How often do you hold your Ts?
- Thread starter Arborius
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If you mean like every day for obscene amounts of time, then maybe.
Can't be good for the spider to be handled that long and often, I'd imagine.
I handle mine like maybe every 2 weeks or so, when I do a thorough bolus/poop/other gross stuff cleaning in my cages. And that's only if they are being unruly or are in the way.
That said, I do enjoy being able to handle them, and sometimes use the opportunity to give them a once over or take pictures.
Can't be good for the spider to be handled that long and often, I'd imagine.
I handle mine like maybe every 2 weeks or so, when I do a thorough bolus/poop/other gross stuff cleaning in my cages. And that's only if they are being unruly or are in the way.
That said, I do enjoy being able to handle them, and sometimes use the opportunity to give them a once over or take pictures.
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I dont really hold mine that much now days.. But I honestly dont understand how everyone says that holding them stresses them out.. Back when I held my T's on a regular basis their mood never seemed to change.. I could hold them then place them back in their enclosure and they would eat right after I placed them in there..
I dont think you have a problem just because you have one in your hand most of the time..
I dont think you have a problem just because you have one in your hand most of the time..
The way I see it .. If I was "chilling out" or sleeping I certainly wouldn't want a "giant being" suddenly picking me up and making me walk back and forth and keeping me from my bed or resting place if I was trying to get back to my "chilling zone"....
If I am doing cage maintenance and a T decides to climb out on theri own then that's fine but otherwise I leave them be.....
If I am doing cage maintenance and a T decides to climb out on theri own then that's fine but otherwise I leave them be.....
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next to never. The only exception is after one of my avics molt.
I hope you give them ample time to harden up first????
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Confidence and knowledge
I handle all of my T's from my H. lividum to my P. metallica. I also handle my P. ultramarinus and Xenesthis sp white. The only T I don't handle all that much is my B. boehmei because she likes to kick quite a bit. I usually try to handle them at least once a week. I find handling on a regular basis promotes more reliable reactions to the hand. So the answer to your thread in my opinion would be that your handling would be a good thing as long as it isn't overdone. Over doing the handling would be every day 7 days a week. A couple of times a week would be ok. I think you'll find that you will begin to really know the reaction of your T's the more you handle them. This also helps when you go to show other people and educate them. It doesn't look to good if your flinching and acting nervous. It says more if your confident when handling a T to people who don't know any better and are wanting to see the T. And in my opinion if your not handling them on a regular basis your confidence is compromised and this would more likely lead to a bite.
I handle all of my T's from my H. lividum to my P. metallica. I also handle my P. ultramarinus and Xenesthis sp white. The only T I don't handle all that much is my B. boehmei because she likes to kick quite a bit. I usually try to handle them at least once a week. I find handling on a regular basis promotes more reliable reactions to the hand. So the answer to your thread in my opinion would be that your handling would be a good thing as long as it isn't overdone. Over doing the handling would be every day 7 days a week. A couple of times a week would be ok. I think you'll find that you will begin to really know the reaction of your T's the more you handle them. This also helps when you go to show other people and educate them. It doesn't look to good if your flinching and acting nervous. It says more if your confident when handling a T to people who don't know any better and are wanting to see the T. And in my opinion if your not handling them on a regular basis your confidence is compromised and this would more likely lead to a bite.
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I'll hold my Avic slings if I am already doing something with their enclosure.
I held my G. rosea a few times in the past, but since her molt she's got attitude problems lol
I held my G. rosea a few times in the past, but since her molt she's got attitude problems lol
Singapore_Blue1: I've got an H. Lividum, and I don't believe I would ever handle it. I attempted to do a ventral sexing but it just shrugged away my fingers, ran up the transport cup, and proceeded to threaten us. I'de love it if they were handleable, but I think you are begging for a bite. Either that or you have the worlds most docile cobalt.
I have a GBB sling that is very skittish, reclusive and makes himself small in a little corner of his cup. Last week I was holding the cup steady with my left hand as I removed a bolus with tweezers in my right hand - the sling freaked, ran up onto my left hand, and came to a complete stop. I was able to look at him up close, grab my camera and take pictures, the whole shot. And he didn't budge - I finally had to coax him back into the cup. I concluded, as Arborius does, that the GBB somehow found security in the sudden warmth provided by my hand.
Taking this a step farther, it is unlikely that a T would willingly put itself in a stressful situation, so if the T climbs onto us by its own volition, that could be the answer to the whole "to handle or not to handle" question. :clap:
When Sweetie hardens up I will determine how amiable she is to being held, and then probably say hi to her now and then. She's the only spider I have that has voluntarily crawled on my hand and just sat there. Probably for the warmth, I know, but still... It was a special moment.
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of course. The point was I don't even handle them unless I am checking out their new suit.
