B. Smithi or B. Albipolosum more handleable?

[Angel Minkov]

Just because my views differ from yours doesn't make me an idiot. I guess ignorance really is bliss

PS: I've told you, theoretically, that I would do it. Anytime. In private. In front of mature people/a person. And I've done it once in my life with 1 person. You have serious reading comprehension issues and you're throwing around insults which really seem to fit you

 

[MikeC]

And I've done it once in my life with 1 person.

Last I checked, once was more than never. Right?

I won't handle

I never handle

I don't use the handling method at all

 

[Angel Minkov]

Still, reading comprehension issues. Maybe you're just too narrow-minded to fit these things into a context? I won't handle just for the fun of it. Ever. And I never handle. Ever. For the fun of it. But I WOULD handle for SOMEONE ELSE, if it helps them. I wouldn't just handle Ts in front of kids or do it in front of people who I wouldn't trust with it. Last time I held my Ts just for me and my fun was 5 years ago, when I was still 1 year into the hobby. Last time I held a T for someone and consequently let them hold it, was this winter, with my girlfriend. And that's the only time I've done it. Got rid of her fear. Chris and Ellen seemed to understand my POV, but people like you who just parrot the same thing around these forums don't have that ability it seems.

 

[MikeC]

Still, reading comprehension issues. Maybe you're just too narrow-minded to fit these things into a context? I won't handle just for the fun of it. Ever. And I never handle. Ever. For the fun of it. But I WOULD handle for SOMEONE ELSE, if it helps them. I wouldn't just handle Ts in front of kids or do it in front of people who I wouldn't trust with it. Last time I held my Ts just for me and my fun was 5 years ago, when I was still 1 year into the hobby. Last time I held a T for someone and consequently let them hold it, was this winter, with my girlfriend. And that's the only time I've done it. Got rid of her fear. Chris and Ellen seemed to understand my POV, but people like you who just parrot the same thing around these forums don't have that ability it seems.

I have no comprehension issues. Where you're getting confused is trying to justify handling through any means. For fun, for help, neither are good for the spider which is the main concern. Regardless of what you're trying to accomplish. It's not a good idea. Ever. Under any circumstances.

And now you're saying that it's been on more than one occasion? Your hypocrisy is mind-boggling.

 

[Angel Minkov]

I go back to reading comprehension issues... They're well-defined in you...

 

[MikeC]

I go back to reading comprehension issues... They're well-defined in you...

Point them out then. Please.

 

[Angel Minkov]

I explained it already. I'm not going to go through all of your posts and spoon-feed you.

 

[MikeC]

I explained it already. I'm not going to go through all of your posts and spoon-feed you.

You really didn't.
Your argument is invalid, in that case. All I wanted were examples.

I'm going to wash my hands of this thread before your idiocy gets contagious.

 

[Angel Minkov]

You're just confirming my words by posting further.

 

[lalberts9310]

You won't handle because you don't want to get bit, but you will for someone already irrationally afraid:? Man, that makes so little sense it can only be described as comedy....at least I laughed. You get tagged and you are not helping anyone get over a fear, rather you would be rationalizing their fear should you get tagged.

You wanna make an arachnophobe feel comfortable....frequent viewing of the t inside the enclosure is by far the better way to go....make them feel safe during the observation and take away the freak out factor, which can easily turn a handling display into a t disaster or a panic stricken arachnophobe. The goal when dealing with a phobia should be to make them comfortable without inducing a potential freak out. Handling in front of such a person is inviting an uncontrolled panic attack. This is coming from a former arachnophobic individual speaking from first hand experience. I have had many phobic individuals that have calmed their fears, even if only a little, by simply observing on occasion as they are comfortable...just opening an enclosure around people like this is often more than enough to induce a panic attack IME.

---------- Post added 09-22-2015 at 01:31 AM ----------

"its not going to die because of 15 seconds of handling"

It will of it falls or gets knocked around by a panicked individual.

^^ this.

I have an EXTREMELY arachnophobic mom. And I mean it's bad. One time we sprayed our lapa for bugs, when we started cleaning out the dirt and stuff, she walk over to the kitchen basin in the lapa and picked up which seemed like a ball of dirt. When she brought it into the light, what she actually picked up was 3 dead large rain spiders.. she threw them in the air screaming and one fell into her shirt! She immediately took all her clothes off crying "I'm going to die! I'm going to die!", she literally cried. I've never seen my mom in a more panicked state. She's a strong person, that can face anything calmly, from my stepbrother becoming unconscious because a loaf of bread got stuck in his throat, to burglaries taking place at our home. She's the one who keeps calm and thinks rationally. But don't dare bring a spider near her, not even a dead one or an exo. When I got tarantulas, she told me she'll never visit me, be she still does till this day and I have 15 spiders. Even if she knows one escaped once, she still comes to visit me. When I ask to show her my spiders, she reluctantly comes and have a look, I can open my sling containers so she can have a closer look without her freaking out. When she heard that I need to take eggsac from my P. Irminia and when I told her they would fight for it not to be taken she thought I was cruel for wanting to take it away and asked my why I have to do it. I never seen her expressed sympathy towards a spider. She's still arachnophobic, but it really has improved substantially over the course of time I owned spiders, she can even bear seeing a spider in her home every now and then. And I never, never ever used handling to show her that there's no reason to be afraid. I mean she never wanted to visit me because of my Ts. Now she does, and often too. And she knows why I don't handle, that it's bad and dangerous for my tarantulas, she even touched the legs of one of my MMs previous molts. I couldn't believe she actually touched a molt. So my point is, people with arachnophobia can be helped without the need to handle. All this IS POSSIBLE without handling. I mean she even agreed to feed and water my slings and juvies when we went on vacation. And she took care of them real well. And by all this I know if she was completely over her fear of spiders, I can (and probably will) buy her a B. Albopilosum, knowing she'll take care of it really well, without taking it out of it's enclosure ever. and I know handling wouldn't have suffice with my mom, I don't even think the word "arachnophobe" can describe her extreme fear for spiders, I mean really it was BAD. Handling would have freaked her out even more and made the situation worse.

