"Handling" T's..

[Jive]

Before one of my friends pointed me to this board, I always thought tarantula's were.. well. Scary. Infact, the only run in I've had with a spider was when I was trying to give my dog a bath (outside) and opened a fold up-chair and the thing just SPRANG outwards when the chair opened. It was completely flat and light brown, fuzzy, HUGE.. I didn't exactly stay around to take a real close look at it. (Can anyone tell me what it was?) My views have changed now, and I think that they're beautiful creatures, some of them are even outright cute!

But, but. I've read all these posts and seen all these pictures with people holding their T's. How exactly does one 'handle' a T safely? As in, picking it up and all? I've read that some of you keep them in huge tanks.. do they really tolerate being plucked up? It's something I've always been curious about, picking up a spider without it getting agitated. Is there a technique? Special spider picker-uppers? I mean, there are days where I can't even pick up my cat without her yowling like it's water-torture. :?

Sorry for my newb-ness, but I've just recently become fascinated by these creatures and developed a respect for the people that keep them.. it's just something I've always been curious about. :8o

 

[Telson]

Although I don't recommend handling because of the urticating hairs, in my own experience the best way is simply to put one hand in front of them at a distance that won't startle it, and coax it forward in to your palm. If you try it, make SURE that it is a non aggressive species and that it's not showing any signs of aggression / defensiveness first. Make sure you are doing this over a table or something to minmize the distance of a fall in case it startles and runs off your hand.

 

[manville]

I wouldnt reccomend anyone picking them up..that makes them mad..it would probably be better if you let them by itself walk up to your palm though..dont be sorry for asking questions..im a newbie myself too..everyone has gone through that stage..if you dont have any tarantulas maybe you shd start having one..if you are getting one i reccomend you to get the rosehair..thats what i have first..

 

[Jive]

Re: Re: "Handling" T's..

Originally posted by manville
I wouldnt reccomend anyone picking them up..that makes them mad..it would probably be better if you let them by itself walk up to your palm though..dont be sorry for asking questions..im a newbie myself too..everyone has gone through that stage..if you dont have any tarantulas maybe you shd start having one..if you are getting one i reccomend you to get the rosehair..thats what i have first..

Eh, it's more of a curiousity right now than an interest in owning one, you see. I still get a slight "ew it's got more than four legs and gaaah!" twinge when I come near one, but I'm progressing! I think it's more of a lack on knowledge that induces that fear more than anything else, so I'm trying to educate myself.

But still.. I think I'll just enjoy everyone else's lovely critters for now.

 

[manville]

Re: Re: Re: "Handling" T's..

thats good i appreciate your love for them..

 

[Telson]

Learning about them is definately the first step towards getting rid of that twinge they cause you.

 

[abstract]

You know what though - that twinge was still around when I handled my first couple. It's actually kindof a rush - handle a big spider with no incident, then after you get it into it's cage it's like "whew!" - no bites! Then you realize, that they are 99% unlikely to bite anyway, but it's still a rush.

I like mine for that very reason - big fan of handling myself, but only with "docile" species. I've tried a couple of the "aggressives", but I still think they can be docile too, assuming you deal with them when they aren't feeling so agressive....Spiders are moody just like people.

 

[rosehaired1979]

If you do decide to get a Tarantula a good begginer Species is the Chaco Golden Knee(Grammostola aureostriata) or the Pink Zebra Beauty(Eupalaestrus campestratus). The Rosehaired is a good species as well but you are not guaranteed to have a sweet Rosehaired we have 2 aggressive Rosehaireds and can't be handled . The 2 I mention are very doctile and calm. They are easy to keep as well.

 

[deifiler]

I think the pictures of spiders with them on the owners hand are to an extent un-necassary, and solely to show the fact the owner 'dares' to hold it, not to show the actual spider. Pictures of spiders look FAR better with them in their 'artifical-natural' locations than on some goons hand.

Unless the picture is "argh! It ran up my arm and look!" or where having the spider on your hand allows for maximum manipulation for pictures...



