Handling old worlds

chanda

Arachnoking
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How would i go about handling my old world tarantula that is very bolty? Coremiocnemis Tropix 60mm+ im in Australia and we cant import exotic animals so we are stuck with old worlds
Short answer - you don't. Handling any sort of tarantula is a bad idea, and handling old worlds doubly so.

Any time you handle, you risk getting bit (or haired, with new world species) - and you also risk death or injury to the spider. Handling does not benefit the spider in any way, so why risk it? If you want a pet you can handle, get a cat or dog or ferret of something. Tarantulas are best treated as pet fish - look but don't touch.
 

Swagg

Arachnoknight
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Nov 15, 2019
Messages
262
Don’t......just don’t. Or do, and we will eagerly be awaiting the bite report!
 

Vanessa

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How would i go about handling my old world tarantula that is very bolty? Coremiocnemis Tropix 60mm+ im in Australia and we cant import exotic animals so we are stuck with old worlds
Spoken like a person who has a tarantula for all the wrong reasons and is well on their way to possibly having a very painful first experience with them.
 

MetalMan2004

Arachnodemon
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Oct 14, 2016
Messages
676
You know the risks. There is no secret to it, just do it. If you do, be prepared for the consequences.
 

Daniel James Bass

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jan 9, 2020
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6
Don’t......just don’t. Or do, and we will eagerly be awaiting the bite report!
It didn't bite. Just very bolty.

Spoken like a person who has a tarantula for all the wrong reasons and is well on their way to possibly having a very painful first experience with them.
I have a tarantula because they are beautiful. I am asking for help about handling them because i havent got a choice in what species i could get cause im in Australia and its illegal to import anything from overseas and i was hoping you could help me out by telling me some advice but all that has happened is people saying its stupid and being a bit rude about it. I get that you guys are against it but i dont have a choice in the matter of species so i had to get this T and its the calmest Tarantula we got here.

Short answer - you don't. Handling any sort of tarantula is a bad idea, and handling old worlds doubly so.

Any time you handle, you risk getting bit (or haired, with new world species) - and you also risk death or injury to the spider. Handling does not benefit the spider in any way, so why risk it? If you want a pet you can handle, get a cat or dog or ferret of something. Tarantulas are best treated as pet fish - look but don't touch.
Look at ur pfp haha. But yeah i get what ur saying but i havent got a choice and was seeking advice but all i seemed to get was nothing and rude people.
 
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chanda

Arachnoking
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Jun 27, 2010
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2,229
Look at ur pfp haha. But yeah i get what ur saying but i havent got a choice and was seeking advice but all i seemed to get was nothing and rude people.
Yeah...and if you went into my profile and read about it, you'd see that it was a wild terrestrial tarantula that had managed to climb a tree and got stuck. The picture is of me helping him down out of the tree and sending him on his way, not gratuitous handling of a pet tarantula, just because I want to do it - or because I want to impress people with how "cool" I am and collect imaginary internet points, like so many of the people who post handling videos on YouTube.
 
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boina

Lady of the mites
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Mar 25, 2015
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I have a tarantula because they are beautiful. I am asking for help about handling them because i havent got a choice in what species i could get cause im in Australia and its illegal to import anything from overseas and i was hoping you could help me out by telling me some advice but all that has happened is people saying its stupid and being a bit rude about it. I get that you guys are against it but i dont have a choice in the matter of species so i had to get this T and its the calmest Tarantula we got here.
It's not about what species you can or cannot not get. People around here frown upon handling any tarantula at all and rightfully so. Tarantulas are fragile. In my years on AB I have seen several reports of tarantulas that have been handled and fell - to their death. And often it is a drawn out death when the tarantula bleads to death from a ruptured abdomen over several hours. That's not pretty. People around here love those animals and want the best for them. And if you chose to handle you won't be able to prevent falls. The tarantula - especially a bolty one - will very suddenly bolt and jump and fall. Or it will bite you and you will fling it in reflex through the room to its death - the bite is extremely painful and you won't be able to suppress that reflex. Handling spiders is utterly egotistical and therefore people won't condone it - or help you potentially kill your tarantula. And even if you don't kill it it is likely that it will get away - and you are aware that its venom is most definitely strong enough to kill cats and dogs? Are there any other pets in your house? Because you will put their lives at risk anytime you take this tarantula out and handle it. In an Australian study not a single dog survived the bita of a tarantula, not even a large hunting dog.

There are dozens of reasons not to handle your tarantula and not a single one I can think of to do so.
 

Teds ts and Inverts

Arachnobaron
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Nov 10, 2017
Messages
504
How would i go about handling my old world tarantula that is very bolty? Coremiocnemis Tropix 60mm+ im in Australia and we cant import exotic animals so we are stuck with old worlds
Like everyone here said, don't bother trying. It's simply not worth the risk. You can still admire and appreciate your T without handling it. :)

That being said, if you still have your mind dead set on handling an OW, the best advice I can give you is to stay calm. If you're calm, the T is less likely to feel nervous and bolt, or worse, bite.
 
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donniedark0

chiLLLen
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188
You can handle them but its definitely not worth it. The consequences are too high for the handler, the spider and other household pets.
 

