How often do you hold your Ts?

[Singapore_Blue1]

Learning

They do have the ability to learn to an extent. When I feed my A. versicolor I feed her in a certain way, and she comes out to feed. She knows that I am getting ready to feed her. So my question is if she can learn that when I go into her tank in a certain way that means food. What makes you think that she is unable to associate any other stimulus? I do find however that this stimulus needs to be reinforced every couple of weeks or so otherwise they do seem to have a short term memory so to speak.

 

[ZergFront]

They hold me!

Only when I do maintenance, which sometimes turns into a photo shoot in the middle when I see them but my camera broke. They think that just because I'm trying to ease them out of the way that they can climb all over me.

 

[mandipants]

when I first got into T's, and knew next to nothing about them my #1 concern in species choice was whether they were handlable or not. Now out of my 30+ Ts only a few are docile enough to handle, and I hardly ever do. It's not that I've grown opposed to it, and I enjoy handling them when I do, (particularly my juvi B. smithi female, she's a sweetie) I just find myself enjoying them as they are most of the time.

 

[jayefbe]

They do have the ability to learn to an extent. When I feed my A. versicolor I feed her in a certain way, and she comes out to feed. She knows that I am getting ready to feed her. So my question is if she can learn that when I go into her tank in a certain way that means food. What makes you think that she is unable to associate any other stimulus? I do find however that this stimulus needs to be reinforced every couple of weeks or so otherwise they do seem to have a short term memory so to speak.

Many of my tarantulas attack the stream of water when I fill their water dishes every single time. You'd think they'd 'learn', but they don't. Every single time they think it is food, but it never is. The behavior you see in your versicolor could be anthropomorphic tendencies of humans; to see things as they want to see them or explain behavior in human terms. Or you could be the one learning that certain stimuli get a food response from the versi, in which case the T is just reacting in a natural tendency and you're the one that has changed behavior. Tarantulas neurologically are hardwired to react to stimuli. I do believe that they can become conditioned to certain stimuli under certain conditions, but I don't think they can ever come to discern the difference between a keeper's hand and a potential predator.

I have an irminia that I can handle no problems. I take her out of her enclosure and she's fine. If I stick anything in her enclosure she immediately attacks it. I fill the water dish, attack. I remove a food bolus, attack. Even though when she is out of the cage she doesn't associate my hands with a threat, I know that if I stick my hands in the enclosure I will get bitten.

 

[jebbewocky]

Only during rehousings. My A.Avic is small enough that I'd lose it, and my G.rosea doesn't like being held. Or even noticed. He's really antsy for a G.rosea, but the fact that he was probably WC probably doesn't help.

Oh, and he has particularly bad hairs.

 

[7mary3]

I handle my Ts about as often as these damn threads pop up.

Handling is a personal choice, and if exercised with the safety of your T in mind (relative to the situation) can be a good thing for you, and more or less inconsequential for the T. Accidents can happen though, so you must always be careful.

Also, try a search next time, as that it seems this gets brought up every other week or so. Seriously.

 

[micheldied]

only when i take pics.
or when they happen to climb out during maintenance.

 

[Arborius]

7mary3: Then what topic would you rather us discuss in the "tarantula chat" section? I joined up to make you happy after all.

 

[rustym3talh3ad]

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.

+1........i hold only my nasties lol....H. mac, Pokies, S. cal...i tried holding my OBT once but that was a big friggin joke....reason being alot of those T's cant be seen in their enclosure due to heavy webbing or just plain good hiding. i start with babies and raise them up to hopefully be able to handle them as adults....my S. cal is my newest endeavor its about 2" right now, and i hold "her" 3-4 times a week for about 20 mins at a time...fingers crossed she wont consume my soul some day.

 

[varanus dwarfus]

I have had my chaco for about 3-4 years and haven't handled it once since it reached about 2.5" (about two years ago). He is STUBBORN. Trying to get him to move 18" is a battle (he isn't defensive... just doesn't like moving). I don't see any reason to push him. When my brachy slings start getting their color in (maybe a molt or two before hand, around 1.5-2") I may start handling them on occasion. Right now they are so small I'm afraid to lose them (I have a pretty cluttered room).

 

[sntcruzan]

Only at the SFBATS meetings and for handling demonstration purposes only. I almost NEVER handle them at home

 

[ArachnoJoshua]

Rarely but my house it a mess so if one escapes id never find it

 

[hellraizor]

I would just like to reiterate my point that tarantulas are not toys, and need to be shown the utmost respect. I'm sure most of you have seen the unfortunate YouTube video of Rob's P.ornata bite. This was a mistake, even when respect for the T's, and caution were both being used. Handling dangerous T's for fun is no joke, and should not be bragged about. Just imagine how much worse it would be if the bite was by an H.mac or S.calceatum.
Now I feel strongly against handling T's, obviously. But I'd agree, there are some species that it is okay to "occasionally" handle. We all know what they are, so no need listing them. But Rob's unfortunate accident shows just how much respect we need to show these critters.
In case you haven't seen the vid, here's the AB link..
http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?p=1547194#post1547194

Hope your feeling better Rob!

 

[jellybean]

i handle mine quite a bit. not all of them every day though. some of mine just walk, climb out whenver i remove the lid/open the door. when i pick the left over cricket crap out of my avic stank tehy walk onto me so i bring them out. alfie (a versi) love sto cme have cuddles with me, he climbs up my arm, across my shoulders and down my top the have a warm on my boobs!

 

[paul fleming]

I think it is not a very good idea to handle T's.
They get nothing from it and there is always the risk of you harming the T.
I have not always thought like that but I am now starting to think this way.
I now appreciate my ones from a distance.
I have some very large snakes to handle,which is more fun anyway

 

[WelshTan]

I have some very large snakes to handle,which is more fun anyway

Yes...I can vouch for that, your snakes are fun to handle lol... very heavy too lol. Did you get a feeding vid for me? lol

 

[paul fleming]

Yes...I can vouch for that, your snakes are fun to handle lol... very heavy too lol. Did you get a feeding vid for me? lol

the male has just shed so I won't disturb or feed them for a few days love.
Did you post the pics after ?
How is the H.mac doing too ?
Paul

 

[un33dit]

i handle mine quite a bit. not all of them every day though. some of mine just walk, climb out whenver i remove the lid/open the door. when i pick the left over cricket crap out of my avic stank tehy walk onto me so i bring them out. alfie (a versi) love sto cme have cuddles with me, he climbs up my arm, across my shoulders and down my top the have a warm on my boobs!

Pictures please

 

[WelshTan]

the male has just shed so I won't disturb or feed them for a few days love.
Did you post the pics after ?
How is the H.mac doing too ?
Paul

I havn't seen the male H. mac for days lol ... he's hiding in his tube lol. I have posted a pic of your snake in my pic thread lol .... cant remember which page though lol ... there are some pics of the female mac in there too.

Edit: btw my first corn shed on friday night but some of the shed got stuck so had to bathe her

 

[paul fleming]

I havn't seen the male H. mac for days lol ... he's hiding in his tube lol. I have posted a pic of your snake in my pic thread lol .... cant remember which page though lol ... there are some pics of the female mac in there too.

Edit: btw my first corn shed on friday night but some of the shed got stuck so had to bathe her

Yea......just shot it in a bowl of water and job done.
I normally take the humidity up (80%) for my python and boas when they are in blue.....although they normally shed ok whatever it is