Looking for help with curly hair

[jamesjohnson2121]

I am a animal lover. I breed and sell venomous and non venomous reptiles for a living. My 5yr old son talked me into getting him a curly haired tarantula. I am not a spider person but after having it for 8 months I want to start holding it. The fear of having it has went away and now i think it is pretty cool. Does anyone have any tips or tricks I should know? I know they have venom how bad would a bite be? I see people all over youtube holding them I just want to be safe about it and not do anything to hurt the tarantula or me. Thank you....

 

[ladyratri]

I see people all over youtube holding them I just want to be safe about it and not do anything to hurt the tarantula or me. Thank you....

The best advice here is: don't. YouTube is full of bad advice/people doing dangerous things just for clicks and views. Tarantulas do not have the neurological capacity to bond with you, so being held is just stressful for them. And it introduces the risk of your son's T falling and being injured or killed. So basically, no benefit to the animal, lots of risk to the animal, and risk to you.

Sad, because they are cute and fluffy, but I'd rather have a safe and healthy spider.

 

[Charliemum]

Agreed , its best to think of them like aquarium pets fish ect they are for watching not touching, it's not safe for any concerned.
I have an 8 year old & my son has 5 tarantulas of his own, the last thing I would ever want is to show my son it was OK to put his fingers anywhere near the t, a bite to you is some pain cramping nausea n dizziness for a few hours/days for your son however its a trip to the hospital or potentially worse if he has an allergic reaction. Better safe than sorry , & utube has been named stupid tube on here for a reason, silly ppl teaching bad habits and husbandry.
Better off making your t a gorgeous viv that you can watch it do its spoody thing in

We all want to touch them its human nature but you have to be strong and remember Ladyratri's advice, it benefits no one involved.

 

[Hardus nameous]

If you want to hold something get a fat chick. A person holding a spider is like a polar bear holding a baby seal; the spider sees you as a predator.
Venom potency varies by species but don't forget about urticating setae.
If you do hold it just keep it low to the (preferably soft) ground incase it falls or jumps.

 

[moricollins]

Does anyone have any tips or tricks I should know?

Yes. Read all the accounts of people dropping their tarantulas and learn from their mistakes: don't hold your tarantula.

 

[ByMennen]

The tarantula will always be the one in more danger, a bite will hurt you, you jumping will likely kill the tarantula.

I've never handled any of my own, only a couple in the wild here and there. When I saw them out and exploring I would simply place my hand in front of them, if they didn't mind the threat they would climb over my hand, if they didn't like the feel they would turn away.

However, I do not recommend simply reaching into their enclosure. Mature male looking for a mate in the wild is a different situation than a spider waiting for a meal.

If you do handle, do it low to the ground, expect a jerky/bolty tarantula and maybe you'll get lucky with a relaxed spider.

Best of luck to you and the T albo!

 

[NMTs]

I don't handle my tarantulas regularly. There have been occasions where it has been necessary to do so, but those are few and far between, and the reason is never for enjoyment. That said, if I was picking a T to handle to show off to someone, T. albo would definitely NOT be the species that I would choose. They're crazy. I would feel much more comfortable handling an Aphonopelma species like chalcodes or hentzi. Handling a T. albo is just asking for trouble...

 

[jamesjohnson2121]

Thank you all for taking the time to reply. I wanted real information before i decided to hold it. Youtube is definitely not the place for solid information so again thank you for helping out.

 

[jc55]

I won't say i have never held one of my tarantulas before but that was when i first started out in the hobby years ago.That being said i would not recommend holding it as it puts the tarantula at risk of being injured or killed and the risk is not worth it IMO.

 

[viper69]

I see people all over youtube holding them

And those people are stupid, watching stupidtube for T info is stupid.

It’s like holding fish

hope you’re aren’t tong feeding either

Holding a T is a great to kill it- see it here all the time.

It’s an act that does nothing for the animal and is only selfish of the owner.

I own snakes and other herps. It’s not at all the same as holding a snake, certain lizard etc.

Come here for credible info

 

[AshtheSpider]

Yes. Read all the accounts of people dropping their tarantulas and learn from their mistakes: don't hold your tarantula.

What if you have to put it in its enclosure or get it out quickly incase of a hurricane warning? by put it in its enclosure I mean if you just got it.

