I'm going to handle my female pokie Ornata, lacking confidence...

[Anoplogaster]

Imagine a large dose of pokietoxin straight into the jugular vein... I don't scare easily but the idea of that sends chills down my spine.

In the interest of science, I would be curious to see what happens

 

[Venom1080]

I wanna know who voted the top and bottom options.

 

[mistertim]

If she thought I was good, why does she do it everyday with Me? I don't feed her but once a week....and I don't hand feed her I set them free and she likes to hunt them, she might have been testing me the first few times even, but she LEARNED that that was just a thing we do, totally different.

Tarantulas are generally ambush predators, though they will go out close to their burrows/hides, etc to hunt for food as well. This means that (again, generally...sometimes this varies from tarantula to tarantula) they are also opportunistic eaters because in the wild it could be one day or months before more prey comes along. So unless you keep a tarantula very well fed they will likely eat if there is an opportunity.

That tarantula is testing to see if you're prey or possible predator. As others have also noted, I've seen mine do it many many times to their food and it is exactly as you described. Just be thankful that you can't vibrate the tip of your finger really really fast because you would have had your first tarantula bite. These are primal creatures that rely on instinct (again, as others have pointed out). Their tiny neural networks don't have the capacity for complex thought, memory, correlation, or emotion just like you'll never be able to play Battlefield 4 on an old Atari system. The capacity simply is not physically there...these are pure physiological and biological limits, not opinions.

Enjoy your tarantulas for what they are...fascinating and beautiful animals that are better off simply being observed and appreciated...not for what you want them to be. And handling that ornata is your choice, but one wrong move, one misplaced breath of air...hell one wrong thing that you can't even pick up but they can...and you're in the ER crying in pain.

You mentioned something about us being afraid of these creatures. Experienced keepers are not afraid of their spiders, but they respect them...especially something like a Poecilotheria. I have 2 Pokies and I am not afraid of either of them but I respect the hell out of them and work with them accordingly when I have to. Fear and respect are two very different things.

Good night, and good luck.

 

[Mojo288]

I wanna know who voted the top and bottom options.

5 more candidates for the Darwin awards

 

[miss moxie]

This is what I get for going to bed at 7pm like some grandmother. Should have done an hour of knitting before bed and I wouldn't have missed this thrilling read in real time.

Final thoughts: OP is either a troll or just suffering from cognitive dissonance. There were some incredible puns used. Last but not least, @Chris LXXIX, darling you must stop encouraging the rabble or I'm going to have to become quite cross with you. I'll pair a chianti with a white-sauce based fish. I'll eat at Olive Garden every chance I get and rate it online as 'Authentic Italian experience, America really does it better.' Don't test me.

To any newbies who don't know better, please do not hold your Poecilotheria ornata or any other old world tarantula.

 

[Ungoliant]

Wait....there was a part where Op stated they were getting through to the pokie with hand signals.......like sign language?

That's nothing. @KezyGLA taught his Pterinochilus lugardi to sign whenever she wants a hug.


Click the thumbnail for a link to the original.

 

[Venom1080]

This is what I get for going to bed at 7pm like some grandmother. Should have done an hour of knitting before bed and I wouldn't have missed this thrilling read in real time.

Final thoughts: OP is either a troll or just suffering from cognitive dissonance. There were some incredible puns used. Last but not least, @Chris LXXIX, darling you must stop encouraging the rabble or I'm going to have to become quite cross with you. I'll pair a chianti with a white-sauce based fish. I'll eat at Olive Garden every chance I get and rate it online as 'Authentic Italian experience, America really does it better.' Don't test me.

To any newbies who don't know better, please do not hold your Poecilotheria ornata or any other old world tarantula.

I thought this thread was missing somebody.

 

[14pokies]

In the interest of science, I would be curious to see what happens

I have fifteen pokies on hand at the moment.. Bring your neck we can make it happen ...

I think you mean when he's done with her.

Oh nevermind. For some reason I thought you were writing that to the OP. heh

No way once you high five your pokie your connected forever.. It's like the flying dragon things in Avatar.. Only death breaks that kind of bond

 

[Mojo288]

That's nothing. @KezyGLA taught his Pterinochilus lugardi to sign whenever she wants a hug.


