Handling Q????

[tmanjim]

Has anyone out there had any experiences handling a P. Cambridgei. I have heard different stories. I know they are fast. Are they biters?

 

[Alice]

yes, they are fast - plus, they jump! i wouldn't attempt handling one unless i was absolutely sure i can keep calm whatever it does...

as for the biting, you can never tell. most will attempt to run first, but depending on the specimen, they will bite sooner or later if they feel thretened. so your job would be to make it as comfortable as you can.

i never handled my psalmopeus spec., i have to admit. i thought it too much of a risk. not of me being bitten but of the t getting hurt or escaping.

 

[Hedorah99]

yes, they are fast - plus, they jump! i wouldn't attempt handling one unless i was absolutely sure i can keep calm whatever it does...

as for the biting, you can never tell. most will attempt to run first, but depending on the specimen, they will bite sooner or later if they feel thretened. so your job would be to make it as comfortable as you can.

i never handled my psalmopeus spec., i have to admit. i thought it too much of a risk. not of me being bitten but of the t getting hurt or escaping.

Yea. The risk of an arboreal species deciding to take flight is pretty great. My only bite also came from a Psalmo. sp. It was a P pulcher and it tagged me twice as it was running up my hand. The whole thing occured so fast it was unbelivable. It went from in the cup, to up my arm, to down my hand, and then back in teh cup in a matter of 2 seconds I think.

But, as with all handling, you need to really as yourself why. It benefits the T in no way and poses a great risk to your pets health.

 

[Seen1980]

Even though I am new to the hobby, I did decide to grab a pet rock for a second Tarantula. Personally, I'm more likely to handle my Pinktoe rather than the Rosea right now. The Rosea is how should I say not exactly a pet rock yet.

 

[cacoseraph]

i used to hold my juv cambridgei and subadult pulcher. they were pretty tractable. less spazzy than nervous centipedes by a good amount.

watch out though... they are QUICK!

oh, and arboreals seem much much more likely to take a flying leap off of you which can result in your having to do some really quick decision making... do you try to snag a spider out of the air? do you grab an in-flight spider with your hands? do you take the time to find a container to, er, contain it with?

also, i've had bugs end up where i can't see or get to them on me... like the middle of my back... what is your plan then?

handling bugs can be an awesome experience... but you do need to be a little bit clever about it or you make all those... um... people who blindly nay-say right... and gods, we don't want that!

 

[edesign]

also, i've had bugs end up where i can't see or get to them on me... like the middle of my back... what is your plan then?

and if you plan to have another person around to help, make DARN sure that they too will remain calm if they need to help you. A gf spazzing out because she has to help get a 5-6" tarantula off of your back that is as fast as greased lightning isn't going to be much of a back up plan lol.

 

[Scott C.]

Having a tarantula "fly" onto your chest is quite the rush.... Probably too much for some..... I'd say, if you don't know for sure how you'd react to something like that, you're better served to stick with handling terrestrials.....

 

[tmanjim]

Well as far as handling arboreals, I have handled A. Avics, A. Metallica, A. Huriana. I am extremely careful and those are very flighty also. I am a handler and, knock wood, have not had an incident. Yes I know some of you will say why handle at all. Well I am just one of those with the addiction that is fascinated by how they move and can't always see that in the enclosure. I handle in a very confined area where there is no more than a couple of inches of fall space and if it does happen, the fall will be onto a soft surface. There are T's I own which I will definitely never handle, H. Maculata, L. Parahybana, H. Lividum and P. Irminia, but the fascination will continue.

 

[Scott C.]

Well as far as handling arboreals, I have handled A. Avics, A. Metallica, A. Huriana. ........

If I were you I would take one of those avics, and coax them to jump from hand to hand, then hand to body, to see how it sits with you.
I like it when they do it. It looks cool, and I'm fairly sure about their safety, and my reaction, when they do so.
That said, the bottom line is they are your T's.
Good luck with your handling.
Scott

 

[Cerbera]

Well, apart from having a slightly different opinion that the bottom line is 'they're your T-s, presumably inferring, 'do what you like' to some extent, this was a thread that has almost converted me from one of the 'no no no handling' crowd, to the 'I don't see why not' brigade.

There is a lot of responsible advice on this thread about handling well, and despite being on the boards for around 3 years now, it's the first time I've seen it discussed like this, where the advice has made me think its a reasonable possibility.

I got walked on the other day by a small avic, which made the choice to do so entirely on its own, and seemed very happy just wandering and jumping about, doing its exploring thing. Everything was very calm, and a quite wonderful experience for me, I must say, albeit one that I wasn't expecting.

I am of course still in no great hurry to commence handling adult pokies, but I have seen even that done well and responsibly on youtube, and in a lot of cases, both handler, and spider seem perfectly fine with what is going on...

 

[tmanjim]

Look at that Scott, a converted non handler. Like I said. I don't handle all T's. Some are OK with being held. As long as all bases are covered and all precautions taken for the safety of the T. I have done this at least 20 times at daycare centers, public schools etc. The kids love it. Like I said before, up to this point, no incidences. As far as handling pokies, I think I will enjoy that on someone elses dime.

 

[Selenops]

I don't handle my tarantulas but have been handling my female P. cancerides (from hand to hand) before letting her roam on a bedsheet spread out on the floor.

Anyways, I almost made a new thread on this behavior of her's, the spider spreads her chelicerae and rubs her fangs against the sheet while running around like a lawnmower (with abdomen raised higher and cephalothorax lowered against the sheet) sometimes in circles. Then she settle down real low before staying prone or continue roaming. WHAT THE HELL DOES THIS MEAN? LOL!

I hope nothing bad. Or I'll restrict her roamings.

Oh btw, she has only kicked hairs twice (when she first arrived) and never has attempted to bite.

 

[Syngyne]

Anyways, I almost made a new thread on this behavior of her's, the spider spreads her chelicerae and rubs her fangs against the sheet while running around like a lawnmower (with abdomen raised higher and cephalothorax lowered against the sheet) sometimes in circles. Then she settle down real low before staying prone or continue roaming. WHAT THE HELL DOES THIS MEAN? LOL!

Have you tasted your sheet? Maybe it tastes like cricket.

 

[Selenops]

Have you tasted your sheet? Maybe it tastes like cricket.

LOL! Or human?...!

Maybe a hint of things to come.

Seriously an odd sight to behold and I am pretty sure her fangs are retracted while it demonstrates this weird behavior.

 

[Alice]

this weird behaviour is simply stress. many of my ts do it when stressed out by rehousing or handling. expecially the raised butt is sign that means: i am ready to kick hairs should this situation become even more scary.

i personally wouldn't recommend letting your t roam. if her tank is big enough, she doesn't need the excercise. in their natural environments, ts do not stray far from their burrows/web tubes. removing them from their 'home' is stressful. so just keep in mind: you do that for your own enjoyment, nor for the t's benefit - some take it better, some worse. it doesn't sound as if your t belongs in the first category, so maybe it would be better you left it alone.

just my two cents .

 

[Selenops]

That's just the thing I wanted confirmed. Thanks-a-million.

No I feel no need to handle any of my Ts but have never witnessed a tarantula do the "vacuum cleaner impression". I wasn't sure whether she was stressed or simply loved the new strange material.