# Handling aggressive  tarantulas



## anitec21 (Apr 20, 2012)

So people tell my have you handled a tarantula that's known to be aggressive and skittish?

---------- Post added 04-20-2012 at 12:15 AM ----------

Me not my lol


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## pwilson5 (Apr 20, 2012)

while i dont really recomend holding "defensive" Ts.. i find that most of them tend to calm down a bit when you get them outside their burrow..

my BIG h lividum






the above pic was right when i got her.. now shes a happy pet hole. lol


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## tarantulagirl10 (Apr 20, 2012)

I don't usually hold any of my ts. Occasionally while rehousing or when my 12 year old wants to hold one we will hold one of the more docile species. That is very rare though.


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## anitec21 (Apr 20, 2012)

Thats cool I would be sweating if handling that one lol


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## SgtSparkles (Apr 20, 2012)

i'd rather not, my grumpy guys are a no go on holding


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## AReaHerps (Apr 21, 2012)

Most of my Ts now are slings except for my wife's B. smithi 

I used to love holding ALL my Ts when I was younger. Now though, I'm much more paranoid that one would get spooked, dash, and have a fatal tumble. Simply not worth it to me. I would much rather enjoy my babies with plastic or glass between us than to see them die before my eyes. I know that seems extreme but when I do have the urge, I'll hold my little curly hair and literally just lay down near the ground. 

Sent from my Android Tapatalk App!


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## pwilson5 (Apr 21, 2012)

yeah anitec, i was rehousing her.. she bolted up my arm and was sitting on the back of my neck.. thankfully my fiance was home and helped me remove her...

can you imagine trying to reach back where you cant see and grabbing a 6" haplo?? *shudders*


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## crawltech (Apr 21, 2012)

check out my youtube,..i do some poeci handleing,..although they arent being aggresive, or defensive...not even very skittish,..

.......I guess that doesnt count then.


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## Storm76 (Apr 21, 2012)

crawltech said:


> check out my youtube,..i do some poeci handleing,..although they arent being aggresive, or defensive...not even very skittish,..
> 
> .......I guess that doesnt count then.


Doesn't count! Your's seem to be always high or something - you sure you don't grow weed in your enclosures? 

Fun aside - you have A LOT of experience with them, buddy. I wouldn't suggest to handle "hot" species as a beginner and not when having had those for a couple weeks and thinking you KNOW them either.

Aside from that, personally, I don't handle any of mine unless they happen to run onto me. They don't benefit from that, so why bother?


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## anitec21 (Apr 22, 2012)

AReaHerps said:


> Most of my Ts now are slings except for my wife's B. smithi
> 
> I used to love holding ALL my Ts when I was younger. Now though, I'm much more paranoid that one would get spooked, dash, and have a fatal tumble. Simply not worth it to me. I would much rather enjoy my babies with plastic or glass between us than to see them die before my eyes. I know that seems extreme but when I do have the urge, I'll hold my little curly hair and literally just lay down near the ground.
> 
> Sent from my Android Tapatalk App!


i was paranoid at first with my G.Rosea biting the feeding tong but i handle them except for my B.Vagans its defensive.

---------- Post added 04-22-2012 at 08:55 PM ----------




crawltech said:


> check out my youtube,..i do some poeci handleing,..although they arent being aggresive, or defensive...not even very skittish,..
> 
> .......I guess that doesnt count then.


Your brave to handle those i would be nervous lol

Reactions: Like 1


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## Zman181 (Apr 22, 2012)

pwilson5 said:


> while i dont really recomend holding "defensive" Ts.. i find that most of them tend to calm down a bit when you get them outside their burrow..
> 
> my BIG h lividum
> 
> ...


Wow!  That is a BEAUTIFUL picture :worship:


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## anitec21 (Apr 22, 2012)

Storm76 said:


> Doesn't count! Your's seem to be always high or something - you sure you don't grow weed in your enclosures?
> 
> Fun aside - you have A LOT of experience with them, buddy. I wouldn't suggest to handle "hot" species as a beginner and not when having had those for a couple weeks and thinking you KNOW them either.
> 
> Aside from that, personally, I don't handle any of mine unless they happen to run onto me. They don't benefit from that, so why bother?


My last tarantula i handled was the G.Rosea


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## Cnorris (Apr 23, 2012)

She is gorgeous!


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## cacoseraph (Apr 23, 2012)

sometimes i do


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## notsobear (Apr 23, 2012)

i have yet to let my poki's crawl aroudn on me, i got my regalis 2 weeks ago he is making a nice burrow and really skiddish, so ill give him some time to get used to me before i start lettign him crawl around ,
and my Ornata just molted so i really wanna be careful with her 
been itching to feed her tho her buts so tiny!
i cant hold out 2 more days until she is ready to eat
i know my Gbb isnt really dangerous but i just took her ou liek 10 mins ago  
http://youtu.be/_0E9dpgXNEk


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## Jared781 (Apr 23, 2012)

Iv handled my C. huahini... very quick to dart up my arm to be "pearched" on my shoulder!