Vanisher

Arachnoking
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Oct 2, 2004
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I have a tarantula because they are beautiful. I am asking for help about handling them because i havent got a choice in what species i could get cause im in Australia and its illegal to import anything from overseas and i was hoping you could help me out by telling me some advice but all that has happened is people saying its stupid and being a bit rude about it. I get that you guys are against it but i dont have a choice in the matter of species so i had to get this T and its the calmest Tarantula we got here.
Use a catch cup if you are gonna move them for some reason. Not with your hands. Not safe for tarantula, not safe for you. Tarantulas are pure "watching" pets IMO. They are in the same category as tropical fish. I am with Vanessa here: If a person gets tarantulas because they wanna handle them, they got them for the wrong reason
 

Rigor Mortis

Arachnobaron
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Nov 7, 2018
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498
Hi Daniel, if you're really super set on handling your tarantula I agree with @Vanisher, use a catch cup to do that. Species as potent as those found in your country shouldn't really be handled, it's too risky. Or honestly one as quick as an OW, never mind their venom. I know that you said they've only bolted and never bitten, but tarantulas can be unpredictable and the last thing you want is for your spider to do a personality change on you while it is in your hand. My B. hamorii is the most docile thing going but she's become flighty around water streams, something she never did before. She's still my sweetest spider but I wouldn't trust her in my hand; and she's a NW! I understand that you have no choice on what kind of Ts you get where you are, but you really do need to exercise caution around these species.
 

Swagg

Arachnoknight
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Nov 15, 2019
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Really it doesn’t matter where you are or what species you have access to. You will find that users here for the most part don’t support handling ANY species on purpose.
 

RezonantVoid

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Jan 7, 2018
Messages
1,354
Hadronyche Formidabilis all the way. Great beginner handling species

[Edit]
In all seriousness.... y tho? From what i can gather, you're saying you wouldn't normally handle OWs but due to our restrictions you have no choice but to do so? So glad my parents dont force me to handle mine! Thats definitely becoming a chronic nationwide issue as of late....

When i reccomended Tropix over S.Kotzman, i didn't say that Tropix would be without attitude. I will personally assure you this is a species that will VERY readily bite if sufficiently stressed out. Even ruling out bites, good luck actually getting it on your hand as Aussie T's hate the feeling of human skin more than i hate a backyard full of bindees, and that's saying alot. I earnestly beg you, please just enjoy them from your side of the enclosure, and im certain both you and your T's will be much happier
 
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Poonjab

Arachnoking
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Nov 4, 2019
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If you want to hold your T, the best advice is to check its mood before you try to coax it onto your hand. This can be done by lightly touching its butt with a soft paintbrush. Move enclosure to the floor. In the case it bolts, this will prevent any falls that would result in instant death. Try to also be on a soft surface like carpet when doing so. Now gently try to coax it into your hand with the paint brush. I would recommend having a catch cup ready in the event it really makes a break for it. That’s all there is to it. Best of luck and be safe.

For anyone who disagrees with me giving him advice. He’s going to do it wether you agree with it or not. I’d prefer he does it in the safest manner possible, that results in the least amount of damage to both him and the T. At least that’s my take.
 

RezonantVoid

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If you want to hold your T, the best advice is to check its mood before you try to coax it onto your hand. This can be done by lightly touching its butt with a soft paintbrush. Move enclosure to the floor. In the case it bolts, this will prevent any falls that would result in instant death. Try to also be on a soft surface like carpet when doing so. Now gently try to coax it into your hand with the paint brush. I would recommend having a catch cup ready in the event it really makes a break for it. That’s all there is to it. Best of luck and be safe.

For anyone who disagrees with me giving him advice. He’s going to do it wether you agree with it or not. I’d prefer he does it in the safest manner possible, that results in the least amount of damage to both him and the T. At least that’s my take.
Your point is very valid and advice good. But when i was new and horribly inexperienced i tried handling a few of mine and am beyond lucky nothing happened. What i did learn though, is they will literally flip upside down in in a ball if it means they can avoid touching your skin. Doesnt matter how calm a T is, with a hatred of fingerprints like that they will always react badly
 

AphonopelmaTX

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People around here frown upon handling any tarantula at all and rightfully so.
I'm very bothered with statements such as this as it leads one to believe the site as a whole takes a position on one topic. That is just not the case. Out of the 60 some-odd thousand registered members on this site, only a few are expressive in their disdain for handling and those few certainly do not speak for everyone. Although I agree for the most part with the rest of the points made in the post, handling can be accomplished safely for both the tarantula and the one holding it.

Handling a tarantula with any disposition takes a calm and confident demeanor on the part of the one attempting to hold it. One must also take the time to understand a tarantula's body language and be able to recognize when it has had enough and ready to be left alone. Attempting to work with or handle a tarantula needs to be done on the floor. In the event of a fall, the less distance between it and the floor the better. There are, of course, tarantulas that just can't be handled no matter what. Those quick to throw their front legs up and start striking are definitely not ones to even try with.
 

FrDoc

Gen. 1:24-25
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If you want to hold your T, the best advice is to check its mood before you try to coax it onto your hand. This can be done by lightly touching its butt with a soft paintbrush. Move enclosure to the floor. In the case it bolts, this will prevent any falls that would result in instant death. Try to also be on a soft surface like carpet when doing so. Now gently try to coax it into your hand with the paint brush. I would recommend having a catch cup ready in the event it really makes a break for it. That’s all there is to it. Best of luck and be safe.

For anyone who disagrees with me giving him advice. He’s going to do it wether you agree with it or not. I’d prefer he does it in the safest manner possible, that results in the least amount of damage to both him and the T. At least that’s my take.
C’mon?! You don’t facilitate a bad decision by giving pointers. “Hey, I know your going to drive recklessly, so do it on a less traveled highway.” Sheesh...
 

Poonjab

Arachnoking
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C’mon?! You don’t facilitate a bad decision by giving pointers. “Hey, I know your going to drive recklessly, so do it on a less traveled highway.” Sheesh...
Not to get into some debate, because I understand your logic, but you’re comparing apples to oranges here. He’s going to do this wether any of us like it or not. Generally when people are ganged up on and told not to do something, for whatever weird reason, it pushes them to do it more. In this case, would you prefer he does it recklessly and get bit, drop his T and it dies? Or at least does it in a way that minimizes any negative outcome?
 
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