What a surprise !

[flybyferns]

Hi ,

I have to share this story so NO ONE makes the same mistake.
I have 4 R imitator ‘Varadero’ in an exo terra 24 Hx 18 x 18. ( 2 pair)
Imitators are little escape artists .....they can.... really hide.
They flatten their little bodies into the very smallest, little spaces.

So ………for the past 2 days ……I have seen only 3 of my imitators?
This has happened many times. They all eventually show-up
But this seemed different. This frog was no-where!
I had to find my missing frog! I searched ( doors shut ) for hours with a flashlight.
No luck. I could NOT find this frog!

I removed the three remaining imitators and put them into a nice holding container for what turned out to be .....for the entire day. ( 2 females and one male) (NEVER clean an imi tank without removing the frogs 1st)

??? The entire time they were in the ' holding container' the male called and called and called - for hours!!!

I continued to search:
I pulled most of the plants and put them into a clean bin (with a lid ) for inspection ( just in case)
I pulled a brom …… and it had a terrible smell. I thought my imi drowned.( I have read about this happening) I thought he was ‘gone’

I cleaned the entire enclosure, replanted EVERYTHING , even added new ....wet, ABG. I removed most of the moss, the vine, and the driftwood while my 3 others were in the holding container. Plus…. ( since hours had gone by without any luck finding my missing imi ) the doors of the enclosure were OPEN the entire time !

An hour after this .........there he was….STILL in the enclosure.
I could have squished him a hundred times.

I cannot imaging where he was. It is amazing he survived all of this!

I am very lucky to have him.

[Mentat]

Hi Linn! Guess my froggie day was better than yours . Think your Varadero can not only imitate... but go invisible too !

[Heatheranne]

So glad to hear he/she is okay. Little stinker! Bet your heart was just racing while searching, too. Phew!!!! (Sigh of relief!)

[flybyferns]

Thanks,
It's really unbelievable !
I spent the entire day doing this !
I thought I was seeing things

sigh

[helm96]

I am so happy you found him and he was ok. I had one of those moments a few weeks ago but found my male Vent had wedged himself in a bad spot, not a good outcome. Needless to say your search turned out the opposite of mine which I am so happy to hear. For as small as the little buggers are they sure can cause a big heart attack.

[flybyferns]

Thanks Will,
They sure can ! It was not a good day .
I'm feeling very guilty...I should know better