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## NickC4 (Apr 23, 2012)

(facepalm)

Reactions: Like 1


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## darren21 (Mar 27, 2015)

i have a corbalt blue which is very defensive and will rare up on hind legs and show its fang but sometime come to you and hes ok but i have been bitten but her ans believe me it hurts bad for about 2 weeks ang got giant birdeater to

---------- Post added 03-27-2015 at 05:06 PM ----------

my giant bird eater is ok sometimes with respect but my king baboon and corbalt blue is a different matter


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## Biollantefan54 (Mar 27, 2015)

I read this page....I don't think I want to read the rest.

Reactions: Like 7


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## Blueandbluer (Mar 27, 2015)

Biollantefan54 said:


> I read this page....I don't think I want to read the rest.


I wish I'd been so wise.

Reactions: Like 3


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## scott99 (Mar 27, 2015)

I just got a P cambridgei and man is it FAST. I had a heck of a time tying to transfer her into her enclosure. finely I got her in the enclosure. I'm probably will not handle her not because she is defensive but because she is SOOO FAST.


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## El Consciente (Mar 27, 2015)

I wouldn't dare handle my P. irminia, it'll be on my hand one second then I'll blink and it'll be in the other room...nothing good could come out of that kind of unadulterated speed out in the open without any means of controlling it.

and DEFINITELY not my Pokie. It's still a young one (maybe 1.5"? Haven't seen it in a while...) but even during a rehouse I use a _very_ large catch cup...it has a quiet, calculating disposition that my irminia lacks so I'm not taking even the slightest chance with that one

Reactions: Like 3


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## Roosterbomb (Mar 27, 2015)

I'm under the impression (from the Ts) that they get nothing from handling but annoyed. The only exception being my 
female euthalus sp red lol.

Reactions: Like 1


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## gobey (Mar 27, 2015)

Tarantulas don't want to touch you.

Seems to me they'd rather they never saw you.

Reactions: Like 6


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## jigalojey (Mar 28, 2015)

gobey said:


> Tarantulas don't want to touch you.
> 
> Seems to me they'd rather they never saw you.


 At least the old worlds anyway, new worlds are too lazy to do anything about it lol.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Poec54 (Mar 28, 2015)

jigalojey said:


> At least the old worlds anyway, new worlds are too lazy to do anything about it lol.


Most NW's rely on their hairs to keep things away.

Reactions: Like 3


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## Misty Day (Mar 28, 2015)

darren21 said:


> [/COLOR]my giant bird eater is ok sometimes with respect but my king baboon and corbalt blue is a different matter


He says 'giant bird eater' to make the t seem scary and dangerous and it's probably an LP.

Reactions: Like 3


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## Biollantefan54 (Mar 28, 2015)

I'm still curious to know what a giant bird eater and corbalt blue is. Never heard of either.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Arachnomaniac19 (Mar 28, 2015)

Even if it's docile don't handle it. If it gets annoyed, it's annoyed. Sort of like Mike Tyson...

Reactions: Like 1


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## cold blood (Mar 28, 2015)

I will say that I find the term "birdeater" to be quite annoying...it is something that is so non-specific (it is used with so many unrelated species its ridiculous) that it says NOTHING about the species or the individual its self, it basically just means a large terrestrial from S. America...not to mention that no matter the species of "birdeater", birds are an exceptionally rare food source, if ever at all....the term just gives those not into t's both the wrong idea of the critter and gives newbies something to make their t seem more badass or scary than it is.


Go away birdeater term, go away!!

Reactions: Like 6


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## Roosterbomb (Mar 28, 2015)

I found a video on you tube of a guy handling and all out messing with an obt. It went on for a while with no incident. I just looked up friendly obt. It made me squeamish just watching.


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## Tim Benzedrine (Mar 28, 2015)

Biollantefan54 said:


> I'm still curious to know what a giant bird eater and corbalt blue is. Never heard of either.


You are not familiar with giant bird eaters? They are the largest species of tarantula with a leg-span of 18 feet, but most only reach 16 feet. They eat condors. Hence the name giant bird eaters.

Reactions: Like 7


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## cold blood (Mar 28, 2015)

Tim Benzedrine said:


> You are not familiar with giant bird eaters? They are the largest species of tarantula with a leg-span of 18 feet, but most only reach 16 feet. They eat condors. Hence the name giant bird eaters.


Thanks Tim, that explanation will end all the mis-conceptions.:wink:

Reactions: Like 1


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## Tim Benzedrine (Mar 28, 2015)

De nada. That's what I'm here for. To educate.


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## gobey (Mar 28, 2015)

Roosterbomb said:


> I found a video on you tube of a guy handling and all out messing with an obt. It went on for a while with no incident. I just looked up friendly obt. It made me squeamish just watching.


Pffft... YouTube H. mac handling... S. cal handling... Velociraptor handling 


Seriously though....

