Handling T's

For or against handling T's?

  • For. They're fine

    Votes: 1 1.7%
  • Against. They're too fragile

    Votes: 57 98.3%

  • Total voters
    58
  • Poll closed .

SnappyMantid

Arachnopeon
Joined
Apr 12, 2018
Messages
12
I am torn between handing and not handling my spiders. I fear that I will accendently injure one, but I also would love to handle them.
 

Chris LXXIX

ArachnoGod
Joined
Dec 25, 2014
Messages
5,845
I am torn between handing and not handling my spiders. I fear that I will accendently injure one, but I also would love to handle them.
I feel the burden of such a powerful doubt and question as well, my new virtual friend :) but, bit of solace, consider that there's people out there torn between 'eating or not eating tomorrow', so let's praise together Frank Capra, because our life is, yes... indeed 'Wonderful' :pompous:
 

chanda

Arachnoking
Old Timer
Joined
Jun 27, 2010
Messages
2,229
To handle - or not to handle?
That is the question.
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The woes and sorrows of an unpettable pet,
Or to lay hands upon that hairy spider
And by mere holding, risk him. To bite - to fall -
To fall, perchance to die - ay, there's the rub:
For in that fall to ground what wounds may come?
When he has shuffled off this mortal coil
Do we then pause - was it well worth
The cost that took your spider from this earth?

(Sorry - spent the afternoon at a dress rehearsal for my son's upcoming performance in A Midsummer Night's Dream. Guess I've got Shakespeare on the brain!)
 

SnappyMantid

Arachnopeon
Joined
Apr 12, 2018
Messages
12
To handle - or not to handle?
That is the question.
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The woes and sorrows of an unpettable pet,
Or to lay hands upon that hairy spider
And by mere holding, risk him. To bite - to fall -
To fall, perchance to die - ay, there's the rub:
For in that fall to ground what wounds may come?
When he has shuffled off this mortal coil
Do we then pause - was it well worth
The cost that took your spider from this earth?

(Sorry - spent the afternoon at a dress rehearsal for my son's upcoming performance in A Midsummer Night's Dream. Guess I've got Shakespeare on the brain!)
Wow... That explains a lot! I'll have to tell that to my green bottle blue tonight. Shakespider!
 

Bananafish

Arachnopeon
Joined
Apr 17, 2018
Messages
6
usually no, to avoid injuries. but of course there are times when my OW T's would jump on my hand out of a sudden and I have to CAREFULLY do some hand kung-fu and try to not hurt it (or myself).
 

Sinned

Arachnosquire
Joined
Nov 23, 2017
Messages
144
Against it, (I'm clumsy enough and) I don't wanna risk harming my pet(s).

If stuff goes wrong, they can end up in your hands, but I don't think one should just decide to pick them up out of their home ...and "risk it". It being their well-being and even that of others you live with.
 

Little Grey Spider

Arachnoknight
Joined
May 14, 2017
Messages
262
I am torn between handing and not handling my spiders. I fear that I will accendently injure one, but I also would love to handle them.
Your animal gains nothing from handling, but is put at risk if you attempt it. So why do it? With that being said.... If you choose to attempt to handle them, do so in a safe manner to minimize fall and escape risk. Personally, I wouldn't do it. My ego or enjoyment is not worth their life.
 

Minty

@londontarantulas
Joined
Feb 2, 2018
Messages
488
Against. There are no positives about handling them, in my opinion.
 

Belegnole

Tarantula Guy
Old Timer
Joined
Nov 30, 2005
Messages
171
Tarantulas get enough stress from general keeping. I strongly go against the idea of adding more stress plus the chance of injury by handling. Even though I occasionally have the urge to handle my "pets" I don't. I guess it helps that I have a worsening allergic reaction to the urticating hairs I come in contact with just from maintenance. Old world here I come....
 