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Docile T's
Yes my H. lividum is very docile. I have many pics of me handling her. I don't think I have the most docile cobalt blue out there but she is accustomed to me handling her. Never had a threat pose! You could say I am begging for a bite but 15 years of no bites says otherwise I actually attribute the fact that I have no bites to the fact that I handle my T's. If you read a lot of these people that report bites they tend to have one thing in common. They don't handle there T's. A lot (not all) of the reports I have read they were changing water or doing some type of work in the T's enclosure and they get tagged. My opinion is the lack of interaction causes the T to be defensive of its territory. If the T is accustomed to being handled it won't see you in its enclosure as a threat. By the way I've handled all my T's from slings which I think def makes a difference.
Yes my H. lividum is very docile. I have many pics of me handling her. I don't think I have the most docile cobalt blue out there but she is accustomed to me handling her. Never had a threat pose! You could say I am begging for a bite but 15 years of no bites says otherwise
I actually attribute the fact that I have no bites to the fact that I handle my T's. If you read a lot of these people that report bites they tend to have one thing in common. They don't handle there T's. A lot (not all) of the reports I have read they were changing water or doing some type of work in the T's enclosure and they get tagged. My opinion is the lack of interaction causes the T to be defensive of its territory. If the T is accustomed to being handled it won't see you in its enclosure as a threat. By the way I've handled all my T's from slings which I think def makes a difference.- Joined
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Great topic for those of us who do handle!!! Although to the OP, I would cut back your sessions to once or twice in a week at most.
For being a big advocate of the practice of handling, I hold my T's relatively sparsely. Somtimes it's more often, but I handle 2 or 3 of my specimens about once every couple of weeks or so on average. I would like to hold at least one of my T's in a week, but with roommates (that make sudden noises), kids, and a life outside of the hobby, I don't get as much spider-time as I would like. There are the in-between days, when it's a quick 2-second jaunt for a pic, or just because I need to have some time with a particular one that I feel I've been neglecting (even though they don't give two hells, LOL).
Sometimes people will come over and want to see the T's, or some spider-wary individual needs an educational presentation. For presentations, I have about 4 or 5 specimens that I can take out any day of the week without any troubles at all. Depending on which T someone asks me to show them, I will either take it out, wrangle it into the open (if I'm not comfortable with holding it), or laugh in the person's face if the request involves my S. cal.
Once I move and ditch the roommate-living lifestyle, I will definately handle a litle bit more often.
For being a big advocate of the practice of handling, I hold my T's relatively sparsely. Somtimes it's more often, but I handle 2 or 3 of my specimens about once every couple of weeks or so on average. I would like to hold at least one of my T's in a week, but with roommates (that make sudden noises), kids, and a life outside of the hobby, I don't get as much spider-time as I would like. There are the in-between days, when it's a quick 2-second jaunt for a pic, or just because I need to have some time with a particular one that I feel I've been neglecting (even though they don't give two hells, LOL).
Sometimes people will come over and want to see the T's, or some spider-wary individual needs an educational presentation. For presentations, I have about 4 or 5 specimens that I can take out any day of the week without any troubles at all. Depending on which T someone asks me to show them, I will either take it out, wrangle it into the open (if I'm not comfortable with holding it), or laugh in the person's face if the request involves my S. cal.
Once I move and ditch the roommate-living lifestyle, I will definately handle a litle bit more often.
I was never a big handler. People see me handle my Ts a lot, though, because I do take them out of their enclosures to show people. I have 4 spiders that I consider the "tarantula ambassadors" because they are so unbelievably docile. I also regularly pin or cup Ts so that I may sex them.
Recreationally, though, I don't hold them all that much, really just on the rare occasion that I'm restless and feel like taking photos. Over the last couple of days, I have handled a T. blondi and a sick A. avicularia. I generally only handle tarantulas that I am packing when I am by myself.
Urticating hairs have really started to bother me within the last couple of weeks.
Recreationally, though, I don't hold them all that much, really just on the rare occasion that I'm restless and feel like taking photos. Over the last couple of days, I have handled a T. blondi and a sick A. avicularia. I generally only handle tarantulas that I am packing when I am by myself.
Urticating hairs have really started to bother me within the last couple of weeks.
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I'll hold my T's during rehousing or to take photos, but that's about it. There is no need to handle and I honestly don't get a lot of enjoyment out of handling them. Getting a potent, defensive T to calm down enough to the point that you can handle it is a thrill, but after the first time it gets old pretty fast.
I totally don't buy the handling = less likely to bite scenario. T's, in many cases, are defensive around their territory and much less likely to bite when not in their territory. I don't think they ever get to the point that they "learn" to differentiate your hand from another threat. I think bites are extremely rare and happen when someone's not paying attention.
I totally don't buy the handling = less likely to bite scenario. T's, in many cases, are defensive around their territory and much less likely to bite when not in their territory. I don't think they ever get to the point that they "learn" to differentiate your hand from another threat. I think bites are extremely rare and happen when someone's not paying attention.