H. maculata handling.... It's maddening


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## Biollantefan54 (Mar 28, 2015)

Tim Benzedrine said:


> You are not familiar with giant bird eaters? They are the largest species of tarantula with a leg-span of 18 feet, but most only reach 16 feet. They eat condors. Hence the name giant bird eaters.


I thought it was only a 5" spider that preyed on giant birds such as ostriches? You know, they hitch a ride on a small bird, like a humming bird and parachute down using their webbing abilities. Then they get eaten by the ostrich and eat their way out. 'Giant bird' eater.


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## Misty Day (Mar 29, 2015)

cold blood said:


> Go away birdeater term, go away!!


Hopefully it can take the 'DKS' and 'swamp dweller' with it.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Arachnomaniac19 (Mar 29, 2015)

Misty Day said:


> Hopefully it can take the 'DKS' and 'swamp dweller' with it.


Well DKS should stay in my opinion. Just change syndrome to symptom.


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## scott99 (Mar 29, 2015)

gobey said:


> Pffft... YouTube H. mac handling... S. cal handling... Velociraptor handling
> 
> 
> Seriously though....
> ...


you can always find dumb people on YouTube

Reactions: Like 1


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## Tim Benzedrine (Mar 29, 2015)

Another thing about the term "birdeater' Most people generally like birds, the term does nothing to endear spiders, which already have a bad rap.

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## awiec (Mar 29, 2015)

Tim Benzedrine said:


> Another thing about the term "birdeater' Most people generally like birds, the term does nothing to endear spiders, which already have a bad rap.


Honestly I think there are more recorded cases of Nephila eating birds than tarantulas, and they don't get to the sizes of tarantulas.

Reactions: Like 1


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## HungryGhost (Mar 29, 2015)

Tim Benzedrine said:


> You are not familiar with giant bird eaters? They are the largest species of tarantula with a leg-span of 18 feet, but most only reach 16 feet. They eat condors. Hence the name giant bird eaters.


And here I thought the 300 pound guy I saw stuffing his face with KFC was a giant bird eater. Thanks for the clarification.

Reactions: Like 4


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## scott99 (Mar 29, 2015)

Tim Benzedrine said:


> Another thing about the term "birdeater' Most people generally like birds, the term does nothing to endear spiders, which already have a bad rap.


I guess it all just some plot to scare people out liking tarantulas. Illuminati confirmed

Reactions: Like 1


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## AphonopelmaTX (Mar 29, 2015)

Misty Day said:


> Hopefully it can take the 'DKS' and 'swamp dweller' with it.


While we are throwing terms out, lets throw the term "true spider" out too.  I could never figure out what makes an araneomorph more "true" a spider than a mygalomorph. The term always annoyed me to no end.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Tim Benzedrine (Mar 30, 2015)

HungryGhost said:


> And here I thought the 300 pound guy I saw stuffing his face with KFC was a giant bird eater. Thanks for the clarification.


See? THAT'S why we encourage the use of Latin names. If somebody says "Giant Bird Eater' the rest of us don't know if they are talking about your example Chickenovore obesus, or my example Arachne condoramunchus.

Reactions: Like 1


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## cold blood (Mar 30, 2015)

Tim Benzedrine said:


> See? THAT'S why we encourage the use of Latin names. If somebody says "Giant Bird Eater' the rest of us don't know if they are talking about your example Chickenovore obesus, or my example Arachne condoramunchus.


C'mon, we all know its just an LP:laugh:

Reactions: Like 2


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## louise f (Mar 30, 2015)

Never handled a defensive tarantula. Only when they run out of their enclosure and over my hands,or something. 

I think it is foolish and stupid. Why tempt fate. 

I only handle docile species sometimes.

 Like this A.versicolor they are sooo darn cute.:love:

Reactions: Like 1


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## Biollantefan54 (Mar 30, 2015)

A. versicolor are quite cute ^^

View attachment 135512

Reactions: Like 1


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## Angel Minkov (Mar 30, 2015)

Roosterbomb said:


> I found a video on you tube of a guy handling and all out messing with an obt. It went on for a while with no incident. I just looked up friendly obt. It made me squeamish just watching.


I've held OBTs. The same T I handed was the T who would show me its fangs ALL the time if it was in its enclosure. It's not worth the risk.


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## Pociemon (Mar 31, 2015)

I have handled pretty much any T i have or once had. And i only keep asian T´s atm, mainly poecs. 
Here is some stuff on my channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6uFxZgA9FhqJ5HWK_1NidA

I dont reccomend doing it, there are many good reasons not to do it and pretty much no one for handling them. Only in extreme cases, or if we are talking slings. I dont handle much anymore, mostly just when i am educating people on schools or so.  But i do breed alot and i have alot of poecie slings at home all the time, and i keep them in groups the first stages before i sell them. At this time i just use my hands to move them. When there is maybe 50 poecs in the same tube then it is impossible to move them without touching them, so if this is considered handling, then i am guilty of handling 1000 of poecs each year.


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