A. avic wont let go of tongs during feeding

[J0urney]

Whenever I feed my A. avic she will NOT let go of the tongs. This started out as kind of cute because she was just holding them but as time has progressed she has become more possessive. Yesterday I dragged her almost out of the enclosure because she would not let go and today she fully jumped onto the tongs. My question is how do I avoid this? I like to tong feed because stray crickets make me worried but is it not worth the risk? Also if we change the scenario slightly and say that this was an OW rather than a sweet lil Avic what would you recommend?

I will try and post a video in a day or two, she is an EATING MACHINE and would eat 5 times a day if I let her but I try and only feed every 2-3 days

 

[Dannica]

If you want her to stop grabbing your tongs, stop tong feeding. Drop the food in, and move on.

 

[Andrew Clayton]

Whenever I feed my A. avic she will NOT let go of the tongs. This started out as kind of cute because she was just holding them but as time has progressed she has become more possessive. Yesterday I dragged her almost out of the enclosure because she would not let go and today she fully jumped onto the tongs. My question is how do I avoid this? I like to tong feed because stray crickets make me worried but is it not worth the risk? Also if we change the scenario slightly and say that this was an OW rather than a sweet lil Avic what would you recommend?

I will try and post a video in a day or two, she is an EATING MACHINE and would eat 5 times a day if I let her but I try and only feed every 2-3 days

Tong feeding is only really useful if you’re T isn’t coming down to eat otherwise throw a cricket in and leave it till the next day simple as that plus if it’s metal tongs it can be dangerous for you’re T as it could break a Fang trying to bite it.

Also if we change the scenario slightly and say that this was an OW rather than a sweet lil Avic what would you recommend?

Not tong feeding you must be crazy to feed an OW with tongs it will be out up the tongs and on you’re arm, neck or face before you know it

 

[J0urney]

Not tong feeding you must be crazy to feed an OW with tongs it will be out up the tongs and on you’re arm, neck or face before you know it

Don't have any OW's yet, but probably wasn't planing on tong feeding those.
Guess its no more tong feeding for her. Any ideas on what would cause her to want to hold the tongs, because she isn't attacking them- just grabbing on with her feet?

 

[cold blood]

mistaken identity.

 

[Ellenantula]

Agreed with others -- just drop your feeders in.

I use a vial to catch my feeders, and it's so simple to just tip vial into enclosure near T.

Heaven knows I am clumsy enough without trying to catch a feeder with tongs!!! Impossible feat for me. I honestly envy people who can pick up fast moving prey with tongs!!! And like others, I worry Ts will break their fangs on tongs anyway.

 

[The Grym Reaper]

Just don't tong feed, I don't know why people insist on doing this, they are perfectly capable of hunting down feeders.

she is an EATING MACHINE and would eat 5 times a day if I let her but I try and only feed every 2-3 days

Unless it's a sling and you're feeding small meals then there is absolutely no need to feed this often.

 

[viper69]

Tong feeding— a few of these lately.

Why why why are people tong feeding animals, that don’t need it??????????!!!!!!

I can only assume it’s monkey see monkey do ala StupidTube!!!!

When I bought my first T it never occurred to me to use any tool to feed my T.

Now why is that? Because I had enough common sense to realize these are wild animals that need zero help from their human captors, aside from providing water.

Where is the critical thinking, and the common sense with all the tong feeders?

>> Out the window!!

 

[ThorsCarapace22]

Tong feeding— a few of these lately.

Why why why are people tong feeding animals, that don’t need it??????????!!!!!!

I can only assume it’s monkey see monkey do ala StupidTube!!!!

When I bought my first T it never occurred to me to use any tool to feed my T.

Now why is that? Because I had enough common sense to realize these are wild animals that need zero help from their human captors, aside from providing water.

Where is the critical thinking, and the common sense with all the tong feeders?

>> Out the window!!

Doesn't it defeat the whole purpose? Watching your T eat and hunt turns into more of baby feeding worry.

 

[viper69]

Doesn't it defeat the whole purpose? Watching your T eat and hunt turns into more of baby feeding worry.

I think watching them hunt (well most species, not all) is quite interesting. Particularly when the cricket is in a spot that I don't think the T will notice, and BOOM, a drop from the sky and the cricket is dinner. I see this quite often with my Avics, and various terrestrials- though the latter launch across land, no skydiving.

 

[Teal]

As others said, stop tong feeding. Drop the prey item in from far enough that the tongs aren't getting that close to the spider.

Don't have any OW's yet, but probably wasn't planing on tong feeding those.
Guess its no more tong feeding for her. Any ideas on what would cause her to want to hold the tongs, because she isn't attacking them- just grabbing on with her feet?

Simple - the tongs entered her space, and anything small-ish may be food. She is testing them to see if they are edible.

