Hot Ts and small children

[synic]

Hi, I'm synic. You may remember me from such threads as the one where I had just received a P. metallica and a P. irminia sling.

I have a 3 year old daughter. I had previously decided that I wasn't going to get any hot Ts until she was little older. I then rationalized it a bit in my mind. I figured, if I could do everything in my power to be super careful, like keeping my Ts in a locked walk-in closet and only doing maintenance in a locked bathroom where there's nowhere for a T to hide besides behind the soap, it wouldn't be any more dangerous than having a black widow in the house or living next to a busy street.

Then I saw this thread: http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?t=206616 about the escaped OBT and started doing a search for the word "escaped".

I found a few disturbing threads involving small children, including one about an adult P. regalis escaping in a house where they had little kids over all the time. They ended up bug bombing the house.

Now I'm having second thoughts, obviously. I can't predict everything that might happen.

I know some of you have small children, and you keep hot Ts too. I'd like to hear about what you do to protect against accidents, etc. I know I can't protect my child against every little thing that might happen in life, but there are some that are easier to prevent than others. I'd hate to give these two spiders away so shortly after getting them...

Anyway, I know this thread is going to stir some stuff up, but I'd like to hear anything anyone has to say on the subject.

 

[Dyn]

That was my P regalis that got loose.

Basicly you can do everything you can to be safe but you will eventually lapse and do one stupid thing that will resolute in an escape or bite or something unfortunate happening. It's basicly how you deal with the situation.

I spent a day frantically searching around for the spider. I couldnt find it and even though it would most likely just run and shy away somewhere instead of bite. I decided to bomb the house just to be safe on the off chance something like that could happen.


I've since changed around alot of my cages so the mistake wouldnt happen again.

 

[synic]

I've since changed around alot of my cages so the mistake wouldnt happen again.

What did you change? I remember reading in the thread that the cage you had wasn't closed properly.

Did you ever get that locking box for them?

 

[lord lionheart]

Personally I wouldn't keep hot T's period. Especially because I have two boys aged 5 & 7. The reward just doesn't justify the penalty if something goes wrong or you make a small mistake, like taking your eye off the T while changing it's water, leaving the door open etc. That's why I have beginner T's. But each to their own, that's just my choice

 

[Chris_Skeleton]

My advice would be keep something at the bottom of the doors so they can't escape through the crack while you're doing maintenance or if you forget to shut something properly. Another thing I've thought about is setting up a "place of refuge" for the escapee. Set up a tank, without a lid, with substrate, a water dish, and a heat source. If your T escapes, cut the heat source on, but make sure it's at a safe location, and toss some crickets in there. I'm sure it will turn up in there sooner or later. Always have the door shut to your rooms even while you are in there. If something gets loose, make sure there is no way it could escape, by securing cracks and gaps, etc, and quarantine the room. No one goes in, but you and when you go in check around and shut the door as fast as you can. And keep the "escape" tank and even the Ts original tank open.

 

[xhexdx]

I keep 'hot' (Old World) tarantulas.

I have two sons - one is 3, the other is 2 months old.

My spiders are kept in my Florida Room (basically a patio with windows on 3 of the 4 sides) that has locking glass sliding doors. Even if one DOES escape, it wouldn't be able to get into the rest of the house.

If you get an OW spider and are truly worried about it escaping, put it in a locking enclosure or put the enclosure inside something larger with another well-fitting lid.

Just take the extra time to make sure your daughter is safe. She's worth it.

 

[synic]

She's definitely worth it.

I need to get a Florida room. That sounds pretty awesome.

I have them in this, for now:

And that's in a locked closet. I will also never open the box pictured unless she's not home (she goes to preschool and I work at home), so if there is an escape, she won't even be here.

---------- Post added at 11:17 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:16 AM ----------

My advice would be keep something at the bottom of the doors so they can't escape through the crack while you're doing maintenance or if you forget to shut something properly. Another thing I've thought about is setting up a "place of refuge" for the escapee. Set up a tank, without a lid, with substrate, a water dish, and a heat source. If your T escapes, cut the heat source on, but make sure it's at a safe location, and toss some crickets in there. I'm sure it will turn up in there sooner or later. Always have the door shut to your rooms even while you are in there. If something gets loose, make sure there is no way it could escape, by securing cracks and gaps, etc, and quarantine the room. No one goes in, but you and when you go in check around and shut the door as fast as you can. And keep the "escape" tank and even the Ts original tank open.

I like this idea

 

[kristinnandbenn]

I don't think a tarantula poses any REAL threat to your child's life.

 

[Dyn]

What did you change? I remember reading in the thread that the cage you had wasn't closed properly.

Did you ever get that locking box for them?

I moved most of my smaller spiders from deli cups to screw on top square gallon jugs, also I've closed off the vent at the top of the room. I have my other two P regalis in the same kind of cages still but have a rubberband to make sure the door stays shut

 

[synic]

I moved most of my smaller spiders from deli cups to screw on top square gallon jugs, also I've closed off the vent at the top of the room. I have my other two P regalis in the same kind of cages still but have a rubberband to make sure the door stays shut

Cool. Really glad that turned out mostly-OK. Too bad about your pokie, though.

