Best handlers?

[Poec54]

It's not proof that it's bad for them to be held since if neither of you panic or attack the other, all will seemingly go well...the act itself isn't harmful to them

No, not harmful... until they're dropped, or flung when they bite someone. You don't know what's going to happen with a spider in your hand: they don't know what kind of animal you are, or what you're doing picking them up. It's not a normal situation they incur in the wild, so there's no telling what their response will be.

No one who's dropped or flung a spider had that intention when they picked it up.

 

[Poec54]

There will NEVER be any credible evidence that tarantulas benefit in any way whatsoever from being handled by humans. EVER. The only being that benefits in any way from handling a tarantula is the human. Every single available data source concerning tarantulas points to the FACT that tarantulas merely tolerate being physically manipulated by humans. They neither desire, nor require such interaction. That is opinion?

Thank you. If they had a natural desire to be held or bond with large mammals, they'd be doing that in the wild: coming up to people and crawling up their legs and in their laps. But, since a number of mammals prey on tarantulas (some quite heavily), it's not a behavior that would promote species survival. Not necessarily 'Proof', but it's not in tarantula's best interests to be chummy with any potential predators, or there would be a lot of less of them in the wild. Just as our ancestors wouldn't have been going up to a pride of lions expecting to pet them.

 

[jiacovazzi]

Filibusters aside, its not stopping those hobbyists who want to handle t's. Its not going to end, no matter how often you repeat yourselves. Go debate that with your mirror, you'll get just as far.

 

[Chris LXXIX]

Filibusters aside, its not stopping those hobbyists who want to handle t's. Its not going to end, no matter how often you repeat yourselves. Go debate that with your mirror, you'll get just as far.

Filibusters? Are we ?

 

[Travis K]

What's changed over the years is that when handling started, there were very few species in the hobby, all were wild caught, the majority being NW terrestrials. Gradually it's switched over to mostly CBB originating from Europe, and the dominant species today are tropical and high strung, with a large representation of OW's. The animals in the hobby have changed radically, and it keeps changing: a large percentage of species on pricelists today weren't in the hobby 10 or 15 years ago. That's made it a much more interesting hobby; new introductions all the time. It was previously thought that all tarantula venoms were like bee stings; we now know that's not true. The innocent times of previous decades are long over.

Whoa there, that is a lot of assumptions. Firstly, there were plenty of OW species in the hobby way back when (just 9 little years). I disagree that price list have changed that much too over the years. No one I ever knew in 2007 thought OW's were not medically significant bites.

What did change for 'me' is that I got it out of my system and don't feel the need to handle them to enjoy and appreciate them. I handled plenty of Pokies, OBTs, etc. back then. Similar threads way back in circa '07 had a lot of invert veterans saying the same thing I am saying today. Nothing has really changed.

This is me

^This was the second and last time I ever handled this girl. I got her to 11" before she expired. RIP S. s. dehaani.

 

[Poec54]

Whoa there, that is a lot of assumptions. Firstly, there were plenty of OW species in the hobby way back when (just 9 little years). I disagree that price list have changed that much too over the years. No one I ever knew in 2007 thought OW's were not medically significant bites.

Read more carefully. I was referring to past decades, when handling started. I got my first tarantula over 40 years ago, when OW's were almost non-existent in the hobby, and tropicals were few and far between. Handling wasn't a big deal then. As I said, "The innocent times of previous decades are long over." OW's and tropicals started coming in from Europe in the 1990's, but the hobby was still small then. It exploded in the 2000's with the internet and captive breeding, which has driven the search for more species from remote areas, never available before.

I sold off my collection in 2003 (105 species) because all I could find of OW's was 25 species. Most people had no interest in them then, and a dealer even told me: "When are you going to give up and stop keeping OW's? No one wants them, I can't find buyers. Everyone wants NW's."

A couple years after that came a tidal wave of CBB tropicals and OW's from Europe, and the hobby's been different ever since. That's why I started collecting again in 2012; I was floored at how many OW's were in the hobby, and how popular they'd become. Turns out I gave up a couple years too soon.

 

[Travis K]

Bottom line is T's are property whether you handle them or not, or even if you want to BBQ them. Everyone in here is going to see things in that regard a little differently.

To answer the threads OP... The 'best handlers' are going to be the more docile terrestrial Ts. IME, B. smithi has been the 'best' species for this.

 

[Exoskeleton Invertebrates]

Oh goodness gracious! I'm sinning.

 

[Chris LXXIX]

Oh goodness gracious! I'm sinning.

Repent, then, and turn to "HANHA" (the Holy Arachnoboards Non Handling Alliance) so that your sin may be wiped out

 

[Exoskeleton Invertebrates]

I repent my holiness, as I've sunk into the mire of the deep.....................on AB!

 

[jiacovazzi]

Careful there Jose... There's absolutely no evidence that benefits the animal! What happened to respect these days?!

 

[Toxoderidae]

Now, I don't handle, but I did when I started. If you handle an animal like my snake, he will willingly come out of his home and onto you. He enjoys human interaction, and feels comfort and security. A Tarantula is unaware of the situation, and more often or not is scared, but has no idea what to do, or simply does not care. Certain species I'd say: "If you want to handle once a month or so, sure, but think of the spider first." But for the most part, handling is a big no for me.

