Best way to attempt to handle

[Arlius]

I have seen many ways, but what over all is the best general way to go about trying to handle a T in your experience (if you handle/have handled a T)??
Seems I have found the best way is to slowly get your hands on either side of the spider. Breathing gently on them can help make the spider aware you are really there (open mouth hot air, rather then tight lips and blowing cloor air)
Whichever way it seems to notice least (espeically if you have to maneuver a hand in farther, which it while shy away from) move the oppisite hand to entice it onto the other hand. The other hand should be fairly flat... Once the majority of the legs are on the hand move in other hand while picking it up.
Well thats my way... I know there are other threads, but I wanna know everyones personally adapted ways, any quirks you have found work well, type of thing.

 

[Snipes]

i would say the free hand style. Just put ur hand down and gently guide them onto ur hand using the soft part of a paintbrush. I would definitely not recomment blowing on them.

 

[CreepyCrawly]

Well, I would say the "Scoop" method has worked well for me in the past with Ts that were handleable (B. smithi, G. rosea, etc). I would never advise to breathe on a T though, no matter how gentle, as with my G. rosea (among others) she would take off with any sort of air movement. I actually was able to guide her that way when I once made a movie starring her, as she ransacked my lego village... I used a straw to gently blow on her abdomen, and she would simply walk away from it, so I could easily guide her movements. It was a very short film, and I can safely say I am pretty sure she was caused no undue stress because of it. However, because they may take off quicker than you could ever anticipate when breathed on (which is why I intentionally breathe away from Ts when I'm attempting to handle them, or transport them) I would not advise that.

Gently putting one hand on either side, flat with palms up, and slowly pressing them towards each other so that they eventually either walk onto one hand, or half on each, works well for me. If they wind up half on one hand, half on the other, then I just tip one of my hands over slowly until they move themselves over to the un-tilting hand.

 

[Dr Pies]

http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?t=41775

 

[cacoseraph]

Seems I have found the best way is to slowly get your hands on either side of the spider. Breathing gently on them can help make the spider aware you are really there (open mouth hot air, rather then tight lips and blowing cloor air)

breath-herding works ok on VERY calm spiders... but if you try that on even a slightly "nervous" tara it's going to take off like a shot up your arm, or take a dive, or something bad...

in general when i'm handling anything, but especially nervous things (centipedes etc) i adopt what i think of as my pop-eye face. i sort of breathe out the side of my mouth and conciously try to not breathe with my nose at all.

pretty much any bug i can think if is going to register some big mammal breathing on them as a precursor to an attack... not a confusion i'd like a venomous animal in my hands to make =P

 

[Becky Wheeler]

I don't really Handle my T's anymore as they are constantly flicking hairs. I do handle the smaller ones i.e. when cleaning or transporting. but with mine i've noticed that once they've got bigger they seem to develop an attitude and flick hairs or show off there pretty fangs. lol. but for safety reasons I personally would say NO, don't handle your T as it's risky to you and your T. As for the breathing on T's, I noticed a few months back I decided to hold my G.Rosea and i accidently breathed on her and she went nutts!. Started flicking hairs and climbed up my arm. They really are not keen on it.

 

[Dr Pies]

Without starting a debate, I dont think it's wrong or dangerous to hold a tarantula if you follow the rules and pay attention to the T's behaviour.
All accidents, bite reports, etc while handling are always caused by inexperience.
Blowing on it are an example of why these things happen..
My opinion on it anyway..

 

[rwfoss]

Two things my wife and I have done when handling. With our B. smithi, who seems to sit unaware of our presence, we begin with a gentle stroke of a leg - just to ensure (probably more for our sake) that she know's we're there. We used to get some good hair flicks from this, but that has settled WAY down. With her, gently nudging her onto an open palm works great.

For our G. rosea and A. chalcodes, they like to climb the tank when we try to gentle prodding. So we hold a hand underneath the climbing spider (in case of a fall) and our other hand is waiting for them at the top of the tank. They have no problem walking onto the open palm. No flicking, no fuss.

As for the others, if they decide that during a cleaning or fill of the water dish that they want to take a walk, they will venture out onto my hand. Otherwise, I just let them be.

Rick

 

[Wisdom16]

Flat palm and I use my index finger to rub it's abdomen so it moves forward onto my palm.

 

[Arlius]

For breathing, I seem to get a reaction if breath from my nose, or I breath on it too heavily. But I have never been able to get a T to seriously react off of the open mouth gentle hot breath. I dont know why they dont react to it. My Rosea will run away if I blow on her, my GBB will freak out if blown on or gets air from my nose (she really freaked out yesterday, went running accross tank, stepped in water dish, which freaked her out even more, so ran up the side and hid in the corner) but not from the gentle breath... *shrug*
And if they were to freak out from being blown on, its no big deal, they are still in the tank. Just means wont be able to pick em up that time...

 

[JonPaul]

Pick-me-up

It seems to depend on the individual. (Both tarantula and owner)

I was pretty nervous my first few times, so I ended up with the "Hand open palm up and brush the T with index finger of opposite hand" until I felt pretty good about her reactions and mine, then I tried palming, but she likes walking onto me. I have had her climb up the tank and then walk onto my arm as I clean/water.... kind of a compliment to me.
Hope it was helpful...
Jp