 

[Mojo Jojo]

I don't think a tarantula poses any REAL threat to your child's life.

Even if its not a threat to their life, there could be a REAL threat to severe pain, cramping, vomiting, etc... What parent wants their kids to have to deal with that? This isn't saying that the keepers of hotter tarantulas with small kids in the house are being irresponsible. I think as long as they are intelligent and have fully assessed the risk and have taken the proper precautions to deal with that risk, more power to them. Keep in mind that I'm only talking about keeping tarantulas.

People who keep real hots in the same household as children are in a whole different ballpark.

 

[synic]

People who keep real hots in the same household as children are in a whole different ballpark.

What's a real hot? Coral snake or something?

 

[kristinnandbenn]

What's a real hot? Coral snake or something?

Like a Phoneutria

 

[Mojo Jojo]

What's a real hot? Coral snake or something?

Something confirmed to be deadly. Check out LD values if you aren't sure what I'm talking about. There's some links to LD information that are stickied in the Scorpion Forum.

 

[andy375hh]

I dont have kids yet But I keep all of my T's Hot or not and all my Scorpions including Death Stalkers in a Cabinent I built with a locking Door. The Cabinent cost like $50.00 to make the plexiglas front was the most expensive part of the whole thing.

 

[Kathy]

You know, I was one of those people that thought this would NEVER happen to because I'm so careful, yet it did. I still think when I put the enclosure back on the shelf the bar on the back hit it and lifted it up. I was so sure I had that lid secure. That being said, I don't care how careful you are, there is always a chance of something going wrong, and I have to tell you in the future, I won't have anything else around that can hurt my pets or young kids. Why risk it, it's just not worth it. I hate sitting in this house knowing there is an OBT loose and I am just angry at myself for getting it. You know, I get so mad at ppl who have swimming pools and don't put a fence around it because they say they ALWAYS watch their kids.....yet 3 children drowned just this weekend in Phoenix. I totally get it now. Accidents happen.

 

[Mez]

If you're going to keep Ts, you should know that any species can make a child ill. If it gets to the point your kid has been bitten, you as a responsible parent are still probably going to take them to the ER. It's still an 'ordeal' for you, and although I am fully prepared to have to take a few days off work due to a bite to the hand (my personal worse case scenario), after swelling and extreme pain etc, you probably don't want your kid going through this, to me it wouldn't be a big deal, but I'm not a parent and don't have children to look after, and I'm sure you wouldn't want your kid missing school for a few days or whatever and being ill. Of course all this is worst case scenario..
You should also know that if you keep them the way you do, theres little chance of them escaping, except in the bathroom. You think there's only a soap to hide behind, but in reality the bathroom is the least safe place to rehome them, I bet in your bedroom your hands can get anywhere, behind wardrobes, tv's etc. Can you get in the little gap under the sink? A T can. Can you get in those pipes? A T can. Etc. Honestly, in my opinion, youre better off clearing everything out or to the sides of the room the T is in, in the middle of the room, on the floor, and doing it there, with two catch cups to hand and pair of long tweezers. It can't go up the walls, down any crevices, behind the toilet etc.
Personally, I wouldn't worry what species you are keeping, if you're keeping Ts. You'd probably take the same approach if you kept only Grammastola and Avicularia, you may aswell go out and buy yourself an S. calceatum!

 

[Pociemon]

Just be careful when you are working with the T´s. It is also about information. I have a son who now is 12, when my first T arrived he was 6, and i have long talks with him about the dangers. He has never opened up to any T, and i make sure i have a escape safe T room. he even help me feed slings now, but only slings. I only have old worlds, i cant take the hairs.

 

[Kendage]

She's definitely worth it.

I need to get a Florida room. That sounds pretty awesome.

I have them in this, for now:

And that's in a locked closet. I will also never open the box pictured unless she's not home (she goes to preschool and I work at home), so if there is an escape, she won't even be here.

Are your hot Ts locked in a box of plexi glass? I don't think that's really necessary, considering most accidents happen when you're rehousing or feeding and whatnot, just be more attentive with the old worlds. Like others said, you can put towels by the doors, etc. Also, in my opinion, I'm not too good with children but make sure you let your daughter know not to touch any big spiders I don't exactly know how you'd do this but honestly, it'd be a safety precaution if it ever happens, and better when it's not in the heat of the moment imo.

 

[RoseT]

I have my P Irminia in a plastic container with a screw on lid, plastic just in case it were to drop, I wouldnt have to worry about it breaking. IMO, its the best enclosure for something more prone to bite. I find Screw on lids being a little harder to forget to secure, because its a screw on....I think most escapees are from owners that interact with their spiders more often than like a person like me who is not interested in handling, too many photos, etc, and only open its enclosure to feed or do mild maintenance. Dont give your T's away, as long as you take caution at all times, I dont see the risk of yours escaping high.