I thought I was ready!

Cassiusstein

Arachnosquire
Joined
Dec 9, 2016
Messages
102
I've been keeping Ts for about 2 months now, and now have 11. Now I'm the type of person that spends all of my free time researching things I enjoy, which as of late is tarantulas. With that said I am a very confident person, so I've convinced myself "I'm just so ready for an old world!" :shifty: boy can I be naive sometimes. Today while attempting to rehouse an avic avic, it escaped on me, and I reacted terrible. First off it jumped into a small deli cup I was going to move it with, and I dropped the freakin cup! (only a few inches on to my desk) It then began running up the wall and I had no preplan for this scenario, and no catch up ready :bigtears:. Luckily there was a larger deli cup nearby that I used to capture it, and safely move it over.

Man, I couldnt imagine if that was a more aggresive, or even faster species. I feel like an idiot. This just goes to show experience beats research 10 times out of 10. I'll be holding off on the old worlds just a bit longer.
 

Trenor

Arachnoprince
Joined
Jan 28, 2016
Messages
1,896
Doing your prep work is important.

Having the T you're working with in a good open spot. Making sure you have a work cup and a catch cup. I always have several cups laying around. I don't want to have to look when I need one. Getting everything you need together before starting so you don't have to run to the other room halfway through the job. Making sure you have enough time to complete the task without being rushed. Make sure others know not to disturb you while you're working. Giving yourself plenty of space to work. I like to work in a nice open space where the T has to travel a ways to get to anything else.

A lot of the escapes we see is because of the lack of prep work IMO.

Experience is important too. You can't be ready to react if you don't know what can happen. If you've never had a T jump then make a break it is easy to get startled. It's the same if you've never has a T run on you're hand. Ts can be very quick and if you don't know to be ready a simple catch and cover can become a crazy dash to keep it out from under the TV stand.

I was unpacking a P.ornata sling Saturday and it came out of the vial, around the edge, and over the side to the carpet fairly quick. I laid a catch cup in it's path. It ran in and up to the corner to hide. I covered it with a lid moved it back to it's new home. Without the catch cup and enough room to use it, that would have been a rough experience.

My advice is to keep what you have till you've rehoused a few and are comfortable with other keeper tasks. These can get a bit harder as the size of the T increases. Once you do that then look at new Ts.

Glad you're T is doing good in it's new home.

You might note that I put a good open spot to work in there twice. You can tell how important I think that one is. :p
 
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Cassiusstein

Arachnosquire
Joined
Dec 9, 2016
Messages
102
Doing your prep work is important.

Having the T you're working with in a good open spot. Making sure you have a work cup and a catch cup. Getting everything you need together before starting so you don't have to run to the other room halfway through the job. Making sure you have enough time to complete the task without being rushed. Make sure others know not to disturb you while you're working. Giving yourself plenty of space to work. I like to work in a nice open space where the T has to travel a ways to get to anything else.

A lot of the escapes we see is because of the lack of prep work IMO.

Experience is important too. You can't be ready to react if you don't know what can happen. If you've never had a T jump then make a break it is easy to get startled. It's the same if you've never has a T run on you're hand. Ts can be very quick and if you don't know to be ready a simple catch and cover can become a crazy dash to keep it out from under the TV stand.

I was unpacking a P.ornata sling Saturday and it came out of the vial, around the edge, and over the side to the carpet fairly quick. I laid a catch cup in it's path. It ran in and up to the corner to hide. I covered it with a lid moved it back to it's new home. Without the catch cup and enough room to use it, that would have been a rough experience.

My advice is to keep what you have till you've rehoused a few and are comfortable with other keeper tasks. These can get a bit harder as the size of the T increases. Once you do that then look at new Ts.

Glad you're T is doing good in it's new home.
I 100 percent agree, my bad rehousing experience was the product of poor prep work. I wont make that mistake again.