 

[Angel Minkov]

My family were all severely arachnophobic as well. My sister's boyfriend used to kill any bug he could lay his eyes on. Taking out my G. pulchra sling and letting it walk on the bed when he and my sister are on it sparked up an interest in them. They want to watch me feed, rehouse, even pair them up (soon will be my first time, but they're eager to see it) and my sister even claimed the pulchra sling as hers. Forcing anything onto a person with arachnophobia is bad and forcing a spider/exuviae on someone as arachnophobic as your mom is obviously a very bad thing to do, so it's best for her and your T that meetings are through the glass. My grandmother btw was arachnophobic when I first had Ts as well, but one day when I came home from school, not only had she found my lost B. vagans female which was around 4 inches at that time, but she even coaxed it into a box all on her own. Pretty aggressive girl might I add. She was also freshly molted so she was probably thirsty and hungry. Now she wants me to collect all exuviae of my Ts and give them to her. Not everyone needs handling or forcing, it just works for some people who need just a little push, that's what I'm saying

 

[lalberts9310]

My family were all severely arachnophobic as well. My sister's boyfriend used to kill any bug he could lay his eyes on. Taking out my G. pulchra sling and letting it walk on the bed when he and my sister are on it sparked up an interest in them. They want to watch me feed, rehouse, even pair them up (soon will be my first time, but they're eager to see it) and my sister even claimed the pulchra sling as hers. Forcing anything onto a person with arachnophobia is bad and forcing a spider/exuviae on someone as arachnophobic as your mom is obviously a very bad thing to do, so it's best for her and your T that meetings are through the glass. My grandmother btw was arachnophobic when I first had Ts as well, but one day when I came home from school, not only had she found my lost B. vagans female which was around 4 inches at that time, but she even coaxed it into a box all on her own. Pretty aggressive girl might I add. She was also freshly molted so she was probably thirsty and hungry. Now she wants me to collect all exuviae of my Ts and give them to her. Not everyone needs handling or forcing, it just works for some people who need just a little push, that's what I'm saying

My mom was so scared, she wouldn't even come near it to kill it - seriously. My sister or her husband always had to do it. And yes why I never force anything on her. I took out a molt and showed her all the interesting stuff, such as the feet and the fangs, and after showing it to her I asked if she wanted to touch it, she did so out of her own. But if she didn't want to I would've just took it and put it away again, but she touched it, shuddered a bit, and touched it again. Yeah, I couldn't believe my eyes. I didn't ask her to hold it, I just put it away again, maybe later on i'll ask her if she wants to hold the exo, but again, won't force it, if she doesn't want to, she doesn't want to.... She even now thinks my poeci is the prettiest in my collection

 

[Angel Minkov]

My sister's favorite along with her BF is my P. metallica, while my grandmother's favorite is my P. miranda.

 

[lalberts9310]

My sister's favorite along with her BF is my P. metallica, while my grandmother's favorite is my P. miranda.

P. Miranda is the greatest looking poeci IMPO, just wish they were available here in SA, haven't seen anyone with P. miranda here yet.

 

[Nicolas C]

Why on earth isn't it possible to accept that we have different exepriences, different ideas, even different truths? Why being so judgemental on this subject, as if it will change anything in the whole damned world outside of this forum?

Angel Minkov has shared his experience, Lolla is sharing hers, PTX has another one... It's okay like this: no need to disrespect one another.

I personally have lived something similar to what Angel has shared with one of my very friend, and it helped a lot. We have courses here in Switzerland to help arachnophobiac people, and for some of them it includes the possibility, at the end of the course, to hold one B smithi.

Almost all my T (if I dare use such an abreviation!) swiss breeders friends have handled or are still handling some of their tarantulas. But only when it makes sense. Not for fun. Not to impress anybody.

