I've got a somewhat rookie question regarding tarantula handling: I've read that if you're going to handle your Ts, you should get them acclimated to it by holding them and getting them into the habit of handling before they are adults, so they are "used to it."
This is all well and good, and sounds like sound advice but my problem lies in the juvenile Ts themselves: my Ts, though docile species (brachys and grammostolas) are way too jumpy to handle safely until they are in premolt, when they really shouldn't be handled anyway. I can't really do the hand cupping method on them being just about 3" because they're too small in my opinion to do it safely (and I've never had the experience of cupping a T and I don't want to do it the first time on a T i'm worried about crushing). Any time I try to coax one onto my hand or the like with a gentle brush or some such, they automatically attack, thinking it's food, and I give up the attempt.
For those of you that handle all sizes of tarantulas, I just wanted to get your input: how do you deal with jumpy juvenile Ts in order to handle them, or do you just wait til they're bigger and not worry about acclimation? (on a side note, I never have this trouble with slings, only with juvies when they hit around 2.5+", and I haven't had an adult yet, but I have handled my friend's mature male rosie, so my issue seems to be just with these "teenage" Ts)
Thanks for your input! :worship:
This is all well and good, and sounds like sound advice but my problem lies in the juvenile Ts themselves: my Ts, though docile species (brachys and grammostolas) are way too jumpy to handle safely until they are in premolt, when they really shouldn't be handled anyway. I can't really do the hand cupping method on them being just about 3" because they're too small in my opinion to do it safely (and I've never had the experience of cupping a T and I don't want to do it the first time on a T i'm worried about crushing). Any time I try to coax one onto my hand or the like with a gentle brush or some such, they automatically attack, thinking it's food, and I give up the attempt.
For those of you that handle all sizes of tarantulas, I just wanted to get your input: how do you deal with jumpy juvenile Ts in order to handle them, or do you just wait til they're bigger and not worry about acclimation? (on a side note, I never have this trouble with slings, only with juvies when they hit around 2.5+", and I haven't had an adult yet, but I have handled my friend's mature male rosie, so my issue seems to be just with these "teenage" Ts)
Thanks for your input! :worship: