I do realize the risks, and I usually hold my spiders close to the ground over a blanket or close to the substrate. my spiders have been held a lot so they are quite used to the idea of it, I have held my poecilotheria vittata since he was a sling, he doesn't seem to mind it in the least. My real monster is my Phlogiellus sp. Chiang mai.
I don't mean to come across as aggressive. Are you suggesting that because you handle your spiders on a regular basis that they are retaining that as a natural occurrence and becoming used to it?
Apologies but as far as I could tell these are not pets that could get "used" to the idea of something, rather they act on instinct....I just need to clarify because a lot of new keepers will look at this and actually think you can make your T "used" to the act of handling....
I don't mean to come across as aggressive. Are you suggesting that because you handle your spiders on a regular basis that they are retaining that as a natural occurrence and becoming used to it?
Apologies but as far as I could tell these are not pets that could get "used" to the idea of something, rather they act on instinct....I just need to clarify because a lot of new keepers will look at this and actually think you can make your T "used" to the act of handling....
I know they're not meant to be held, but spiders usually won't bite the ground their on unless they realize the ground their on is trying to kill them.
I know they're not meant to be held, but spiders usually won't bite the ground their on unless they realize the ground their on is trying to kill them.
"my spiders have been held a lot so they are quite used to the idea of it "
I understand, but that was not what you were implying. You were implying that your spiders were getting used to the idea of being handled. I assume then you meant it figuratively? If not you would be suggesting that a spider becomes more comfortable with the idea of being handled the more you handle it?
"my spiders have been held a lot so they are quite used to the idea of it "
I understand, but that was not what you were implying. You were implying that your spiders were getting used to the idea of being handled. I assume then you meant it figuratively? If not you would be suggesting that a spider becomes more comfortable with the idea of being handled the more you handle it?
There have been reports of captive hissing cockroaches learning that their owners aren't threats and as such no longer hiss when being picked up; this has nothing to do with an anthropomorphized "affection" for the owners but rather a learned recognition of the keeper no longer being a threat. I think it's possible the same could be true of tarantulas, but the risk/reward ratio is too great in regards to the risk (compare just having a specimen hiss vs. being bitten), at least in my opinion, and the number of times you would probably have to handle the specimen would be prohibitive, if it worked at all (I should also note that handling something that tends to remain hidden most of it's life as opposed to something like a hissing roach which is often out and about is very different).
There have been reports of captive hissing cockroaches learning that their owners aren't threats and as such no longer hiss when being picked up; this has nothing to do with an anthropomorphized "affection" for the owners but rather a learned recognition of the keeper no longer being a threat. I think it's possible the same could be true of tarantulas, but the risk/reward ratio is too great in regards to the risk (compare just having a specimen hiss vs. being bitten), at least in my opinion, and the number of times you would probably have to handle the specimen would be prohibitive, if it worked at all (I should also note that handling something that tends to remain hidden most of it's life as opposed to something like a hissing roach which is often out and about is very different).
Makes a lot of sense Arthroverts, I have heard of other insects reacting the same way you described the roaches. I do however lean more towards your argument amount of handling required and the fact that they mostly hide and would probably be content sitting in their hide / burrow until they die as long as food is readily available In any case I am not anti or pro handling, all I was getting at is it would take some really unique circumstances and probably a specimen with the exact temperament and a LOT of handling at the right times to get a spider "used" to handling.
Makes a lot of sense Arthroverts, I have heard of other insects reacting the same way you described the roaches. I do however lean more towards your argument amount of handling required and the fact that they mostly hide and would probably be content sitting in their hide / burrow until they die as long as food is readily available In any case I am not anti or pro handling, all I was getting at is it would take some really unique circumstances and probably a specimen with the exact temperament and a LOT of handling at the right times to get a spider "used" to handling.
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