Vinny2915

Arachnosquire
Joined
Oct 24, 2017
Messages
116
I don't think it is to big if i problem. I would never do it mainly because trying to grab a tarantula running all over you is very annoying, plus I keep mostly old worlds so a bite really isn't something I could brush off. With that being said, if I see someone else holding tarantulas regardless of species I don't care, it isn't my life.
 

starnaito

Arachnosquire
Joined
Jul 12, 2017
Messages
96
While I don't support handling, I do think you should be comfortable doing so in the event that one ends up on your hand. If something goes wrong during a cage transfer or maintenance and your response is to freak out, you might seriously injure the tarantula or provoke it to react defensively/flee. I recently had an escape (a harmless C. versicolor sling) during a cage transfer, but I simply coaxed it onto my hand and back in the enclosure. Since this happens regularly with my Chilean dwarf flame, who thinks she's entitled to come on out whenever the door is open, I'm able to react calmly. Once you have the experience of handling a tarantula, I think it's much easier to keep your composure in escape situations.
 

Paul1126

Arachnoangel
Joined
Jun 14, 2017
Messages
818
One of my brachys crawled onto my hand.
He pooped on me.

Handling Ts... Not even once.
 

scott99

Arachnoknight
Joined
Jan 8, 2015
Messages
160
I am torn between handing and not handling my spiders. I fear that I will accendently injure one, but I also would love to handle them.
This again:banghead:, how long do you have to be in the hobby to realized that handling is a bad idea; also it makes T owners looks like stuntmen or daredevils.
 

nicodimus22

Arachnomancer
Arachnosupporter
Joined
Sep 26, 2013
Messages
715
I'm not looking for an adrenaline rush or trying to brag about something to my friends. That's immature behavior IMO. I want the animals to be as safe as is reasonably possible. You can still have bolts during feeding and maintenance, even if you're careful, but I'd never get them out on purpose.
 

WoofSpider

Arachnosquire
Joined
Aug 31, 2016
Messages
81
Wow. 100% against at 35 votes. Great job guys. Can't get much clearer than that.

Yeah, just don't do it. There's no benefit to the spider and plenty of risk. It's a purely selfish thing to do.
 

Kymura

Arachnoknight
Joined
Oct 1, 2015
Messages
182
Just MPO, no offense meant,
For me, the only time I have ever 'handled' was during my own ignorant mistakes and they were quicker then I was and got onto me during rehouse etc,
they don't enjoy it, they get zero out of it, it will NOT 'tame' them, so why do it...
If, for whatever reason they do get onto you, remain calm, move slowly and gently, these creatures are fragile, don't jump or fling the poor thing around.

wait, I lied, had a dehydrated rescue avic I did handle to drop water into her mouth. (it lived by the way)
 

Tim Benzedrine

Prankster Possum
Old Timer
Joined
Apr 4, 2004
Messages
1,496
To handle - or not to handle?
That is the question.
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The woes and sorrows of an unpettable pet,
Or to lay hands upon that hairy spider
And by mere holding, risk him. To bite - to fall -
To fall, perchance to die - ay, there's the rub:
For in that fall to ground what wounds may come?
When he has shuffled off this mortal coil
Do we then pause - was it well worth
The cost that took your spider from this earth?

(Sorry - spent the afternoon at a dress rehearsal for my son's upcoming performance in A Midsummer Night's Dream. Guess I've got Shakespeare on the brain!)

That was a work of art! Well done!
 

matypants

Arachnopeon
Joined
Sep 21, 2015
Messages
42
To handle - or not to handle?
That is the question.
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The woes and sorrows of an unpettable pet,
Or to lay hands upon that hairy spider
And by mere holding, risk him. To bite - to fall -
To fall, perchance to die - ay, there's the rub:
For in that fall to ground what wounds may come?
When he has shuffled off this mortal coil
Do we then pause - was it well worth
The cost that took your spider from this earth?

(Sorry - spent the afternoon at a dress rehearsal for my son's upcoming performance in A Midsummer Night's Dream. Guess I've got Shakespeare on the brain!)
That was a work of art! Well done!
Yes! Truly brilliant.

Also, with regards to handling-
 
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