.


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## ZenMonkey (Sep 17, 2013)

And maybe some springtails in the water?


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## Enlightened Rogue (Mar 21, 2006)

You can`t make this stuff up


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## Judy S (Aug 29, 2010)

how 'bout a continuous tape of the "call" for that species, which hasn't been mentioned at this point...near a banana slice seeded with FFs, small Phoenix worms, broms as suggested...and a pillow and Barry White....


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## mykoe817 (Apr 16, 2014)

Call me crazy...




Walk in viv sounds nice.


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## Enlightened Rogue (Mar 21, 2006)

Judy S said:


> how 'bout a continuous tape of the "call" for that species, which hasn't been mentioned at this point...near a banana slice seeded with FFs, small Phoenix worms, broms as suggested...and a pillow and Barry White....


I`m on my way Judy


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## MSon (Aug 15, 2014)

Tarapoto Imitator.


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## yeloowtang (May 1, 2014)

i like the walk in viv idea, that might just work, nice humid place with plants and lots of hiding spots amd food... i vote for that idea


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## a hill (Aug 4, 2007)

Might I suggest a large clear steralite container and ff culture? 

Wait a few days and I'm sure you'll find him there. 

-Andrew


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## DartSolo (Sep 7, 2014)

Any updates?


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## MSon (Aug 15, 2014)

CAPTURED THIS MORNING! A little bit of Marvin Gaye, some calling from another male, a couple broms, baby monitor, and a garbage can on its side did the trick. Hes looking pretty good and eating like a champ.


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## ColleenT (Aug 21, 2014)

photos please. Congrats. i hope he bounces back and is healthy.


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## dam630 (Dec 11, 2009)

He must have ate that cricket !!!
LOL


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## ZenMonkey (Sep 17, 2013)

Wow! What an adventure for you and the froggy both. Glad it had a happy ending.


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## Dendro Dave (Aug 2, 2005)

Charlie Q said:


> Sounds like someone should develop a "frog whistle"


Tried... Only seemed to attract pixies and the occasional gnome. The pixies are cool...no high like railing a couple lines of pixie dust. So high you're literally flying... but the gnomes steal a lot of socks. Street price of pixie dust is pretty high though so I come out ahead in the end

Anyways glad this story has a happy ending


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## Styx (Oct 25, 2008)

Congrats that is so awesome. I'm really glad he's okay.


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## MSon (Aug 15, 2014)

Thank you thank you thank you.


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## Charlie Q (Jul 13, 2013)

Dendro Dave said:


> Tried... Only seemed to attract pixies and the occasional gnome. The pixies are cool...no high like railing a couple lines of pixie dust. So high you're literally flying... but the gnomes steal a lot of socks. Street price of pixie dust is pretty high though so I come out ahead in the end
> 
> Anyways glad this story has a happy ending


yeah, with all that pixie dust you are peddling, who needs a few dirty socks?

congrats on the frog capture!


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## JayMillz (Jun 27, 2012)

MSon said:


> CAPTURED THIS MORNING! A little bit of Marvin Gaye, some calling from another male, a couple broms, baby monitor, and a garbage can on its side did the trick. Hes looking pretty good and eating like a champ.


NO WAY! That is so cool! Can you post a pic of it compared to how the rest of them look today for comparison?


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## FroggyKnight (Mar 14, 2013)

That is way awesome! I'm so happy he made it alright. I think that frog will bring you a whole lot more luck than the cricket dam630 keeps talking about

In all honesty, I'm still a bit skeptical of the whole thing, but I'm also happy that there is a happy ending to all this

John


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## SDK (Aug 11, 2014)

Great news. I have been keeping an eye on this ongoing saga and hoping for the best. Another vote for pics!


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## Dart girl (Sep 25, 2013)

I'm happy it turned out well. 


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## simonphelps (May 29, 2012)

I would like to see pictures too. I live in Southern Michigan and in this past week it has dropped into the mid 40's several times.


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## MSon (Aug 15, 2014)

Skeptical or not, I didn't wake up this morning and decide to pull a Rick. True frog story here. And I made a stupid mistake of putting him back with my other Tarapotos before quarantined so now he's potentially a walking, or hopping frog of illness. Now I must separate them all. And I have no pictures on my phone. The first thing in my mind was to rehome him not take a photo. I'm not that hip kid with a cell glued to my face. And correct it has dropped down to the mid 40s here in MI, but my house has heat..... So I don't know why that matters.


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## Durango Darts (Mar 7, 2014)

Crazy! Very glad that you found the lil fellow! I once had my male Basti escape from a umbrella plant pushing the lid up slightly... I was doing dishes and saw him out of the corner of my eye!


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## MSon (Aug 15, 2014)

Durango Darts said:


> Crazy! Very glad that you found the lil fellow! I once had my male Basti escape from a umbrella plant pushing the lid up slightly... I was doing dishes and saw him out of the corner of my eye!


Dam these swift ninjas frogs.


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## simonphelps (May 29, 2012)

MSon said:


> Skeptical or not, I didn't wake up this morning and decide to pull a Rick. True frog story here. And I made a stupid mistake of putting him back with my other Tarapotos before quarantined so now he's potentially a walking, or hopping frog of illness. Now I must separate them all. And I have no pictures on my phone. The first thing in my mind was to rehome him not take a photo. I'm not that hip kid with a cell glued to my face. And correct it has dropped down to the mid 40s here in MI, but my house has heat..... So I don't know why that matters.


LOL ok...Maybe I misread something but it sounded like the basement was unfinished and concrete so I was thinking there wouldn't be heating or cooling vents in the basement which would make it a cold couple of nights with temps in the mid 40's.


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## SDK (Aug 11, 2014)

My brother and I had a tank of Anoles when we were kids, back in the late 1970's. We had a big male escape one summer, and he set up shop on a fence in my backyard.

We tried all summer to catch him, knowing that a NY winter was going to do him in. He was too wise to us after being in captivity, and he disappeared sometime around Halloween.

Fast forward to the following spring. We were playing in the yard one day, and there he was! Sitting in his favorite spot on the fence! We were in absolute shock that he somehow survived the winter.

Our house did not have a basement, but we did have a boiler room in the garage that stayed warm and buggy year round. That was (and still is) my prevailing theory about how he survived the winter, but who knows....

Goes to show, never give up on a lost herp. Stranger things have happened lol...


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## MSon (Aug 15, 2014)

simonphelps said:


> LOL ok...Maybe I misread something but it sounded like the basement was unfinished and concrete so I was thinking there wouldn't be heating or cooling vents in the basement which would make it a cold couple of nights with temps in the mid 40's.


It's unfinished but there's still vents and all that bs down there, a furnace, water tank, washer, dryer, etc. It's a typical creepy unfinished basement.


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## DKeller (May 4, 2014)

MSon said:


> CAPTURED THIS MORNING! A little bit of Marvin Gaye, some calling from another male, a couple broms, baby monitor, and a garbage can on its side did the trick. Hes looking pretty good and eating like a champ.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_w4oSCJIQk


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