Thank you all for taking the time to reply. I wanted real information before i decided to hold it. Youtube is definitely not the place for solid information so again thank you for helping out.

If you want to handle them have a catch cup, hold it above a table or the floor, and be wary of urticating setae/hairs so keep them away from your face

 

[Frogdaddy]

Treat your T just like any other venomous animal you have.

 

[Matt Man]

Curly Hairs are one of the most frequently killed pet Ts in the trade. They are harmless and thus, some people are encouraged to handle. The problem being they have a great little burst of speed that can catches the uninitiated completely off guard. They can get from the hand to the shoulder, far fast than one can stop it, and for many this causes panic, and a shrug which can cause the T to fall and possibly die. This forum is full of experienced keepers who have grown tired of reading the endless line of "My T fell, what should I do?" posts so the default here, is just don't. So many times we are ignored for the glam and glitz of youtube or social media, and then when it hits the fan they come here for help. Sadly there isn't much more than "add some corn starch and pray to whatever divine being you worship". So you may think some of these comments seem harsh, they aren't, they are people who care about these creatures who have read too many sad postings from first timers

If you want to handle them have a catch cup, hold it above a table or the floor, and be wary of urticating setae/hairs so keep them away from your face

I'm sorry but this is bad advice. Catch cup good, over table / floor is bad. Tables and floors are hard and guaranteed to burst a T if it falls from a distance. Handle at a very LOW height on top of soft stuff like a bed or a couch.
They are correct about the setae.

 

[AshtheSpider]

Curly Hairs are one of the most frequently killed pet Ts in the trade. They are harmless and thus, some people are encouraged to handle. The problem being they have a great little burst of speed that can catches the uninitiated completely off guard. They can get from the hand to the shoulder, far fast than one can stop it, and for many this causes panic, and a shrug which can cause the T to fall and possibly die. This forum is full of experienced keepers who have grown tired of reading the endless line of "My T fell, what should I do?" posts so the default here, is just don't. So many times we are ignored for the glam and glitz of youtube or social media, and then when it hits the fan they come here for help. Sadly there isn't much more than "add some corn starch and pray to whatever divine being you worship". So you may think some of these comments seem harsh, they aren't, they are people who care about these creatures who have read too many sad postings from first timers



I'm sorry but this is bad advice. Catch cup good, over table / floor is bad. Tables and floors are hard and guaranteed to burst a T if it falls from a distance. Handle at a very LOW height on top of soft stuff like a bed or a couch.
They are correct about the setae.

Thanks for the info since I rarely hold my t’s but when I do it’s over my carpet floor also its mostly my A. Chalcodes (I’ve handled her 4 times 2 where for relocation and 1 was for a friend who was scared of spiders and the last was when I had to move) or sometimes I let it crawl around a table (for photos) I‘m not sure if a bed is good if the t where to bolt it could duck under the sheets this happened with my (now gone) king snake (he died, he didn’t get lost) again I’m no expert so feel free to correct me

 

[Matt Man]

Thanks for the info since I rarely hold my t’s but when I do it’s over my carpet floor also its mostly my A. Chalcodes (I’ve handled her 4 times 2 where for relocation and 1 was for a friend who was scared of spiders and the last was when I had to move) or sometimes I let it crawl around a table (for photos) I‘m not sure if a bed is good if the t where to bolt it could duck under the sheets this happened with my (now gone) king snake (he died, he didn’t get lost) again I’m no expert so feel free to correct me

no worries.
A potential escape under a sheet is better than a ruptured opithsoma. Just tuck in all the covers. If an A. chalcodes can make an escape, you either have glacial reaction times or aren't paying attention. A T. albopilosus can scoot but should never be able to escape ones gaze.
Carpet good, as long as low. The rule of thumb is, eliminate a high fall onto a hard surface

 

[AshtheSpider]

no worries.
A potential escape under a sheet is better than a ruptured opithsoma. Just tuck in all the covers. If an A. chalcodes can make an escape, you either have glacial reaction times or aren't paying attention. A T. albopilosus can scoot but should never be able to escape ones gaze.
Carpet good, as long as low. The rule of thumb is, eliminate a high fall onto a hard surface

Agreed again rarely handle my t’s

 

[8leggednights]

Hi James- I just posted today about my T Albo (curly hair) hairing me. I would suggest caution. My T was not injured, but I spent a good bit of time in substantial discomfort & Benadryl didn’t cut it. I’m guessing I got at least a couple hundred hairs to the right arm & a few strays that transferred. Lots of hives, still scarred.
I’m a 44 year old adult with about 2 or so years keeping Ts. I wouldn’t want to put my kiddo in that position. Just one person’s opinion.

