Bag Transfer Technique: How To Transfer Your Tarantulas

[maxfightmaster]

good idea. im definitely going to try this method.

 

[Stopdroproll]

Holy crap. I was feeding my GBB like 15 minutes ago. I was thinking about how to transfer it to a larger container and thought of a very similar method. I was thinking about using a mesh laundry bag instead of a plastic bag. Definitely going to try it with a plastic bag now that it has been tested it. Can't believe I never see this method mentioned before.

 

[jonnyquong]

I think HOBO first described this method some time ago, but he called it something I can't recall. I've used it many times, works great.

 

[Hobo]

Actually this thread is way before I described it, but it pretty much is the same thing. It works great!

 

[Tarac]

I have never heard anything negative about chilling T's either, since all it does it slow their metabolism significantly enough to reduce their movement speed. I really like this method of transfer though, not really much risk as long as you keep your eye on where the T is during the process. Good thread, good pictures!

Effects of chilling could be more insidious, i.e. not immediately noticeable. For some inverts- a published and somewhat relevant example being some tropical Lepidoptera- chilling renders males permanently sterile! I mention tropical because it is the lack of an ability to endure any amount of cold which makes some Lepidoptera chill-able and others not. T's of course are more or less tropical in this regard. 4 degrees C is quite cold for any of them, which is the average temperature of a household fridge maybe 8 C for an inefficient older model that is leaky.

Of course you might not ever know this- you might just think your male is a dud, he might be eaten before he gets a chance to pair, you might just mistake it for a failed pairing for one reason or another. I would be extremely hesitant to chill any T's with this in mind, at least if you intend to breed these T's or to pass them along to anyone else who may or may not want their T to be sexually functional. It might not happen 100% of the time (or at all), but the chance you might be selling someone a cold-sterilized MM P. metallica for no small sum is enough to make me very leery of purchasing from breeders//dealers who practice this method of subduing a feisty T.

 

[paassatt]

Effects of chilling could be more insidious, i.e. not immediately noticeable. For some inverts- a published and somewhat relevant example being some tropical Lepidoptera- chilling renders males permanently sterile! I mention tropical because it is the lack of an ability to endure any amount of cold which makes some Lepidoptera chill-able and others not. T's of course are more or less tropical in this regard. 4 degrees C is quite cold for any of them, which is the average temperature of a household fridge maybe 8 C for an inefficient older model that is leaky.

Of course you might not ever know this- you might just think your male is a dud, he might be eaten before he gets a chance to pair, you might just mistake it for a failed pairing for one reason or another. I would be extremely hesitant to chill any T's with this in mind, at least if you intend to breed these T's or to pass them along to anyone else who may or may not want their T to be sexually functional. It might not happen 100% of the time (or at all), but the chance you might be selling someone a cold-sterilized MM P. metallica for no small sum is enough to make me very leery of purchasing from breeders//dealers who practice this method of subduing a feisty T.

I've always been of the opinion that if you're not comfortable enough to rehouse the spider without resorting to chilling it in the fridge or freezer, or whatever your method for chilling it, then you're not ready to own that species.

 

[jayefbe]

I've always been of the opinion that if you're not comfortable enough to rehouse the spider without resorting to chilling it in the fridge or freezer, or whatever your method for chilling it, then you're not ready to own that species.

In complete agreement.

 

[Tweak]

Just used the "bag technique" to transfer an obt and it went really smooth! I think this will be my go to method for those lightning quick T's! Thanks for this

 

[poisoned]

I wish I used this technique today when playing hide and seek with my first pokie

 

[brezo]

We need a sticky for this thread

 

[Tweak]

We need a sticky for this thread

I second that! I remember seeing it when it resurfaced in march but I had to dig for it this time lol

 

[felix66]

Haha,thanks so much for this info I also have P.Regalis and I am going to move her soon to a larger enclosure and I really needed a good method like this one.Thanks!

 

[arachnofab]

Thanks for sharing - my slings are a breeze to rehome so far - i was really wondering wth i was going to do when the time came they were bigger and faster. I will def. be keeping this in mind!

 

[MrCrackerpants]

Great post.

 

[Hipster OBT]

Genius!!!!

 

[BobGrill]

Your method seems great and all for smaller containers, but what if you are transferring a bigger specimen into a bigger enclosure? You'd need a huge bag for one and just seems like it'd be more of a hassle than using a container.

 

[captmarga]

You can still use the bag method on a larger T. You can put the bag over the opening, and coax the T in. The large clear Recycle bags work great for this, as do some bags that cover appliances in shipping. I've used it even for things in a large exoterra and a 10-gallon tank. Much depends on the room you are in, the T, and the situation of transfer.

Marga

 

[Armpit]

this will be GREAT when i have to rehome my little OBT sling. i dont know his/her temperament quite yet, so this will come in handy.

regarding the bigger enclosure, etc - i'm not sure id do this with my adult H. lividum. she's capable of ripping apart flesh, so i think a bag will be no match for her. shoot, when i got her with a cup she LOST HER MIND and almost pushed the cup out from under my hand.

i love that thing.

 

[Osmo]

Success! I transfered my OBT today from his deli cup to his nice big arboreal setup. Used this method and it was easy as pie. I cut a tiny slit int he bag so i could insert my forceps.

 

[Bugmom]

This method saved me from having an H. mac on my face. I mean literally, on my face, so yeah, I recommend it.