Defanging?

[AmberDawnDays]

Ok I've heard it all now. People have asked me if I have had the venom removed from my tarantulas before. I know it's just ignorance on their part and I can't expect everyone to be educated about tarantulas. Today I had someone ask me if I defang my tarantulas. What the? How could someone even think this is a thing? Anyways even if I could defang my tarantulas, I wouldn't. My cats have all their claws and my tarantulas have all their fangs. I was kind of appalled at the question though. Tarantulas NEED their fangs.

 

[user 666]

"I've read a little about that"

bwahahahaha

 

[nicodimus22]

Most people I encounter don't seem to have a lick of common sense. There are exceptions, but the average person is just DERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

 

[Nixphat]

Way back ten or twelve years ago when I was originally interested in getting a tarantula, it was regularly advertised that you could defang a T for 60-80 bucks if I remember correctly. Of course I never did that and would never do that to a T (or remove a cat's claws), ludicrous to think about knowing what I know now, and sad it could ever be thought of as a good idea

 

[viper69]

What the? How could someone even think this is a thing?

Perhaps from the fact that some exotic vets can remove venom glands from hot herps, it's not recommended of course.

 

[AmberDawnDays]

Way back ten or twelve years ago when I was originally interested in getting a tarantula, it was regularly advertised that you could defang a T for 60-80 bucks if I remember correctly.

I figured she must be reading this somewhere.

ludicrous to think about knowing what I know now, and sad it could ever be thought of as a good idea

I did go on to explain to her why it's not a good idea.

Perhaps from the fact that some exotic vets can remove venom glands from hot herps, it's not recommended of course.

It's so sad to me that people even find it necessary. I wouldn't have tarantulas if I felt the need to defang them or whatever procedure people think they can do to change an animal to make them safe from harmimg humans. The animals don't need to change, it's people that need to change. Ya know? Education is everything. Well, that's just my 2 cents on it.

 

[mack1855]

Heck...just remove their legs,all eight,and therefore they can,t bolt!!!!
No fangs,no legs,perfect pet.

 

[viper69]

Heck...just remove their legs,all eight,and therefore they can,t bolt!!!!
No fangs,no legs,perfect pet.

Excellent idea!! I'll hop on that one ASAP, that will teach them!

 

[beaker41]

If that's your thing I got a hard boiled egg I rolled across the barber shop floor for ya.

 

[EulersK]

I think this started will an ill-advised attempt to keep children from being scares of tarantulas. I remember a keeper at a zoo handling a tarantula specifically telling us that it was defanged - she of course knew better, but surely it was to keep us from freaking out. Unfortunately, that myth has perpetuated from child, to parent, to the masses. I hear it quite often out in public when the topic of my tarantulas gets brought up. It's right up there with asking if I keep them all together in the same tank. I'm actually surprised you all haven't had the same experience.

 

[AmberDawnDays]

Heck...just remove their legs,all eight,and therefore they can,t bolt!!!!
No fangs,no legs,perfect pet.

Then they really will be the perfect pet rock!

I remember a keeper at a zoo handling a tarantula specifically telling us that it was defanged - she of course knew better, but surely it was to keep us from freaking out.

Sometimes I wonder if there is a disconnect in my brain. Spiders haven't ever freaked me out and I legit can't understand why people freak out. I'm actually convinced that people just act scared because they think that's how they should act.

I hear it quite often out in public when the topic of my tarantulas gets brought up. It's right up there with asking if I keep them all together in the same tank.

Top questions I get asked:
1. Do they still have venom?
2. Are they all in the same enclosure?
3. Have I been bitten?
4. Do I keep them locked away from my children?
5. What would happen if I was bitten?
6. What would happen if one got loose?

I really like answering people's questions. Well, most of the time. The defang question was dumbfounding. I was shocked, but mostly because I've never been asked it and because I guess I assumed people knew tarantulas needed their fangs. I was wrong. People generally have zero knowledge about tarantulas, so I continue to educate people. As long as they are interested enough to ask the questions, I will answer them. I am in no way a tarantula expert either. You all know this, I'm sure. I've only been keeping tarantulas for seven months now, but I love it. I wish I would have gotten into this long ago.

