Handling Haplopelma lividum???????

Lycanthrope

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This is maybe the stupidest question ive ever asked, but have any of you heard of handling a cobalt blue? Ive talked to a guy that says he handles his. (maybe some individual attitude on the part of the t?) Im not anywhere near considering this with mine, shes of the typical defensive temper. My question being, has anyone else heard of this being accomplished? I guess it just seems insane to me:?
 

AlbinoDragon829

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Originally posted by Lycanthrope
This is maybe the stupidest question ive ever asked, but have any of you heard of handling a cobalt blue? Ive talked to a guy that says he handles his. (maybe some individual attitude on the part of the t?) Im not anywhere near considering this with mine, shes of the typical defensive temper. My question being, has anyone else heard of this being accomplished? I guess it just seems insane to me:?
I agree, it sounds extremely insane to me. It most likely is the temperament of the individual tarantula itself, because I have seen pics of a guy handling his 10.5" T. Blondi.
 

Henry Kane

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On 1 hand it seems crazy, but on the other, look at Rosemary Kraft. I've seen video of her handling H. lividum as well as Pterinochilus, H. maculata, C. crawshayi, Poecilotheria and several other species that are considered untouchable. I even saw a pic of one of her Pokies riding a mini skateboard! Another good example is Shasta from the ATS was holding a pokie at the last Denver ATS party last week. That's certainly not to say "Go on and handle your cobalt." Just simply that each T is different. Some species considered docile by reputation can be just as defensive as any old world Asian. Just as well, the opposite. It's best left a matter of personal judgement. No one knows your bugs like you. If there's even a shadow of fear or doubt, then my advice would be don't even consider it.

See ya.
Atrax
 

Lycanthrope

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Very true Atrax. I would never even consider it, if my hand even gets close to her she goes ballistic. I named her Bridget, after my gf. Appropriate considering shes psychotic. (T or girl? take your pic heheheh);P Anyhow, thanks for your replies fellas, but i wonder is it the individual T, or just some skill on the part of the handler, a special touch if you will. i dunno maybe im being silly, time to go tend the psycho, guess which one heheheh.
 

Henry Kane

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That's another good question. After watching Rosemary do her stuff, it would be hard to argue that she is not in some way gifted. I know that's hardly the scientific point of view, but you've got to see it to know what I mean.
By the way, there's nothing stupid about your question at all. I'd only be down on myself if I didn't have the guts to ask. You are cool there so, ask away bro!
See ya.
Atrax
 
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Phillip

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I've seen it done...

And I've also done it.. by accident of course but I did get away with coaxing one back down my arm with no bite from it. Pretty much when you see people handling the feisty ones they are just aware of how not to upset them too much. As long as you behave like a tree so to speak and remain really calm and still with slow gentle movements most of them will simply run around on you rather than try to nuke ya. Still it's risky and I certainly don't recommend it by any stretch of the imagination. That said it isn't some magic trick nor is it some unusually calm spider but rather a calm person that knows his or her spiders behavior very well being able to not do what sets them off.
Phil
 

Immortal_sin

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I haven't seen H lividum handling, but Rosemary amazed me at the conference. Watching her handle her adult female C crayshawi was incredible! The handling of the H maculata was great as well.
I got to hold her adult male P regalis, he was nervous, but certainly not defensive at all.
I handle some of mine that some people consider aggressive or defensive, but haven't tried the H lividum LOL
Considering she is never seen, it wouldn't be easy.
You know, I've found them to be so much less defensive once they are away from their burrow. That is not to say they would not bite, but maybe much less likely to.
I handle my 2.5' C crayshawi. He/she displays readily too. See his pic here in the T gallery. That's what he normally does. However, if I can get him out of his container, he is handlable.
 

Devildoll

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i've handled a H. lividum once... it was at a pet shop i used to frequent and the girl there is like "Look, she lets you pet her...."
So i said.. .mind if i hold her?
she said"only if you don't mind being bitten..."

So i went and coaxed the lil devil into my hand and let her wander my shoulders and stuff...


i handle my pokie all the time.... she doesn't mind it....

I had to handle my H. minax once and handled it.....

I consider handling those Ts some sort of Zen relaxation test kinda thing...
if i can controll my breathing and heartrate i've found i can handle most Ts... if i get nervous i get defensive posture immediatly....
 

bodc21

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yes then no

yes.. i have handled my cobalt nikki about 6 times now i used to hold her whenever i would see her which wasnt often till this last time while i was holding her she went into a threat posistion i lowered her to her enclosure she ran down her burrow and thats the last i have seen her and ill tell you i dont think i have the balls to hold her again!
 

Arachnopuppy

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Even if the spider has no intention of biting you, what I don't get is how the heck can you keep it still? H. lividum move like lightning. One moment it's on your hand, the next it could be across the room. I think the problem isn't just about the biting thing, it is also about the speed and the nervous nature of the T. I tried to pick up my lividum once but she was just too fast for me.
 

pategirl

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I haven't handled my cobalt, but she did manage to run onto my back when I moved her to her new house. That was an experience. I have handled everyone else, though. My dodoma baboon doesn't mind being handled at all when she decides to slow down long enough.
 