I'm definitely going to follow your advice and get some decent experience under my belt. I really appreciate your help.

You might note that I put a good open spot to work in there twice. You can tell how important I think that one is. :p
Lol note taken, and note double taken. I was going to do my next rehousing in the bath but I like your idea more, plus I have a nice carpeted empty basement that should be perfect, thanks again :happy:
 

KezyGLA

Arachnoking
Joined
Apr 8, 2016
Messages
3,013
Ahh the importance of catchcup and floor space is undeniable.

Got to try stay absolutely calm

Once you train your nerves a bit things will get a little easier. Although there is always a chance of getting a fright. There are some situations where even the most experienced keeper can be freaked out.

One thing that should never be underestimated with old world species is the speed. Most OW are extremely fast/have teleportation powers and can disappear within only a moment.

When it comes to the crunch, dont beat yourself up. Learning from mistakes is part and parcel with this hobby. ;)
 

Trenor

Arachnoprince
Joined
Jan 28, 2016
Messages
1,896
I 100 percent agree, my bad rehousing experience was the product of poor prep work. I wont make that mistake again.

I'm definitely going to follow your advice and get some decent experience under my belt. I really appreciate your help.
No worries man. We have all been there. The first time my GBB jumped it's food while I was still placing it with the tongs caused me to almost drop the tongs in the enclosure. Both me and the T were startled. :D
 
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Cassiusstein

Arachnosquire
Joined
Dec 9, 2016
Messages
102
Ahh the importance of catchcup and floor space is undeniable.

Got to try stay absolutely calm

Once you train your nerves a bit things will get a little easier. Although there is always a chance of getting a fright. There are some situations where even the most experienced keeper can be freaked out.

One this that should never be underestimated with old world species is the speed. Most OW are extremely fast/have teleportation powers and can disappear within onpy a moment.
I usually stay extremely calm in most situations, but I was caught completely off gaurd. Definitely gonna let myself get used to it before I get an old world, because of the teleportation and what not :p
 

Chris LXXIX

ArachnoGod
Joined
Dec 25, 2014
Messages
5,845
Definitely gonna let myself get used to it before I get an old world, because of the teleportation and what not :p
Not every OW will act that way, literally flying the hell out of the room... a giant Pelinobius muticus will definitely stand firm to the ground, hissing and striking (not always in that order) like there's no tomorrow, ah ah :-s
 

Trenor

Arachnoprince
Joined
Jan 28, 2016
Messages
1,896
Lol note taken, and note double taken. I was going to do my next rehousing in the bath but I like your idea more, plus I have a nice carpeted empty basement that should be perfect, thanks again :happy:
Some people like the bath for rehousing. I tried it once and didn't like how cramped it felt to me. If the T made it over the edge there was so many places for it to hide etc.

Different things work for different people though so it might be a good fit for you.
 

KezyGLA

Arachnoking
Joined
Apr 8, 2016
Messages
3,013
I usually stay extremely calm in most situations, but I was caught completely off gaurd. Definitely gonna let myself get used to it before I get an old world, because of the teleportation and what not :p
Have a friend jump out and scare you repeatedly until you dont jump :p

I joke aha it would never really work anyway
 

Cassiusstein

Arachnosquire
Joined
Dec 9, 2016
Messages
102
My worst is when packing an adult female Pterinochilus lugardi. I have had a my fair share of bad experiences when rehousing/packing.

Here are 2 such examples
Oh boy, who knows what my novice reaction would've been to that :happy:

For reference, here's the absolute MONSTER that frightened me so

 

KezyGLA

Arachnoking
Joined
Apr 8, 2016
Messages
3,013
Not every OW will act that way, literally flying the hell out of the room... a giant Pelinobius muticus will definitely stand firm to the ground, hissing and striking (not always in that order) like there's no tomorrow, ah ah :-s
Yes. The arboreals and juvenile ow will usually flee for hide/burrow if spooked. There are some that wont budge without a scrap.