 

[Ellenantula]

When I grew up it was common knowledge that pet Ts had been de-fanged. Imagine my surprise as an adult to realize not only are they not de-fanged but would be unable to eat if they were. But until you research Ts, you just believe stupid things you've heard others say. I am sure I spent 20 years believing in de-fanging.

 

[Rittdk01]

My cats are front declawed. One ruined couch was enough.

 

[AmberDawnDays]

When I grew up it was common knowledge that pet Ts had been de-fanged.

Woah, that's crazy! I mean for real though. To think that what was considered common knowledge is in fact incorrect information. Kind of scary isn't it? A little sad too.

My cats are front declawed. One ruined couch was enough.

I read somewhere that if you buy scratching posts and put them at each end of your furniture that they will use the posts instead of the furniture. It works. I promise. My couch is a beautiful microsuade sectional without a single claw mark and I have 3 cats with all their claws.

I never had any of my cats declawed because my 1st cat I ever got 17 years ago was an adult cat that I adopted from H.E.A.D.S. and he had all his claws. I still lived with my mom when I adopted him. I think I was 16 at the time. My mom used to let him outside all the time. I was so worried that he would get out and be defenseless without his claws. Plus he was an adult cat and I've read that declawing can be traumatic for adult cats. Because the 1st one wasn't declawed, none of them have been declawed. I have to keep it even.

Also, I only have one scratching post in my livingroom. I used to have 2, but the cats broke one of them and I never replaced it. So they just have the one in there now. Either I've been extremely lucky or having even just the one scratching post next to the couch works. @Rittdk01

 

[Rittdk01]

^^^ I had so many scratch posts in my living room it was ridiculous. Boy cat ignored or grew tired of his posts and went to the couch. The couch was leather and took exactly one day for Dennis to ruin. I even bought those glue on nail covers trying to avoid declawing.

 

[cold blood]

^^^ I had so many scratch posts in my living room it was ridiculous. Boy cat ignored or grew tired of his posts and went to the couch. The couch was leather and took exactly one day for Dennis to ruin. I even bought those glue on nail covers trying to avoid declawing.

Sorry...I was bored....you turned the TV off.

 

[Vermis]

I think this started will an ill-advised attempt to keep children from being scares of tarantulas...

I feel a certain amount of schadenfreude that a pervasive tarantula myth might have been nurtured by tarantula keepers.

On the other hand...

6. What would happen if one got loose?

It would immediately seek it's furious revenge on it's captor in an orgy of hate and bloodlust, not ceasing until all in the house lay dead in their beds, pale from their utter loss of bodily fluids and with only two red marks in the neck to hint at their gruesome fates.

That, or it'd bumble about for a while and hide in the corner until I went 'tsk' and scooped it up with a cup.

 

[AmberDawnDays]

It would immediately seek it's furious revenge on it's captor in an orgy of hate and bloodlust, not ceasing until all in the house lay dead in their beds, pale from their utter loss of bodily fluids and with only two red marks in the neck to hint at their gruesome fates.

This is perfect!

 

[Mr C]

Sometimes I wonder if there is a disconnect in my brain. Spiders haven't ever freaked me out and I legit can't understand why people freak out. I'm actually convinced that people just act scared because they think that's how they should act.



Top questions I get asked:
1. Do they still have venom?
2. Are they all in the same enclosure?
3. Have I been bitten?
4. Do I keep them locked away from my children?
5. What would happen if I was bitten?
6. What would happen if one got loose?

I really like answering people's questions. Well, most of the time. The defang question was dumbfounding. I was shocked, but mostly because I've never been asked it and because I guess I assumed people knew tarantulas needed their fangs. I was wrong. People generally have zero knowledge about tarantulas, so I continue to educate people. As long as they are interested enough to ask the questions, I will answer them. I am in no way a tarantula expert either. You all know this, I'm sure. I've only been keeping tarantulas for seven months now, but I love it. I wish I would have gotten into this long ago.

What is funny about this is that when she wanted to start this hobby she was very apprehensive about asking me (she is my wife) to bring some home. These things don't bother me.

 

[Vermis]

Maybe it's a disconnect in my head, but all the other questions I personally put down to 'oh, they just don't know'. For 'what happens if one gets loose?' (I've been asked that myself) I get a feeling of 'what do they want to happen?' As if anything less thrilling than the final battle of Arachnophobia - maybe with a bit of Alien thrown in - might be a mundane anticlimax.