the "reach" of urticating hairs?

[Alltheworld601]

Maybe i'm a tad paranoid, but i'm starting to freak a little. I only have two tarantulas. They live in my bedroom. They're both NW. NEtiher are aggressive, never flicked hairs. I rarely handle, but when I do I wash my hands after..and I even go so far as to wash whatever they touched after, if its on the bed, the blanket or sheet goes right into the washer that day and everything gets changed, etc. But yet I am still having what appears to be a urticating hair reaction up and down my arms, especially my left. I sleep very close to the tanks, but they dont run around doing crazy stuff at night. Is it possible that their bristles are just airborne just from them LIVING in that room, and managng to find me and irritate my skin? Its not too awful, but its irritating and it LOOKS like the pictures Iv'e seen of people who have gotten severely haired. And feels like it too. My son swears he is not itchy, and he plays in my room periodically. Also, this last flareup was after dosing on the couch for 20 minutes the other day, and my Ts have never even been in my living room. So it seems kind of ridiculous, but it REALLY looks and feels like its the result of hairs. I'm currently washing all bedding and vacuuming every inch of everything in my house. Is it possible that this is what my problem is?

 

[Zeph]

To rule out an allergy or skin condition, I would briefly handle a T and sit idly by to see if the rash reappears. I'd also have cortozone handy, but you probably think I'm crazy.

 

[Alltheworld601]

I can't possibly think you're crazy when I'm complaining of possible urticating hairs affecting me from a room away, hehe. I may do this in a bit. And go get some cortisone. Thanks

 

[spiderengineer]

First you need to figure out have the reaction first developed when got your T. If yes then and you haven't change any other things in your life since these reaction have develop then its possible. some people are just more susceptible to the hairs then others. also I believe that the hairs generally come off the body on there own, without out being agitated as well just in smaller number obviously, however don't quote me on that. So it very possible the hairs are in the air, but that also depend on what kind of enclosure you have and how often you open it up. if the hairs are indeed causing these reaction to you, then maybe an air purify in the room with your T's could help or more air flow in the room to help keep the airflow moving so the hair are not in the air as much (meaning that they will be pushed some where else instead of floating in one place.)

 

[Storm76]

I've been exposed a couple times to a volley of hairs from my B. auratum and it's only itching a bit. I react more violently to the A. geniculata hairs. You don't have to HANDLE a T to see if you're "allergic" to the hairs, btw. If you work in the cage, you should be exposed to enouhg stray bristles already (or use an old molt, same principle) to come to a conclusion. Unless you keep Nhandu or Theraphosa sp. - most urticating hairs are not -that- bad.

 

[bobusboy]

To rule out an allergy or skin condition, I would briefly handle a T and sit idly by to see if the rash reappears. I'd also have cortozone handy, but you probably think I'm crazy.

This would be a very bad thing to do, if you were allergic then you'd just be agravating your symptoms.

The best approach would be to move the Tarantula to a closet and leave it there for a week or so and see if your symptoms subside, and then re introduce the Tarantula and see if the symptoms return. Additionally, I'm not against handling but I am against it if you're so new to Tarantulas that you don't know if you're sensitive to them or not.