BertWright

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Handling your Cobalt Blue

I have handled my cobalt blue a couple of times but it is always on her terms. I've asked the same question and got similar results/responses. Each tarantula is different - and - the Old World or Asian or African tarantulas are definitely the ones that you do not want to handle, for several reasons. One person informed me that a cobalt blue will bite you repeatedly - even a spiderling. The best way I can describe their demeanor is UNPREDICTABLE - typically they're scared, nervous, and fast as a tarantula can be. My cobalt blue will bang her fangs against the acrylic wall of her enclosure as she goes for you. Sometimes I can just pick her up and she acts like she'd never bite - then, while doing housekeeping, she'll fly out of her burrow, throw her front legs up in the air, then slap them on the ground. No, in most cases, this is not the best spider to hold. Even the most docile species will 'have their days' - somedays they just don't want to be picked up. A good day for a cobalt blue is similar to the worst 'bad day' you'll see from a docile species. Bottom line, these are tarantulas, they can and will bite. Regardless of the species, if you want to handle ANY tarantula, you must be familiar with the species. As far as Rosemary Kraft, I believe her secret is she KNOWS her tarantulas - she spends a great deal of time with one to have that closeness she has with her tarantulas. I believe ANY tarantula can be handled, and I KNOW that ANY tarantula can and will bite - with that being said, some are more 'prone' to bite than others, and the cobalt blue, Haplopelma lividum, is one of those. They are beautiful tarantulas though, and for what it is worth I have heard of a couple of people that handle their cobalt blue regularly. My cobalt blue, like most, would prefer NOT to be hamdled - though she will tolerate it from trime to time, you must be careful because if anything, they're UNPREDICTABLE (mine ran all over my clothes, around my back, and down my arm before I knew she took the first step) Good Luck, but whatever you decide, make sure you get to know your tarantula before handling.

Bert Wright
Fellow Tarantula Keeper/Enthusiast
 

Chris

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Originally posted by Devildoll
if i can controll my breathing and heartrate i've found i can handle most Ts... if i get nervous i get defensive posture immediatly....
I couldn't agree with you more! They really do sense when you are nervous and get antsy because of it. I think they know that when something is afraif they have more chance of getting hurt.

A great example is a chilean rose I sold to a pet shop not too long ago... I attended a staff meeting to show them all how to properly care for, handle, and generally deal with tarantulas and herps. The main goal was to get them over their fears (this is the same shop that once used a fish net to capture an avicularia avicularia when someone bought it)

When I was handling the spider it was behaving better than I could have ever expected. Not so much as even a hair kicked. All of the girls took a turn holding the spider and since I was there it helped them be confident about it. Now that the spider has been there a couple of weeks it wont let any of them near it. It gets up and threatens at the slightest disturbance from them because they are all afraid of it (thats what I think anyway)

When I went in to have a look at the spider I picked it up and played with it like any other time... I am sure it is because it senses that I am not afraid and that I wont hurt it.
 

Steve Nunn

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Hi,
All T's can be handled, all T's can bite, but it is all relative. Each individual T is different for sure. Sometimes it depends on species, sometimes on age. To generalise in some regards can be done (old world vs new world for example), but there's always one or two that will be the exception.

A spider that may be handled one instar will be so nasty the next it can be amazing, you wouldn't know you had the same spider. It might depend on the keeper (eg Rosemary Kraft, as opposed to a nervous handler or someone wih slightly shaky hands), maybe the weather (warm days will get the T's more active).

Bottom line is there are so many variables it's just impossible to generalise, you won't know until you try and even then the very same T that was like candy in your hands may change attitudes overnight.

Cheers,
Steve
 

phoenixxavierre

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Originally posted by Immortal_sin
I handle my 2.5' C crayshawi. He/she displays readily too. See his pic here in the T gallery.
WOW!! That's one huge C. crawshayi!! Two and a half foot legspan?? :eek: My God! That must be a world record!!

What the heck do you feed it?? guinea pigs?

:eek:


:D

=D =D =D
 
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Immortal_sin

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don'tcha love typos?!!!
heheheheh!
It's in training to guard my house ;)
It stands on the front porch and stridulates at passersby...quite frightening actually =D =D
 

invertepet

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As a general rule of thumb, I wouldn't suggest anyone handle their H. lividum. Rosemary is an extreme exception to that rule (and has also been bitten, herself).

IME, the majority of tarantula bite reports in the hobby have come from this spider. Fortunately it appears to be rather low on the toxicity scale, but they can be quite fast and 'sticky' (even scaling forceps and such).

Just be careful.

bill
 

deifiler

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if you want to impress someone, which i dont agree using spiders to do, just wait till your lividum dies, then get photoes of it in your hands, of course open its legs a bit

or position a moult into a suitable position

hah hope that helps...
 

phoenixxavierre

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Originally posted by Immortal_sin
don'tcha love typos?!!!
heheheheh!
It's in training to guard my house ;)
It stands on the front porch and stridulates at passersby...quite frightening actually =D =D

:eek:

ROFLMAO!!!!!!
 
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