How do I handle a M. giganteus (Vinegaroon) without being sprayed?

Ryan1207

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jan 13, 2018
Messages
1
My juvenile when the cage is even touched rears up and gets ready to spray. He has gotten me in the finger once and nothing happened, but I don't want it to spray at all. Is there one way to handle them that is better than the other?
btw: they are in a tall deli cup (32 oz I believe).
Edit: it seems I have accidentally put in the wrong section and I don't know how to delete/move it.
 

chanda

Arachnoking
Old Timer
Joined
Jun 27, 2010
Messages
2,229
Why do you care about being sprayed? It smells like vinegar, but it's not like it actually hurts anything - just don't let him near your face, so you don't get it in your eyes, and wash your hands afterward. (If it does get in your eyes, rinse with water.)

That said, your vinegaroon will be much happier if you do not handle him, or at least keep handling to a miminum. I handle mine maybe 2-3 times a year for classroom demonstrations and have very rarely noticed them to spray, even then.

I'm not sure how big he is, but he may prefer a different type of setup. A tall deli cup does not afford him much floor space to run around and may not give him a suitable hiding place. If he feels exposed and insecure in his environment, he will definitely be a lot more defensive and more willing to spray. He will also be perpetually stressed if he doesn't feel like he has a safe, comfortable environment to live in - which can lead to an early death. I keep mine in a large, flat kritter-keeper type box, maybe 8" wide by 6" high and 12" long, give or take a little. He has a couple of inches of substrate (not that he burrows), a hide, where he spends most of the daylight hours, a piece of horizontal cork bark for climbing, and a water dish. At night he comes out and actively hunts. When I want to pick him up, I set one hand flat on the floor of the cage, palm up, then gently coax him onto it with the other hand. This minimizes stress for him because I'm not actively picking him up. I'm letting him walk onto my hand himself.
 

VolkswagenBug

Arachnobaron
Joined
Feb 26, 2017
Messages
500
I've never been sprayed by mine when handling, but I got it when subadult, so maybe the younger ones are more defensive.
 

myrmecophile

Arachnolord
Old Timer
Joined
Dec 22, 2006
Messages
654
They will get over it, I agree the deli cup is not really ideal. You're gonna need something with a better bit of floor pace and the ability to give it several inches of substrate to dig.
 
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