I advise against handling spiders, or buying them for that reason. Hipocritacally though, I do allow mine to walk over me if they approach me during transporting them etc, though I don't purposely get them out for a handling session

In the future though you will most likely see pictures of a spider on parts of me, so feel free to quote the above and call me a dirty hipocrite

 

[arachnopunks]

Re: Re: Re: "Handling" T's..

Originally posted by Max
Eh, it's more of a curiousity right now than an interest in owning one, you see. I still get a slight "ew it's got more than four legs and gaaah!" twinge when I come near one, but I'm progressing! I think it's more of a lack on knowledge that induces that fear more than anything else, so I'm trying to educate myself.

But still.. I think I'll just enjoy everyone else's lovely critters for now.

I was terrified of any spider from age 8 to age 21. I got over my arachnophobia by getting a tarantula outright. I was bitten when I was young and on my 21 b-day my mom asked what I wanted for a gift. I answered-tarantula. It dumbfounded my mother but she bought it for me anyway. Heck the last time I ran, literally, from a spider I was 19. Well I got the T and wouldn't open its cage for about three weeks. I just sat and stared at it. It took me another couple of months to handle the T. That was ten years ago and now I can't imagine ever being afraid of spiders. Funny thing is the way I got over my fear is the way shrinks are helping other people conquer their fear of spiders now. We have been telling people for years that even though some species will allow being held for the most part consider them more like a fish, less like a hamster. When your ready to handle the T will let you know and you will be less afraid. Best thing you can do is just watch and learn T's behaviour for a while and then if the T shows you that it is OK with contact then try it. The coaxing method is best for beginners. If you decide to handle, do it on the floor because T's are fast when they want to be and can get away from you very quickly. Just know that handling is not an important part of T keeping.

 

[Mojo Jojo]

Well, here is one goon's outlook on the situation:

If you are going to own and raise tarantulas, I think that it is a good idea to handle them. Why? Becuase the day will come when you have to handle them. Why would you ever have to handle them? They can be fast at times -- very fast. When you are cleaning out their homes, they could dash out and start running up a wall or over your floor. They could dash up your forceps to your hands, then arms, and wind up on your head! I personally have had bad luck trying to catch runaway spiders with containers. Out of panic, I have taken off a few legs and ulltimately lost spiders due to this. It is much more handy putting your hand out in front of them and letting them run onto your hand. And when they do, you definately want to be confortable handling your spider. Have you ever walked into a spiderweb? What happens? Most people start flailing their arms and making inhuman sounds. Did you ever see someone off in the distance who looked like they were haveing a seizure standing up? They probably either walked into a spider web and got grossed out or had a bee or wasp flying by them. The same thing will probably happen to you if you aren't comfortable holding your spiders. And you certainly don't want to involuntar fling your adult B. smithi female who is worth $300 in the adult spider market to its early death do you?

Jon

 

[Damnathius]

A little off topic, like COMPLETELY!

Big Dragonfly, what kind of T is that pictured in your icon, and how large is it?

Dave

 

[Jive]

Originally posted by Damnathius
A little off topic, like COMPLETELY!

Big Dragonfly, what kind of T is that pictured in your icon, and how large is it?

Dave

Just a bit off topic, but I've always wondered, too!

Have you ever walked into a spiderweb? What happens?

I start flailing around and making inhuman sounds.

But what's to stop a T from running up your arm and playing in your hair even if it lopes onto your hand? It's that kind of thing that makes me a bit 'I'll just stay over here, kthnx.' I know they aren't essentially out to get me, and that they'd prolly think of me as some big plushy rock or sommat. =D

 

[Mojo Jojo]

The spider in my icon is Acanthoscurria geniculata. It is a great spider to have, but I don't recommend it for a beginner. It might be a good 3rd spider to get.

But what's to stop a T from running up your arm and playing in your hair even if it lopes onto your hand? It's that kind of thing that makes me a bit 'I'll just stay over here, kthnx.' I know they aren't essentially out to get me, and that they'd prolly think of me as some big plushy rock or sommat.

My point exactly, if it is a species that is really fast, it just might dash up my your arm to your head. The new A. avicularia that I got yesterday did that. But I am comfortable with that, so it didn't bother me and I got my spider back safe and sound.