 

[AshtheSpider]

for urticating hairs I put duct tape on the area and tear it off after a while it gets off most hairs so you should be fine

 

[TechnoGeek]

My position on handling is somewhat in the middle: I think people telling you never ever to handle even a chill new world tarantula should be more open minded, understand that there are good reasons why people wanna do it, and should face the reality that it is possible to do it without risking your pet's life.

But at the same time it should be noted that excessive handling is not only dangerous but stressful to your spider, and if you do it even slightly wrong you could easily kill your spider. Plus the fact that it's 100% correct that spiders don't need to be handled and almost certainly don't wanna be picked up.

I handle my Ts because it's calming and because it's a rewarding experience to interact with such fascinating animals. I also do that when I have people with typical negative views on spiders, or people with irrational fear, to show them that they aren't interested in attacking people. When people stop thinking of them as villains, and understand they're just another animal, their fears or hate are dialed way down even if not eliminated.

But you can't just open the enclosure and pick up a spider, you need to test their mood first, and poke them gently until they're on your hand. You need to make sure you're handling them over a surface that gives, like a bed or a mattress, a sofa maybe, and very close to the surface. Spiders can bolt all of a sudden, be prepared for it and if that happens don't shake your hand. Be prepared for hair kicking. Oh, and if you do get bitten, you have to be fully prepared to not throw the spider off, but tolerate the pain and put it back in its enclosure. Finally, make sure you don't handle the same T more than once or twice a month.

To answer your question, no, a curly hair has a weaker venom than a honeybee. Come to think of it, honeybee venom is more potent than you think, it has a higher LD50 than that of a Japanese giant hornet, and the main reason why the sting is usually do mild is because they can only inject an absolutely miniscule amount of it. The mechanical damage from the fangs will cause way more pain than the venom.

Hope this answers your question.

 

[AlbaArachnids92]

My position on handling is somewhat in the middle: I think people telling you never ever to handle even a chill new world tarantula should be more open minded, understand that there are good reasons why people wanna do it, and should face the reality that it is possible to do it without risking your pet's life.

But at the same time it should be noted that excessive handling is not only dangerous but stressful to your spider, and if you do it even slightly wrong you could easily kill your spider. Plus the fact that it's 100% correct that spiders don't need to be handled and almost certainly don't wanna be picked up.

I handle my Ts because it's calming and because it's a rewarding experience to interact with such fascinating animals. I also do that when I have people with typical negative views on spiders, or people with irrational fear, to show them that they aren't interested in attacking people. When people stop thinking of them as villains, and understand they're just another animal, their fears or hate are dialed way down even if not eliminated.

But you can't just open the enclosure and pick up a spider, you need to test their mood first, and poke them gently until they're on your hand. You need to make sure you're handling them over a surface that gives, like a bed or a mattress, a sofa maybe, and very close to the surface. Spiders can bolt all of a sudden, be prepared for it and if that happens don't shake your hand. Be prepared for hair kicking. Oh, and if you do get bitten, you have to be fully prepared to not throw the spider off, but tolerate the pain and put it back in its enclosure. Finally, make sure you don't handle the same T more than once or twice a month.

I lean a little harder into the no handling camp than yourself but with an understanding that people are going to do it for whatever reason. Personally, it's a no go for the exact contradiction you made in your first 2 paragraphs:

and should face the reality that it is possible to do it without risking your pet's life.

if you do it even slightly wrong you could easily kill your spider.

You can do everything 'right' and still have something unexpectedly happen (bolt/jump/bite).....and then you're hoping your reflexes don't flick it across the room.

Have I stuck my hand in front of a NW climbing out it's enclosure, held it, turn it round and nudge it back? Yup but the risk/reward of handling for my own enjoyment just doesn't do it for me.