Click the thumbnail for a link to the original.

nonono he wants to get his fangs brushed before he gets tucked into bed, either that or they are practicing for tarantula soccer and mr. lugardi is trying out for goalie.(getting ready for the penalty kick)

 

[14pokies]

I thought this thread was missing somebody.

Stop if you talk to her she will stay..

Scoot moxie scoot.. Run along now

 

[Ungoliant]

either that or they are practicing for tarantula soccer and mr. lugardi is trying out for goalie.(getting ready for the penalty kick)

I think that lugardi would be a great football buddy. She already knows what to do when your team scores a touchdown.

 

[miss moxie]

Stop if you talk to her she will stay..

Scoot moxie scoot.. Run along now

Wow, what a rude person you are. I can't believe you're allowed to sashay around this forum like you own it. This was a personal attack and I will not stand by idly and allow this to happen. I hope they find a new species of Poecilotheria and render your user name outdated.

"14pokies? Doesn't that guy know there are FIFTEEN pokies? Haw Haw what a rube."

 

[Grace Cannell]

This thread is getting out of hand, my concern is a first time Tarantula keeper reads this drivel and starts to think its a good idea to handle a tarantula with possibly the most potent venom. This is NOT a good idea, they do NOT feel affection, at best they no longer recognize you as a threat, and that's a stretch . They don't want/need cuddles, they don't want to high five you (it's trying to check if your finger is too big to eat), they don't like your boyfriends bass music. If you MUST make these statements, at the very least preface them by saying that this is your opinion, this is not scientific fact. You clearly do not have enough experience with these creatures to properly read body language.

Oh don't worry, speaking as a novice, a simple application of knowledge about brain complexity and invertebrate behaviour is enough to conclude this is rubbish.

 

[KezyGLA]

soccer

.. ahem.. football.

football

Ehhh.. handegg.

 

[spotropaicsav]

Hello everyone, this is my first online forum thread thing ever, and I'm reaching because I deeply care for my female pokie Ornata, Wellenough. She's almost two and such a character, great eater and can be very vocal, well throw her legs you know, but still. I want to hold her and she wants me to too, hard to explain, but yeah I'm just at such a point of respect, it's hard to break the barrier. I only go in her terrarium with my hands, no tongs or anything, and yesterday she came crawling out to the opening I've been trying to get her to go to to handle her and she did and I got scared and couldn't do it. My only explanation is going online has only showed me the bite threat she poses and scared me, yet she's never scared me but the first night I had her, so I'm asking for help and insight!
Thanks!

I wouldn't as previous posters have said. Although in your profile pic, it appears you have already handled your T and it has crawled on your shirt

 

[boina]

Why, oh why, am I in a different time zone??? I missed all the fun. Now I'll be late for work because I had to read all this....

there's one question that hasn't been asked, though:

@Addison Chloe since you seem to really love your spiders why don't you provide a better setup for them? That pokie enclosure looks extremely bare and not at all like it could be comfortable for the spider. No wonder it comes out ever so often - it just doesn't like the home you provided.

Oh, and btw, I'm a real biologist with a real degree in animal behaviour (I even posted my diploma somewhere on here) and you are about as wrong as it gets about spider behaviour. You just make the interpretations of your spiders behavioural signs up as you go along. Believing in something doesn't make it true. To cite Richard Dawkins: By all means let's be open minded but not so open that our brains fall out.

 

[Abbio]

@Addison Chloe if you're so connected and at ease with your little buddy why are you lacking confidence?

And why did you come to this forum for advice if you are only going to argue!

Hopefully we see an update (in the interest of science) on how this all pans out!

 

[MetalMan2004]

I really really really hope she does get it all on video and post it on youtube.

 

[Abbio]

I guess they're all tucked up in bed together now

 

[Eva]

Wow, this thread escalated!

And you're all so unsupportive... I bet you're just jealous because none of you have mastered the ability to effectively communicate with your Ts using sign language!

And what about assuming that pokie's gender, eh? She can be whatever she wants and don't you dare tell her she can't be a princess!

Just FOLLOW YOUR DREAMS OP! (But read your T's chakra to see if it's safe and, just to be sure, ask her in sign language too!)