But if you get to the point of really wanting to get a tarantula, I recommend finding someone who has one that will let you hold it. Be sure to sit on the ground, that way you can keep the spider close to the ground in case it falls. Have the owner pick it up and then let it walk onto your hands. When you become too uncomfortable to hold it anylonger, let it walk back onto the owners hands.

Jon

 

[Jive]

But if you get to the point of really wanting to get a tarantula, I recommend finding someone who has one that will let you hold it. Be sure to sit on the ground, that way you can keep the spider close to the ground in case it falls. Have the owner pick it up and then let it walk onto your hands. When you become too uncomfortable to hold it anylonger, let it walk back onto the owners hands.

I was thinking of doing that! One of my science teachers has a "zoo" in her room (snakes, cockroaches, a bearded dragon), but she also has a Rosehair named Rock she's had for a while. I know for a fact Rock has been in and out of countless student hands, so I think when I go back tomorrow I may pay her and Rock a visit.

 

[Mojo Jojo]

Originally posted by Max
I was thinking of doing that! One of my science teachers has a "zoo" in her room (snakes, cockroaches, a bearded dragon), but she also has a Rosehair named Rock she's had for a while. I know for a fact Rock has been in and out of countless student hands, so I think when I go back tomorrow I may pay her and Rock a visit.

Yoo can doo eeet!

 

[Valael]

Quite a few of the beginner species: G. rosea (Chilean Rose), G. pulchra (Brazillian black), B. smithi (Mexican redknee), and many more I don't feel like typing are actually fairly slow spiders for the most part.


Occasionally, they'll still make a dash. But in my experiences, most of the time they'll just sit there, content with not moving. Most of the time you can avoid having them run up into your clothes because they simply don't go anywhere like they're in a hurry.


Now, some people start off with A. Avicularia (Pinktoe) and they don't usually have a problem running up your arm, faster than your eye can even see But usually, they just try to jump away (They don't jump far, but it can suprise you if you don't expect it.) And they have a wonderful tendency to crap on you occasionally, and when I say crap, I really mean it. THat stuff has force behind it. And there's a lot more than you'd ever imagine a spider of it's size could possibly hold.


I, like many people here, tried to hold pokies (If you happen to have the E-spiderworld banner up top, that's what it is. I honestly don't know if you know what they are or not, so yeah, I'm trying to make it easy ) and ended up having them make their home in your arm pit or some other area under your clothes. It's pretty scary, heh -- their venom is some of the nastier for Ts.




But yeah, as long as you stick with the docile terrestrial Ts, you really don't need to worry all that much. Even though I'd suggest against a G. rosea, they're occasionally a bit psychotic.

 

[greensleeves]

Originally posted by Max
I was thinking of doing that! One of my science teachers has a "zoo" in her room (snakes, cockroaches, a bearded dragon), but she also has a Rosehair named Rock she's had for a while. I know for a fact Rock has been in and out of countless student hands, so I think when I go back tomorrow I may pay her and Rock a visit.

Rock, hee hee! That's a good name for a tarantula, since some people on here do describe their terrestrial species as 'pet rocks'. Even Bungee, though he's arboreal, is rarely active, except on the occasions I happen to catch him webbing, or when he comes out for a jog when I'm misting his container and removing cricket debris.

Greensleeves

 

[Mojo Jojo]

Originally posted by Valael

And they have a wonderful tendency to crap on you occasionally, and when I say crap, I really mean it. THat stuff has force behind it.

Yeah, one time one of my friends was holding one of my avics. Its butt was pointed at me and it let loose all the way across the room. Damn near knocked me over.

;P

Jon

 

[Lopez]

I photograph my tarantulas a lot, so being able to work with them while they are out of the tank is pretty essential for me.

I tend to let them come to me, or gently nudge them from behind - I prefer not to "scoop up" or as I call it "actively" handle them. Theraphosids were not built to be held, but I'll admit that letting a 5" P fasciata explore my arm was quite an experience

Disclaimer - Please do not attempt to mimic or recreate my actions - handle at your own risk!