Chilean Rose Hair "Warnings"

[Drachenjager]

I'm sorry you are so thin-skinned.

The fact that they dismiss the bite as irrelevant is all the information I needed to make my assumption. Using a bite as an indicator of whether or not a tarantula is agressive (aside from the fact that each spider behaves individually) is not what I would call an "intellectual reason".

Show me someone keeping spiders for 30 years who hasn't been bitten and I can appreciate a careful and responsible keeper.

I'm sure the media would love the fact that the authors of a tarantula book was put in the hospital by one of their charges.

"think".

lets see 30 years ya say? how bout 40? lol I have never been bitten by a T. I have been stung by scorps and i think bitten by an S. heros castaniceps maybe looked like a bite but felt like a slight pinch lol
anyway, I have been picking up and handling Ts since i was 4 at least maybe earlier than that. I also have eaten guinea wasps AKA yellow jackets.
But then again i do not make a habit of pokin my pokies or pterrors either.
My first memory is of picking up a tarantula. I even swatted a tarantula wasp away and picked up a T in full threat pose . it immediately calmed down and sat on my hand. its all in your attitude, and exercising a bit of common sense. dont try to pick up things that try to kill you thru the container lol

 

[UrbanJungles]

How do you expect anyone to write a comprehensive book on tarantulas without getting bit?

The same way the authors of countless other books have done it. Anyone can get bit, try teaching people how to safely transfer spiders instead.

 

[wedge07]

How do you know whether or not they have been bit or not? Its not like you open the front cover and it simply states I have never been bit!

 

[UrbanJungles]

How do you know whether or not they have been bit or not? Its not like you open the front cover and it simply states I have never been bit!

I personally know/work/communicate with the authors of many of the books/articles/journals I read. It's my job. But this has nothing to do with the conversation now does it.

I regret using the word "stupid" in that I did not mean it as harsh as it sounded. I still think it's "not smart" though.

 

[wedge07]

I didn't mean to come across as angry or anything. It just doesn't make any sense to claim to be an expert without the knowing both the good and the bad. That's just my opinion. I have not been bitten yet nor do I plan on it. I just recognize that it is probably going to happen eventually and don't worry too much about. "Fear profits man nothing".

 

[UrbanJungles]

I didn't mean to come across as angry or anything. It just doesn't make any sense to claim to be an expert without the knowing both the good and the bad. That's just my opinion.

:? Who was claiming to be an expert?

 

[Miss Bianca]

so this thread went way off topic huh???

 

[Shrike]

Yes indeed. I'll take the blame for that.

And now, back to the original topic. My G. rosea throws out threat postures with great regularity. She's a meanie.

 

[Miss Bianca]

Out of all my Ts the one that does the threat posture the most just happens to be ((drum rolls)), a G. Rosea... an RCF...

he's out on a 50/50 at the moment, he is all threat and no bite though...
but still... ha... he's the best... I guess it's fairly common..

 

[wedge07]

:? Who was claiming to be an expert?

I wasn't saying you were claiming to be an expert. It was meant to be more of a general statement.

 

[Moultmaster]

Marguerite and I have been bitten more than 50 times (combined). I can tell you with some small authority that if you can pick it up in the first place without it trying to bite there's a 99% that it just plain isn't going to bite. Either they let you know up front, or they're very complicit.

The next question you should be asking is "Over 50 times! Why on Earth for?" And the answer is that Marguerite and I are a little braver than most arachnophiles. We often pick up tarantulas that are guaranteed to be vicious little demons from Hell, just to see if they really are. There're just too many unsubstantiated rumors about how vicious they are for us to believe just about anybody without seeing for ourselves. We didn't gain the nickname "Tarantula Whisperers" for nothing!

I'm sorry but your first paragraph illustrates a complete lack of understanding. Many t's will gladly bite with no overt warning, it's subtle signs not visible to the inexperienced that will let you know. And frankly I don't know how you gained the nickname Tarantula whisperers as a true whisperer wouldn't have got bitten half a hundred times. You say you often pick up reputed vicious tarantulas just to see if they really are? Sounds like you're doing it more for shock value than a genuine quest for knowledge.

I'll throw my two cents in on the handling. I've been handling T's since I was 14 (about 22 years now) and have never been bit. I've handled everything from pokies, to H. Gigas, to L. parahybana, etc. etc. etc. I am proud of the fact that I have never been bitten, it is a testament to the respect and understanding I have for these animals. I cringe everytime I read about people who continually get bitten yet continue to try and handle T's. Once your bites start reaching double digits it's usually a good indication it's time to stop handling, no matter what intrinsic delights you may recieve. It's bad for the hobby, and it's definitely bad for the T. I think it's high time we start distinguishing between responsible handling and irresponsible handling. Handling just to see what the spider will do or how it will react is not a good enough reason to handle, whether it's done to gather information or to demonstrate pseudo-bravery.