Handling?

notactuallyjesus

Arachnopeon
Joined
Oct 8, 2020
Messages
6
Hey!

I've had my Aphonopelma Seemanni, Simon, for a couple of months now and I've been trying to do some research on handling as I haven't tried to handle him yet but, I can't find much. Would it be okay to handle him without gloves? The pet store worker (I know, untrustworthy) told me that I would need gloves to "train" him so he wouldn't bite/flick hairs. How do I go about handling him? Is there anything I need to do before just picking him up? How can I make sure he is comfortable throughout the process?

Thanks!
 

Poonjab

Arachnoking
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Nov 4, 2019
Messages
2,755
Don’t do it. Don’t even think of doing it. T’s ARE NOT to be handled. You can’t train them. Put in enclosure. Appreciate from a distance. I’ll wait for others to give you a thousand reasons why you don’t hold your T’s.
 

Craig73

Arachnoangel
Joined
Jun 2, 2016
Messages
790
Don’t do it. You’ll feel bad if you drop it and it busts wide open with its guts oozing all over the place and then making a new thread on how to fix it.
 

Poonjab

Arachnoking
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I’d argue that at a minimum of twice per week, there is a thread asking for help for a T that has taken a fall. Many of those could be easily avoidable, including falls from handling.
 

Craig73

Arachnoangel
Joined
Jun 2, 2016
Messages
790
I’d argue that at a minimum of twice per week, there is a thread asking for help for a T that has taken a fall. Many of those could be easily avoidable, including falls from handling.
Unless it’s a Brachypelma pitti, those are like teflon. 😆
 

justanotherTkeeper

Arachnosquire
Joined
Feb 26, 2020
Messages
96
I feel like maybe it's time for a moderator to pin a topic relating to this on the main page. So many new keepers (or people considering getting T's) seem to ask about handling a lot. IMO, it may be helpful to plaster in big print on the AB site something along the lines of, "So you want to handle your tarantulas? Here's why you shouldn't."

Experienced keepers on here give great advice, but it may be more helpful to the novice crew to have an article already posted answering their questions on "why not" to attempt handling their T's

This especially pertains to those who buy tarantulas merely for the "cool exotic pet" factor, and mostly want to show off their animals than care for them properly
 

The Grym Reaper

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Jul 19, 2016
Messages
4,835
Tarantulas gain absolutely nothing from being handled and, regardless of how careful you are, you risk injuring or killing them every time you do it.
 

Table

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Joined
Jun 3, 2020
Messages
141
Honestly I don't judge people who handle on a rare occasion, but the risks should always be taken into consideration.

I personally don't handle, and I don't plain on starting. I know that it only puts the T at risk and if something where to go wronge idk how'd I'd handle it.
Then again handling isn't an automatic death sentence, but just remember one wronge jerk or breath can send that T flying to its death.
 

moricollins

Arachno search engine
Old Timer
Joined
Nov 15, 2003
Messages
3,687
Hey!

I've had my Aphonopelma Seemanni, Simon, for a couple of months now and I've been trying to do some research on handling as I haven't tried to handle him yet but, I can't find much.
I'm not sure what you are talking about. A search for the term handling on this site will give you thousands of threads where this topic has been discussed.
Is there anything I need to do before just picking him up?
Yes, realize that the tarantula has NO desire to be picked up, touched, etc. and just leave it alone
How can I make sure he is comfortable throughout the process?

Thanks!
Luck, hope and prayer.
The tarantula gets ZERO benefit from you handling it. I would recommend not handling it.
 

viper69

ArachnoGod
Old Timer
Joined
Dec 8, 2006
Messages
17,851
Hey!

I've had my Aphonopelma Seemanni, Simon, for a couple of months now and I've been trying to do some research on handling as I haven't tried to handle him yet but, I can't find much. Would it be okay to handle him without gloves? The pet store worker (I know, untrustworthy) told me that I would need gloves to "train" him so he wouldn't bite/flick hairs. How do I go about handling him? Is there anything I need to do before just picking him up? How can I make sure he is comfortable throughout the process?

Thanks!
No no no no!!! Can’t train them either!!

