Handle-able australian tarantulas for beginner?

[Alexthedroid]

I was wondering, I've been wanting to get a pet spider for a while now, and I'm unsure as to if there are any Australian tarantulas that are safe to handle? i've heard that because they are old world spiders, that they are pretty agressive. But am unsure, due to videos of people handling them online without much trouble. I was also wondering as to the potency of their venom, and whether or not it will do sufficient damage to me.

I am also considering a banded huntsman as an option. because the general consensus online seems to be that they are timid and more docile than the australian tarantulas. Though i would prefer a tarantula, if there are any that are able to be handled.

 

[antinous]

Seeing as that Australian tarantula species have been known to kill dogs, I wouldn’t handle any of them. I’ve only had experience with Phlogius crassipes, but hopefully @RezonantVoid will chime in (another user from austrailia).

 

[Nightstalker47]

Hi Alex, tarantulas are considered to be look not touch animals, especially potent OWs. Bites can send you the hospital, and you definitely dont want one of these escaping in the house.

Avoid handling, if you want to touch/feel the spider I recommend waiting for a molt. You'll get a good look at all the interesting features, without any of the risks that come with handling.

Welcome to the boards.

 

[Keke713]

How many threads are gonna be created for handling? This is insane lol! I’m 5 months into the hobby and with just a few minutes of joining this board I quickly learned handling is off limits. My mind is literally blown

 

[chanda]

If you want a tarantula that you can handle, pet, and cuddle, might I suggest one of these?
https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/31zIvqiquWL.jpg

Handling tarantulas is generally frowned upon - particularly Old World species, with their more potent venoms. The spider does not benefit from being held, but every time you hold it, you risk accidentally dropping it, exposing it to a potentially fatal injury like a ruptured abdomen. Nobody ever thinks it will happen if they are careful, but spiders - like all wild animals - are unpredictable. The spider might bolt or jump or fall off your hand. It might run up your arm and slip and fall. It might move unexpectedly or even bite, startling you and causing you to reflexively jerk your hand back - thereby flinging the spider across the room to splat against the wall.

I also would not recommend handling a huntsman spider. While their venom is not dangerous, they are insanely fast. I had one get away from me once during a rehouse, and I swear - that thing teleported across the room. It was safely recovered - but not without a lot of hunting, cursing, and desparately searching (and re-searching) every possible hiding place.

 

[Nightstalker47]

How many threads are gonna be created for handling? This is insane lol! I’m 5 months into the hobby and with just a few minutes of joining this board I quickly learned handling is off limits. My mind is literally blown

He just joined the site today though, definitely doesn't know any better...lets try to give him a break and explain things before you start disliking his posts.

 

[Keke713]

He just joined the site today though, definitely doesn't know any better...lets try to give him a break and explain things before you start disliking his posts.

I may have jumped the gun with the disllike button, but with all the threads being created about handling lately it wouldn’t take long to realize that handling is a no no.

 

[Nightstalker47]

I may have jumped the gun with the disllike button, but with all the threads being created about handling lately it wouldn’t take long to realize that handling is a no no.

I agree, but its not exactly welcoming to a new member. I like to give them the benefit of the doubt before jumping to conclusions.

 

[Dennis Nedry]

Australian tarantulas generally shouldn’t be handled. They can be very defensive, have very potent venom, can be quick to bolt, etc. A bite would be extremely painful and many individuals are quick to bite when threatened.

Huntsmans can be handled, but they are way faster than tarantulas and have a bad habit of jumoing off a surface with no regard of how high they are

 

[Alexthedroid]

If you want a tarantula that you can handle, pet, and cuddle, might I suggest one of these?
https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/31zIvqiquWL.jpg

Handling tarantulas is generally frowned upon - particularly Old World species, with their more potent venoms. The spider does not benefit from being held, but every time you hold it, you risk accidentally dropping it, exposing it to a potentially fatal injury like a ruptured abdomen. Nobody ever thinks it will happen if they are careful, but spiders - like all wild animals - are unpredictable. The spider might bolt or jump or fall off your hand. It might run up your arm and slip and fall. It might move unexpectedly or even bite, startling you and causing you to reflexively jerk your hand back - thereby flinging the spider across the room to splat against the wall.

I also would not recommend handling a huntsman spider. While their venom is not dangerous, they are insanely fast. I had one get away from me once during a rehouse, and I swear - that thing teleported across the room. It was safely recovered - but not without a lot of hunting, cursing, and desparately searching (and re-searching) every possible hiding place.

thanks, thats pretty much what i wanted to know ... side note, are there any Australian species of spider that are relatively safe to handle, without a big risk of losing the spider or injuring it?

 

[Nightstalker47]

thanks, thats pretty much what i wanted to know ... side note, are there any Australian species of spider that are relatively safe to handle, without a big risk of losing the spider or injuring it?

None.

 

[Alexthedroid]

None.

that's a shame, still going to get a pet spider though, just wont handle it

 

[Nightstalker47]

that's a shame, still going to get a pet spider though, just wont handle it

That's the spirit.

 

[viper69]

Australian species of spider that are relatively safe to handle, without a big risk of losing the spider or injuring it?

No. not on your land, nor mine or anyone else's.

 

[RezonantVoid]

@Alexthedroid welcome to the site mate. After briefly reading the above comments I'm just gonna go yea whatever and say the best for handling we have here is Selenotypus Wallace. They are smaller, generally unaggressive compared to the others and move slower.

That said, they have the strongest insecticidal peptide of any known spider. What does this mean? Beats me but probably nothing good. As stated, it is best to leave them be, if you want to get it to crawl across your hand when transferring then go for it but other than that, look but don't touch.

As for handling other Aussie spiders, how about these?

Arbanitis "Goldback"/hobby form, a self dubbed name I have given this species since the Aussie Museum won't do it for me. They are a trapdoor from Idiopidae family, very tame and have that stunning gold colouration. Compared to other Idiopidae they are pretty tame when handling.
There's also Idiommata silverback

But good luck finding any for sale these days

 

[dangerforceidle]

That said, they have the strongest insecticidal peptide of any known spider. What does this mean? Beats me but probably nothing good.

It means they have a component in their venom that is very effective at killing insect prey.

 

[RezonantVoid]

It means they have a component in their venom that is very effective at killing insect prey.

I had a feeling that was the case but I have no idea how it would effect humans. I only know that Phlogius envenomation can cause 8 hour vomiting and muscular cramps, so I imagine Selenotypus would be similar. All I know is that they behave more like an NW than an OW

 

[dangerforceidle]

I had a feeling that was the case but I have no idea how it would effect humans. I only know that Phlogius envenomation can cause 8 hour vomiting and muscular cramps, so I imagine Selenotypus would be similar. All I know is that they behave more like an NW than an OW

Oh yes, I imagine it's similar to an envenomation from Phlogius, but it is likely another peptide (or group of peptides) that causes that reaction in humans rather than the one that is highly insecticidal.

 

[Dennis Nedry]

thanks, thats pretty much what i wanted to know ... side note, are there any Australian species of spider that are relatively safe to handle, without a big risk of losing the spider or injuring it?

Huntsmans can be handled fairly easily, in the event of a fall they’re usually fine with drops from very high up. Though there is a risk it’ll run around your back or onto a wall, chances are you’ll find it that night on the ceiling though if it escapes

 

[Enrgy]

But am unsure, due to videos of people handling them online without much trouble.

no longer watch such people...they will get bit and it will be bad. anyways welcome to ab and as said earlier think of t's as fish like pets. look but no touch