OW Gunshy

[Suidakkra]

Back in 2011 I was in my 4th or so year in keeping tarantulas. I started off with new world's, ventured into old world burrowers, and finally made my way to pokies. Around 2012, it became the worse year for me as a T keeper. First I had an OBT escape and disappear for 2 days, luckily found alive when she started across the kitchen floor (my daughter was a toddler at the time and had to stay with my in-laws until the OBT was found). I had a scary close call with a H.albostriatum , and then the big one happened. One day I was trying to turn my P.rufilata water dish over ( to this day I think she planned it),when all of a sudden she warped from around her cork bark hide, ran up the tongs and nailed me on my middle knuckle of my right hand. After the bite, the intense hellish pain for hours on end it seemed, I decided maybe old world's weren't meant for me. So sadly I gave them all to my friend who got me into the hobby in the first place. Now here we are 2019, I still have my new world's, but I got the itch to get back to old worlds again. Problem is, I think I have PTSD when it comes to the idea of their painful bites. Has anyone ever had a similar experience, a bad bite that made you....well "gun shy" with certain genus? If so, did you ever get past it?

 

[Cavedweller]

Back in 2011 I was in my 4th or so year in keeping tarantulas. I started off with new world's, ventured into old world burrowers, and finally made my way to pokies. Around 2012, it became the worse year for me as a T keeper. First I had an OBT escape and disappear for 2 days, luckily found alive when she started across the kitchen floor (my daughter was a toddler at the time and had to stay with my in-laws until the OBT was found). I had a scary close call with a H.albostriatum , and then the big one happened. One day I was trying to turn my P.rufilata water dish over ( to this day I think she planned it),when all of a sudden she warped from around her cork bark hide, ran up the tongs and nailed me on my middle knuckle of my right hand. After the bite, the intense hellish pain for hours on end it seemed, I decided maybe old world's weren't meant for me. So sadly I gave them all to my friend who got me into the hobby in the first place. Now here we are 2019, I still have my new world's, but I got the itch to get back to old worlds again. Problem is, I think I have PTSD when it comes to the idea of their painful bites. Has anyone ever had a similar experience, a bad bite that made you....well "gun shy" with certain genus? If so, did you ever get past it?

Firstly, good on you getting your kid outta there until the OBT was found. Not everyone would be willing to admit that mistake to their spouse or family, for fear of having spider privileges revoked.

This isn't my story, but the from spider guy at my LPS: Once while unboxing, he got bit by a baby OBT that had escaped its tube. He said it hurt worse than when he got bit by a rattlesnake. This shop a wide variety of pokies and baboons, and on occasion Latrodectus, Sicarius, and hot scorpions, but has a firm "No OBTs" policy.

 

[FrDoc]

At the end of the day, every incident described above could have been avoided by merely knowing where the spider was. Before I open any enclosure (OW or NW), scorpion, whatever, I know the location of the occupant. When dealing with my OWs particularly, I do not open the enclosure until I know they’re in their hide/burrow. I open the enclosure just enough to drop in a feeder, and immediately close. If maintenance is necessary, I will block the entrance to the hide/burrow until I’m done. Let their skittish and defensive nature work for you.

 

[Suidakkra]

At the end of the day, every incident described above could have been avoided by merely knowing where the spider was. Before I open any enclosure (OW or NW), scorpion, whatever, I know the location of the occupant. When dealing with my OWs particularly, I do not open the enclosure until I know they’re in their hide/burrow. I open the enclosure just enough to drop in a feeder, and immediately close. If maintenance is necessary, I will block the entrance to the hide/burrow until I’m done. Let their skittish and defensive nature work for you.

It’s been a good while, but I believe the mistake I made was having a false comfort with her mostly staying in her hide. I would have to coax her to the accept food, which she would then show her insatiable appetite. I know that the bite was due to my error of judgement, however the reaction to the bite was something I didn’t want to experience again. I doubt I’ll ever own the Poecilotheria species again, and it’s not a negative toward the genus, bites are generally the keepers fault. They are very beautiful and interesting tarantula, but to me, best left for the most experienced.

 

[T Lurksalot]

Personally I can understand your hesitation, that whole experience sounds awful. I keep baboons (including an OBT) and Pokies and while I’ve never had any of them run up the tongs I’ve read enough such stories to know it can happen. Whenever I need to get within a leg length of any of them with tongs I try to position the enclosure lid or door between them and my hands for exactly this reason.

 

[Vanessa]

Yes, that was a run of bad experiences and I understand why you feel the way you do.
All I want to say is that there is nothing wrong with anyone who chooses not to keep OW species. There are some people who do their best to attach a stigma to people who choose to stick to NW species, but there is nothing wrong with it and not keeping them doesn't make you less of a hobbyist. You have very valid reasons for not having kept them, you did the responsible thing by rehoming them, and there is no rule that says you ever have to keep them again. Not keeping them does not make you less of a dedicated member of this community and it doesn't mean that you have less to offer this community than someone who does keep them.
I know that isn't what you're asking, but I just wanted to mention this anyway. Take it at your own pace and don't feel like you don't have a choice.

 

[RezonantVoid]

I've had a close call with Phlogius Strennus running up the tongs onto my hand, but after sitting there for about 5 seconds he just launched off into his enclosure again. From that point on, I no longer tweezer feed T's