Get a dog or a hamster.
 

KitsInvertsVa

Arachnopeon
Joined
Sep 11, 2020
Messages
35
My avic i was planning on holding very often just like a hamster but i learned why we should not especially with a avic and i stopped, the only times i have held it is twice in the past month.
 

PidderPeets

Arachnoprince
Arachnosupporter +
Joined
May 27, 2017
Messages
1,336
Take what everyone has said on here to heart. It's blunt and harsh, but it's the truth.

Another thing worth pointing out with this particular species is that they are fossorial and once settled in likely won't even be exposed enough for you to handle without destroying it's home to get it out of its burrow. This species requires deep substrate (which I'm sure it didn't have at the pet store, and I'm also fairly sure they didn't tell you it needed) and it takes a long time for them to settle in and eventually create a proper burrow for themselves. But once they do, you often won't see much more than the occasional feet sticking out of the burrow when it's hungry. It won't be out far enough for you to handle, and I would hope that after seeing how much effort it takes for your T to make it's home to wouldn't just destroy all it's hard work just to handle it. That would take it an extremely long time for it to fix and it would never feel like it had a safe home. It would live in near constant stress (being handled, having it's home destroyed, feeling exposed and unsafe until it rebuilds, having to start from scratch, repeat), and that's not something anyone should want for their pet.

Just please reconsider
 

Vanessa

Grammostola Groupie
Joined
Mar 12, 2016
Messages
2,423
A bit off topic, but I'm curious as to how you have this animal set up. Can you please provide photos of them and their setup? Also, where you have gone to for information up to this point?
 

notactuallyjesus

Arachnopeon
Joined
Oct 8, 2020
Messages
6
Take what everyone has said on here to heart. It's blunt and harsh, but it's the truth.

Another thing worth pointing out with this particular species is that they are fossorial and once settled in likely won't even be exposed enough for you to handle without destroying it's home to get it out of its burrow. This species requires deep substrate (which I'm sure it didn't have at the pet store, and I'm also fairly sure they didn't tell you it needed) and it takes a long time for them to settle in and eventually create a proper burrow for themselves. But once they do, you often won't see much more than the occasional feet sticking out of the burrow when it's hungry. It won't be out far enough for you to handle, and I would hope that after seeing how much effort it takes for your T to make it's home to wouldn't just destroy all it's hard work just to handle it. That would take it an extremely long time for it to fix and it would never feel like it had a safe home. It would live in near constant stress (being handled, having it's home destroyed, feeling exposed and unsafe until it rebuilds, having to start from scratch, repeat), and that's not something anyone should want for their pet.

Just please reconsider
of course!!! i didn't get him because i wanted to show off and after reading all these responses i have no desire to try to handle him. also, when the guy at the store was showing me how to care for him he said "every couple months you should take out his web" and then proceeded to pull out his web and throw it away. when i got home i did tons of research and found that that was HORRIBLE advice. i knew pet store employees were uninformed but this was very surprising to read about and saddening to know.
 

cold blood

Moderator
Staff member
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Jan 19, 2014
Messages
13,223
of course!!! i didn't get him because i wanted to show off and after reading all these responses i have no desire to try to handle him. also, when the guy at the store was showing me how to care for him he said "every couple months you should take out his web" and then proceeded to pull out his web and throw it away. when i got home i did tons of research and found that that was HORRIBLE advice. i knew pet store employees were uninformed but this was very surprising to read about and saddening to know.
Glad you figured that out:)
 

notactuallyjesus

Arachnopeon
Joined
Oct 8, 2020
Messages
6
A bit off topic, but I'm curious as to how you have this animal set up. Can you please provide photos of them and their setup? Also, where you have gone to for information up to this point?
i had been watching youtube videos and reading articles until i found this website. i've found google searches to be very unhelpful.

i have been curious about my setup as i haven't changed that much since i bought him. every site i got to says to set it up differently so i'm not sure what to change or if it's fine. i'm also a bit nervous to move stuff around because he has become very accustomed to it and has built his home already. thoughts? ideas? advice? View attachment 362368 image.jpg image.jpg image.jpg
 
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