I dropped my sling

Isabel Erazo

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jun 19, 2017
Messages
1
My sling is a brachypelma albo and is about 1.5-2 inches. I removed her from her enclosure because i felt it was time to clean it to make sure no left over food was in there. Of course I was as cautious as could be when taking her out and I made sure to do it on the carpet of my room. As I went to put her back into her enclosure she took off from my hand and fell about an inch to two inches into her substrate. I checked her abdomen and I didn't see any leakage. I'm super terrified she got hurt but she looks okay and ate immediately after.

Will she be okay? Has this happened to anyone else?
 

Ungoliant

Malleus Aranearum
Staff member
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Mar 7, 2012
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4,099
I really hope so. I know two inches isn't far but it's my first T and I really want to make sure I do everything possible to keep it safe.
You may have already read this before, but handling your tarantula puts it at risk of falling (or being reflexively dropped/flung by a startled human). Not handling will also reduce the chances of your tarantula escaping. (An escaped sling can be very difficult to find, especially if your room is cluttered.)

Most cage maintenance can be done while the tarantula is still in there, especially for the more docile species like Brachypelma albopilosum. (But you should get in the habit of using tongs for all maintenance, as it prevents your fingers from being mistaken for food and also reduces your exposure to urticating hairs.)
 

TRection

Arachnoknight
Joined
Apr 19, 2017
Messages
267
Dont worry about it, surprisingly enough they are actually better at taking falls when they are slings because they weigh next to nothing. even at 1-2 FEET they are still very likely to be perfectly fine, so dont worry about an inch or two. When you should worry is when you drop them off a table or drop them from standing height.
 

Ellenantula

Arachnoking
Old Timer
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Sep 14, 2014
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I don't handle my Ts.
I do my maintenance without removing T from enclosure.

Hope your lil one will be okay -- it doesn't sound like a bad fall -- and slings can be fairly resilient.
 

mconnachan

Arachnoprince
Joined
Aug 5, 2012
Messages
1,235
I'm going to echo what other members have said, there's no need to handle your spider, any maintenance that needs doing can be done with the use of 12" tweezers/togs. I've never had to handle any of mines, and I want to keep it that way - for the simple reason they're a look but don't touch animal - if you're going to handle them expect the unexpected! I'm not advocating the handling of them, there's never any need to. Your sling will be fine, a fall from that height will not cause any major problems!
 
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Ghost56

Arachnobaron
Joined
Aug 28, 2016
Messages
443
Re-read her post @Kendricks, the T fell while being released back into the enclosure. Wouldn't have mattered if it was her hand or a catch cup, she's just worried about the slight slip back into the enclosure. Although, for future reference, it's best to always use a catch cup.

OP, as others said, it'll be completely fine. It's pretty common for slings to take a tumble sometimes when being put in to their enclosures, they like to bolt, nothing you can do about it.
 
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Isabel Erazo

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jun 19, 2017
Messages
1
Thank you EVERYONE for your replies. :)

Very helpful and I will not be taking my T out for maintenance again.
 

Ellenantula

Arachnoking
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Thank you EVERYONE for your replies. :)

Very helpful and I will not be taking my T out for maintenance again.
Obviously, remove if you absolutely have to, but yeah, if you can work without disturbing the T -- go for that.
If I had to add a vent hole or something -- I would remove my T for safety. But for most routine-type maintenance -- I work around my guys.
Ultimately, my choice is for whatever is safest and least stressful for my T.
 

Exoskeleton Invertebrates

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
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Jun 17, 2007
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1,101
Thank you EVERYONE for your replies. :)

Very helpful and I will not be taking my T out for maintenance again.
You can take your sling out for maintenance, it will be good for you to have that experience anyways. Find better ways to transfer your sling you don't necessarily need to have the sling off the ground. Due the transfer and set the container/cage in an open area on the floor. You'll be fine and get the experience you need cause eventually you'll need it when you get an adult tarantula.
 
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Ellenantula

Arachnoking
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You can take your sling out for maintenance, it will be good for you to have that experience anyways. Find better ways to transfer your sling you don't necessarily need to have the sling off the ground. Due the transfer and set the container/cage in an open area on the floor. You'll be fine and get the experience you need cause eventually you'll need it when you get an adult tarantula.
I suppose it's arguable if catch-cupping a T for removal is more stressful than having the commotion of someone working in enclosure where T resides. Arguably, T is disturbed either way.

Personally, I don't remove any Ts unless I need to. I figure the more catch-cupping/handling, the higher the chance for something to go wrong.

However, all beginner T keepers have to start somewhere.
 

Exoskeleton Invertebrates

Arachnoprince
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IMG_2083.JPG DSC_0883.JPG
I suppose it's arguable if catch-cupping a T for removal is more stressful than having the commotion of someone working in enclosure where T resides. Arguably, T is disturbed either way.

Personally, I don't remove any Ts unless I need to. I figure the more catch-cupping/handling, the higher the chance for something to go wrong.

However, all beginner T keepers have to start somewhere.
One of the problems I see is, to many hobbyists think that their spiders are going to be stressed, sure they will be but they'll get over it. Just like we do we get over our stressful moments and we move on. Some hobbyists need to get over that issue over their tarantulas.

Look at me and my white hairs from being stressed all the time when I take my spiders outside for a photo shoot. It stresses the hell out of me and my spiders, but in the end we both move on with our lives. Like my tarantulas I don't have a bald spot either haha!

My Theraphosa blondi I take photos of him since he was a baby and to this day I've never seen a bald spot on his abdomen. I just think people need to get over that nonsense that is to stressful on their spiders.

Here is another example my Theraphosa apophysis is days from molting and guess what? There is barely, barely a little tiny bald spot on her abdomen.

Obviously people shouldn't handle their tarantula excessive or mess around with them for no reason at all. Bottom line is like you said you have to start somewhere and you have to have the experience with them but have good reasons why you need to transfer/move your tarantula without hurting the spider or yourself in the process.
 

Ellenantula

Arachnoking
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One of the problems I see is, to many hobbyists think that their spiders are going to be stressed, sure they will be but they'll get over it. Just like we do we get over our stressful moments and we move on. Some hobbyists need to get over that issue over their tarantulas.

Look at me and my white hairs from being stressed all the time when I take my spiders outside for a photo shoot. It stresses the hell out of me and my spiders, but in the end we both move on with our lives. Like my tarantulas I don't have a bald spot either haha!

My Theraphosa blondi I take photos of him since he was a baby and to this day I've never seen a bald spot on his abdomen. I just think people need to get over that nonsense that is to stressful on their spiders.

Here is another example my Theraphosa apophysis is days from molting and guess what? There is barely, barely a little tiny bald spot on her abdomen.

Obviously people shouldn't handle their tarantula excessive or mess around with them for no reason at all. Bottom line is like you said you have to start somewhere and you have to have the experience with them but have good reasons why you need to transfer/move your tarantula without hurting the spider or yourself in the process.
+1
 
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