 

[viper69]

As others said, stop tong feeding. Drop the prey item in from far enough that the tongs aren't getting that close to the spider.



Simple - the tongs entered her space, and anything small-ish may be food. She is testing them to see if they are edible.

Tongs and Pre-molt @Teal -- I can't believe it. Been at least 3 of the former in a day.

 

[Teal]

Tongs and Pre-molt @Teal -- I can't believe it. Been at least 3 of the former in a day.

You know what we need...

We need a filter on this site. If someone types "premolt" it gets changed to HOGWASH. If someone types "tong feeding" it gets changed to JUST STOP.

 

[ThorsCarapace22]

I think watching them hunt (well most species, not all) is quite interesting. Particularly when the cricket is in a spot that I don't think the T will notice, and BOOM, a drop from the sky and the cricket is dinner. I see this quite often with my Avics, and various terrestrials- though the latter launch across land, no skydiving.

Especially when ya experience a T.stirmi jump across the enclosure. Huge bulky T flying like a plane. I'm not gonna lie I have jump scares everynow and then. Even with my Avics.

 

[J0urney]

Thank you everyone for the advice, my tong feeding was definitely a case of monkey see monkey do combined with the fear that a cricket will some day bite my T. Im definitely still a bit of a newbie and have only had my spiders for about 18 months so this was definitely something I hadnt considered that I was doing wrong(till miss wannabe OW) I may make the switch to roaches so I know that that wont happen.

One point though, I dont remember seeing not to tong feed on any beginners guides when I was first starting out. I also see some debate on why it is bad. Does anyone have information on how bad tong feeding is. I did some preliminary research and see people talking about then breaking fangs, but how common is this. I know im going to stop tong feeding all but my male as he is old and slow and probably not long for this world, but giving newer keepers such as myself something more than maybe one or two mentions of possible broken fangs when I was first starting could have definitely prevented me from doing this.

mistaken identity.

What does this mean?

 

[Thekla]

IMO it's common sense to not use tongs. Everyone who experienced a T going after food and gets the tongs instead should ask themselves: "Oops, could they break their fangs on my metal tong?" And the answer should be "YES!", because, well, would you bite on a spoon or fork and not be afraid of losing a tooth?

So, there should be really no need to spell it out at all.

 

[J0urney]

IMO it's common sense to not use tongs. Everyone who experienced a T going after food and gets the tongs instead should ask themselves: "Oops, could they break their fangs on my metal tong?" And the answer should be "YES!", because, well, would you bite on a spoon or fork and not be afraid of losing a tooth?

So, there should be really no need to spell it out at all.

I think this is a bad analogy because people put metal forks in their mouth all the time and know not to bite too hard Also other people could use wooden tongs. Again let me say im not asking for myself. If enough people think something is a bad idea and not doing that will not hurt my T's im not going to do it. I am asking so I can advise other people with something more than "it's common sense". Im really looking for anecdotal evidence of regular occurrence or a morphological reason that they are apt to break their fangs on tongs. Because to me this wasnt common sense. Sure after she started going after my tongs I thought about this, but even when she does shes not biting. shes grabbing on with a foot. People shouldn't have to chance a break to realize maybe they shouldnt tong feed, especially if breaks are common with tong feeding. I think that maybe I should make a new thread talking about tong feeding specifically. going to try and see if one already exists

 

[The Grym Reaper]

I think this is a bad analogy because people put metal forks in their mouth all the time and know not to bite too hard

A tarantula doesn't know not to bite too hard though, the more food-driven species will hit anything they sense as hard as they can and then ask questions later.

I am asking so I can advise other people with something more than "it's common sense".

I'm not sure that they'd actually snap a fang by tagging the tongs (it takes a fair bit of effort to snap off a fang) but they could certainly chip or weaken them.

Tbh, potential fang breakages aren't even the biggest worry IMO, tarantulas are perfectly capable of running up the tongs if they get spooked*, you do not want Psalmopoeinae or OW species halfway up your arm due to a feeding mishap.

*I've had this happen with an Ephebopus cyanognathus, managed to get halfway up my forearm before my brain had even registered that it'd moved. Luckily it did an about turn and ran back down the tongs and back into the enclosure.

 

[viper69]

You know what we need...

We need a filter on this site. If someone types "premolt" it gets changed to HOGWASH. If someone types "tong feeding" it gets changed to JUST STOP.

I couldn't agree more.

If you want her to stop grabbing your tongs, stop tong feeding. Drop the food in, and move on.

That's some crazy sounding common sense, and Nobel Prize winning critical thinking! Nice to see you are still around.

 

[The Grym Reaper]

We need a filter on this site. If someone types "premolt" it gets changed to HOGWASH. If someone types "tong feeding" it gets changed to JUST STOP.

When you type in "handling" you're presented with this image of Godzilla walking into the sea with both middle fingers up towards the shore saying "nope" repeatedly.