The lugardi decided to sprint onto me and then put her fists up. :rofl:

Oh boy, who knows what my novice reaction would've been to that :happy:

For reference, here's the absolute MONSTER that frightened me so

Hapily back home I can see
 

Trenor

Arachnoprince
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Jan 28, 2016
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Oh boy, who knows what my novice reaction would've been to that :happy:

For reference, here's the absolute MONSTER that frightened me so

It's not the size but the action of the spider you reacted to. Just like when someone comes up behind you and pokes you in the side. You're going to jump the majority of the time. You just have to get better with you're reactions.
 

Jeff23

Arachnolord
Joined
Jul 27, 2016
Messages
620
I have debated with myself over the idea of getting more OW's but have held back since I am still happy with my NW T's and love the comfort of not worrying about the extra variable. I think everyone has their motivations for getting particular T's. I don't choose one just so I can get a defensive T. I am more interested in the feeding response, webbing, and beauty of the T. Having said that I am getting the urge to buy M. balfouri or genus Ceratogyrus recently. I currently only own an H. Gigas (freebie from T order), but suspect I will give in at some point and buy more.

With only NW T's I can easily tell myself that I am not worried about being bitten. It would hurt but not be that bad. While this doesn't make me do irrational things it does allow me to easily be slow and steady on my actions which also makes the T more comfortable and less skittish. This also allows me to be more alert to required actions for a Tapi that might telepath somewhere in the wrong direction. So far only a couple of my smallest slings have bolted out of their enclosures, so it was more of a fear of them falling to the floor than an escape.
 

KezyGLA

Arachnoking
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Apr 8, 2016
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I love the smaller NW species and Baboon species. I treat all my Ts the same though, slow, gentle and always with my guard up even if it was a C. elegans aha
 

Vanessa

Grammostola Groupie
Joined
Mar 12, 2016
Messages
2,423
Rehousing is always the best time to be on guard for the unexpected. Often, they just don't want to go into the new enclosure. They're scared and it is unknown to them. Most of mine do not cooperate, although I do luck out sometimes.
I try to place the old enclosure into the new, and let them come out when they're ready, but that is not always possible. I had to rehouse my A.versicolor recently and he very quickly got to the outside of the smaller enclosure and half way up my arm. I had a catch cup ready and placed it in front of him and he ran right in. He was just scared. The rest of the rehouse went fine.
When I had to rehouse my two adult female GBB's, the day that I got them, I was not prepared for their speed. They ran laps around my bathtub and I admit that I didn't react as well as I should have either. Now, I have a better understanding of the speed and agility some of them have and that has, hopefully, prepared me to react better next time. You're absolutely correct - someone telling you that they're fast, nervous, skittish, does not prepare you fully for the reality of what that means.
Even the thought of having an OW species stresses me out. I don't want to be stressed out - I just want to enjoy this hobby. Some people enjoy the challenge, but I'm not one of them. I am more than happy to stick with my NW bunch and not have to worry about an escapee endangering my cats. There is nothing wrong with people who prefer to stick with NW species. Don't let people pressure you into getting them if you're not comfortable doing so. You are ultimately responsible for the decision and the consequences - not them.
You will get more accustomed to their movements and mannerisms as time goes on. Just always expect the unexpected and prepare as much as possible.
 

Andrea82

Arachnoemperor
Joined
Jan 12, 2016
Messages
3,686
I've had my 'scared reflex and fright'-moment as well with a P.irminia. Got it at an expo, wanted to house it, it ran on my hand and I flicked it off my hand in a reflex. Resulting in a few hours of searching for the little devil, and me being worried out of my mind. I decided to take things much more slowly from then. This was a year ago, and since then I have rehoused some other speeddemons, and defensive NW, and gained enough confidence to get a P.muticus a few weeks ago.
I had my heart beating in my throat the entire time during housing her though :D
 
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