 

[matypants]

One thing I've learned in my short time keeping arachnids is that a tarantula cannot articulate audibly how it may be feeling, with the minor exception of those that possess the ability to hiss. And a tarantula, while very capable of providing visible clues through body language, lacks the manual dexterity and intelligence to do so with the depth a mammal may exhibit feelings through body language. Especially the way a human will. And nothing is as obvious as a human's bruised ego on the internet. Why, in some instances they have even been known to display photographic evidence of their bruised egos. It is usually easy to tell. We might observe the puffed up acts of faux bravado captured in digital photographs coupled with verbiage dripping with teenage angst well past its expiration date. If only our tarantulas could be so eloquent we might solve the easily deduced debate once and for all. Ah, but one can only dream.

 

[mistertim]

Bottom line is T's are property whether you handle them or not, or even if you want to BBQ them. Everyone in here is going to see things in that regard a little differently.

To answer the threads OP... The 'best handlers' are going to be the more docile terrestrial Ts. IME, B. smithi has been the 'best' species for this.

Also all depends on the individual spider. I'm not really a "handler". I don't go looking to pick up my Ts (remember I'm still a noob and getting used to the hobby), but I've noticed my B. smithi is very skittish and runs away whenever she senses me anywhere near her (changing her water dish). My A. versicolor is a different story though. She's weird. I've had a few times now where I'll be changing her water bowl and she'll be somewhere close and come to investigate and occasionally start walking on my hand on her own. She seems to find it interesting I guess. I'll just let her walk around on my hand or arm for a couple minutes if she wants then gently get her back into her enclosure.

From what I've read its "usually" somewhat the opposite with those two. B. smithi are generally more easy going and Avics are generally a bit more skittish and tend to keep to themselves.

 

[jiacovazzi]

One thing I've learned in my short time keeping arachnids is that a tarantula cannot articulate audibly how it may be feeling, with the minor exception of those that possess the ability to hiss. And a tarantula, while very capable of providing visible clues through body language, lacks the manual dexterity and intelligence to do so with the depth a mammal may exhibit feelings through body language. Especially the way a human will. And nothing is as obvious as a human's bruised ego on the internet. Why, in some instances they have even been known to display photographic evidence of their bruised egos. It is usually easy to tell. We might observe the puffed up acts of faux bravado captured in digital photographs coupled with verbiage dripping with teenage angst well past its expiration date. If only our tarantulas could be so eloquent we might solve the easily deduced debate once and for all. Ah, but one can only dream.

Tarantulas cannot articulate audibly how they're feeling?! I've been conversing with my P.muticus for 3 years looking for a response and all she did was stridulate! Why did no one tell me this?!

 

[matypants]

*Whooooosh*

 

[Angel Minkov]

One thing I've learned in my short time keeping arachnids is that a tarantula cannot articulate audibly how it may be feeling, with the minor exception of those that possess the ability to hiss. And a tarantula, while very capable of providing visible clues through body language, lacks the manual dexterity and intelligence to do so with the depth a mammal may exhibit feelings through body language. Especially the way a human will. And nothing is as obvious as a human's bruised ego on the internet. Why, in some instances they have even been known to display photographic evidence of their bruised egos. It is usually easy to tell. We might observe the puffed up acts of faux bravado captured in digital photographs coupled with verbiage dripping with teenage angst well past its expiration date. If only our tarantulas could be so eloquent we might solve the easily deduced debate once and for all. Ah, but one can only dream.

Whoa buddy, I think you need to back off a bit. You're in no position to be telling people what to do with their animals. They can tell us via their body language how they're "feeling" quite well, but you probably don't know what since, by your description, you're new. I don't handle by choice, but I do occasionally get a sling or adult Poecilotheria up my arm. I avoid it and feel no joy from doing it, but if a newbie feels joy in holding his B. smithi, who's to stop him? There was a pretty big topic from a few years back started by a very knowledgeable member whose tarantulas would voluntarily come out of their enclosures and onto his hand. Maybe they're smarter than we think and can make associations, maybe it was something else. Who knows? I don't, and probably nobody on this forum, so we should just keep our thoughts to ourselves or express them in an appropriate manner.

 

[JoeRossi]

Whoa buddy, I think you need to back off a bit. You're in no position to be telling people what to do with their animals. They can tell us via their body language how they're "feeling" quite well, but you probably don't know what since, by your description, you're new. I don't handle by choice, but I do occasionally get a sling or adult Poecilotheria up my arm. I avoid it and feel no joy from doing it, but if a newbie feels joy in holding his B. smithi, who's to stop him? There was a pretty big topic from a few years back started by a very knowledgeable member whose tarantulas would voluntarily come out of their enclosures and onto his hand. Maybe they're smarter than we think and can make associations, maybe it was something else. Who knows? I don't, and probably nobody on this forum, so we should just keep our thoughts to ourselves or express them in an appropriate manner.

#60

 

[Pociemon]

Whoa buddy, I think you need to back off a bit. You're in no position to be telling people what to do with their animals. They can tell us via their body language how they're "feeling" quite well, but you probably don't know what since, by your description, you're new. I don't handle by choice, but I do occasionally get a sling or adult Poecilotheria up my arm. I avoid it and feel no joy from doing it, but if a newbie feels joy in holding his B. smithi, who's to stop him? There was a pretty big topic from a few years back started by a very knowledgeable member whose tarantulas would voluntarily come out of their enclosures and onto his hand. Maybe they're smarter than we think and can make associations, maybe it was something else. Who knows? I don't, and probably nobody on this forum, so we should just keep our thoughts to ourselves or express them in an appropriate manner.

I cant agree more. Well said...

 

[matypants]

Some people just can't take a joke. lol