First and only time I handled an A chalcodes, it was a beautiful experience for me, so intense that I dreamt of it the following night. I didn't held her for her well being. It wasn't for her, it was for me. It didn't change anything for her (well maybe some minutes of extra stress, and even that I'm not sure about), but for me it was impressive, interesting, and unique. Why have I done it? Because I'm a human being, and that's one of the way I'm getting in touch with the living world outside (when possible: I don't do that when the risk is too big), specially with the animals I'm living with as "pets" (I know they aren't, but I don't have a better word to describe these animals that I'm taking care of, feeding, looking at every time, etc.) and for whom I have feelings and connections. I know nothing of their feelings (except that they are not like humans), but I know that it makes sense for me to have had this opportunity to handle one T once. Once. It was like an exception for my selfishness.

That being said, I agree with all the precautions you are naming, and I don't plan to handle one T again in the near future. But who knows?...

Back to the initial question: between B albopilosum and B smithi, I cannot tell which one is the better one to handle: for me, between these two, it all depends one their individual personalities... But for me, I wouldn't choose a T on these criteria, but on its beauty, behaviour, etc.

 

[Angel Minkov]

The forum is waaay too judgemental and is full of people enforcing their opinions and treating them as truths. It wasnt like that a year ago

Lolla, I'll be breeding my female in a month. If its possible for me to ship to SA, we might arrange something

 

[Chris LXXIX]

Just because my views disagree with yours doesn't make it "laughable". This forum's mentality of enforcing opinions upon others is slowly becoming laughable. In your experience, opening enclosures is fine, in mine it's not. The tarantula won't die if you hold it low on the floor and that's why you do it only with slings - less "freak out factor" and less chance of injury. The picture I posted just a few replies earlier shows what handling did to my girlfriend who wouldn't enter the same room my Ts were in. Please, tell me it didn't help her

I won't handle, because just handling for my own fun and getting bit is fruitless, while handling for another and risking that small chance of getting "bit" by a 0.5'' sling is worth it if it helps the person. I'm in this hobby to help, not tell other people what to do all the time

Someone should start ASAP another "Handling or Not" Thread (your fav. threads) and i want to read your posts

---------- Post added 09-22-2015 at 09:05 AM ----------

Why on earth isn't it possible to accept that we have different exepriences, different ideas, even different truths? Why being so judgemental on this subject, as if it will change anything in the whole damned world outside of this forum?

Angel Minkov has shared his experience, Lolla is sharing hers, PTX has another one... It's okay like this: no need to disrespect one another.

I personally have lived something similar to what Angel has shared with one of my very friend, and it helped a lot. We have courses here in Switzerland to help arachnophobiac people, and for some of them it includes the possibility, at the end of the course, to hold one B smithi.

Almost all my T (if I dare use such an abreviation!) swiss breeders friends have handled or are still handling some of their tarantulas. But only when it makes sense. Not for fun. Not to impress anybody.

First and only time I handled an A chalcodes, it was a beautiful experience for me, so intense that I dreamt of it the following night. I didn't held her for her well being. It wasn't for her, it was for me. It didn't change anything for her (well maybe some minutes of extra stress, and even that I'm not sure about), but for me it was impressive, interesting, and unique. Why have I done it? Because I'm a human being, and that's one of the way I'm getting in touch with the living world outside (when possible: I don't do that when the risk is too big), specially with the animals I'm living with as "pets" (I know they aren't, but I don't have a better word to describe these animals that I'm taking care of, feeding, looking at every time, etc.) and for whom I have feelings and connections. I know nothing of their feelings (except that they are not like humans), but I know that it makes sense for me to have had this opportunity to handle one T once. Once. It was like an exception for my selfishness.

That being said, I agree with all the precautions you are naming, and I don't plan to handle one T again in the near future. But who knows?...

Back to the initial question: between B albopilosum and B smithi, I cannot tell which one is the better one to handle: for me, between these two, it all depends one their individual personalities... But for me, I wouldn't choose a T on these criteria, but on its beauty, behaviour, etc.

Question. Those courses are made by Swiss enthusiasts only, or with the approval (not only in/for a burocratic way, i mean) somewhat of the Cantonal Authorities?

 

[cold blood]

My opinions were based in first hand experience...and yes opinions are opinions and not always fact (but sometimes they actually are)....and I can laugh at anything I see as personally funny....like someone consistently contradicting themselves (see post #62). The entire basis of a forum is to share experiences and opinions, if you can't handle that...well then I just keep on laughing.

---------- Post added 09-22-2015 at 09:22 AM ----------

Someone should start ASAP another "Handling or Not" Thread (your fav. threads) and i want to read your posts

More contradiction...always complains about the handling argument, yet is at the forefront of a handling discussion:?...or should I just :laugh:

 

[Chris LXXIX]

Ah ah ah.. i love Angel Minkov "reactions" (remember last time?) to those type of threads, that's why.

 

[lalberts9310]

The forum is waaay too judgemental and is full of people enforcing their opinions and treating them as truths. It wasnt like that a year ago

Lolla, I'll be breeding my female in a month. If its possible for me to ship to SA, we might arrange something

Importing inverts into SA is impossible. Those that do get into SA does so illegally. Otherwise I would have already completed my wish list