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Ungoliant

Malleus Aranearum
Staff member
Joined
Mar 7, 2012
Messages
4,096
You named them "Danger Legs" and "Curly Fries"? :rofl:

"Danger Legs" should be "Danger Butt," as that's the source of the urticating hairs.
 

WhyUBiteBite

Arachnosquire
Joined
Feb 14, 2017
Messages
104
My wife named DL not me lol. On a side note though he's pretty chill for a T. Stirmi. :D
 

WhyUBiteBite

Arachnosquire
Joined
Feb 14, 2017
Messages
104
I have to say my favorite of these 3 is Mittens, my A avicularia, though it graced me during handling by taking a dump on my hand lol.
 

Andrea82

Arachnoemperor
Joined
Jan 12, 2016
Messages
3,686
I have to say my favorite of these 3 is Mittens, my A avicularia, though it graced me during handling by taking a dump on my hand lol.
If that is all she graced you with, you were lucky. Avicularia spp are jumpy, especially when faced with a predator. Which on this scenario, would be you. She could have jumped to her death. They jump, expecting to meet some branches on the way down, which of course we don't have in our houses. Handling is dangerous, and far more so for the spider than for the handler. This goes for your other two as well, even though they don't jump but bolt away from you.
Please, for the sake of your spiders, don't handle.b
 

Andrea82

Arachnoemperor
Joined
Jan 12, 2016
Messages
3,686
WhyUBiteost: 2587856 said:
Should of asked how they are handled prior to jumping in. Just saying ..
That is an easy question to answer:
Short answer:You don't.
Long answer: unlike reptiles, Theraphosidae gain nothing from handling and also can't get used to it. If you have to move it from one enclosure to another, you move it using the catch cup method, or by placing old and new enclosure sideto side and coaxing the spider with a straw or paintbrush from one to the other.
T's are like fish, you can watch them, feed them, do maintenance around them, provide for them. But just like you don't handle a goldfish or guppy, you don't handle your T.
If it runs of your hand when startled, it will fall. And since their abdomens are like thin sacs of skin holding the organs, the abdomen will rupture or tear apart when falling on the floor.
Another worst-case scenario is getting bitten and in a reflex flinging it from your hand. Or it bolting and escape, never to be found again.
 

nicodimus22

Arachnomancer
Arachnosupporter
Joined
Sep 26, 2013
Messages
715
That is an easy question to answer:
Short answer:You don't.
Long answer: unlike reptiles, Theraphosidae gain nothing from handling and also can't get used to it. If you have to move it from one enclosure to another, you move it using the catch cup method, or by placing old and new enclosure sideto side and coaxing the spider with a straw or paintbrush from one to the other.
T's are like fish, you can watch them, feed them, do maintenance around them, provide for them. But just like you don't handle a goldfish or guppy, you don't handle your T.
If it runs of your hand when startled, it will fall. And since their abdomens are like thin sacs of skin holding the organs, the abdomen will rupture or tear apart when falling on the floor.
Another worst-case scenario is getting bitten and in a reflex flinging it from your hand. Or it bolting and escape, never to be found again.
Can we request to sticky this post?
 

WhyUBiteBite

Arachnosquire
Joined
Feb 14, 2017
Messages
104
That is an easy question to answer:
Short answer:You don't.
Long answer: unlike reptiles, Theraphosidae gain nothing from handling and also can't get used to it. If you have to move it from one enclosure to another, you move it using the catch cup method, or by placing old and new enclosure sideto side and coaxing the spider with a straw or paintbrush from one to the other.
T's are like fish, you can watch them, feed them, do maintenance around them, provide for them. But just like you don't handle a goldfish or guppy, you don't handle your T.
If it runs of your hand when startled, it will fall. And since their abdomens are like thin sacs of skin holding the organs, the abdomen will rupture or tear apart when falling on the floor.
Another worst-case scenario is getting bitten and in a reflex flinging it from your hand. Or it bolting and escape, never to be found again.
Ok, now that I am home and at my computer I can clear a few things up.

1) These 3 were new intakes, as such handling was necessary to examine them completely for any signs of trouble or reason to quarantine away from the main group's area.
2) When I do need to handle we have certain safe guards that are placed. 1, the T must willingly walk out, not grabbed, coaxed or any form of force full handling is performed.
3) The area itself is clear and a towel used to block under the door, so in the event of darting there is no where it can go, I understand why you may of assumed this given not many have access to this type of setup.
4) Most importantly, when handling a microfiber blanket is laid out first on the ground, then the entire enclosure is brought down and I sit on the ground, I know its hard to see in the photo but at most my hand never gets higher than maybe 4" at most above the substrate, usually I have my hand within the enclosure unless its for initial photos such as these to be able to log.
5) Probably not needed but in addition to these a sheet is setup in a circle around me/the setup in a ring, Its odd I know but I have found in the event of a runner it usually stops them from ever going any further given they seek shelter within the folds.
6) As far as biting goes, I'm used to bites from alot worse without hesitation or flinching, that and due to Army service my reflexes/nerves are rather dead anyways lol, that said over the years I have honed a sort of hand turn into my habits instead of flick which results in them being deposited on their substrate safely in their enclosure should a nip occur.

That all said, I am aware most if not 90% wont take these sort of safe guards so it is easy to mistake and apply no handling to everything, though I wouldn't recommended it if you take proper precautions you can eliminate the hazards, though that said I also see why many would not given it is a rather involved task to setup in the first place and even with such safe guards there are simply species you do *not* hold. I have also considered adding a 4" vasoline layer about 6 inches up from the baseboards of my T room to prevent arboreals from going up the wall though this may be unnecessary. And yes, I went from arachnophobic a year ago to pretty much obsessed with them lol.

Cheers,
~ Logan
 

Paiige

Arachnobaron
Joined
Oct 2, 2016
Messages
335
Love the names! And I also use that app for my Ts, it's wonderful, though I'm not always on top of updating when I feed them so I had to turn off the notifications because it's forever buzzing my phone.
 

Rittdk01

Arachnoknight
Joined
Oct 4, 2016
Messages
258
My wife named DL not me lol. On a side note though he's pretty chill for a T. Stirmi. :D
Most t stirmi are pretty chill :) Maybe a bit skittish, but not aggressive. I'm going to get a tiny one like that in the next month or so. If you have to handle, do it on the floor. I don't fib, I used to handle my rose hairs all the time. My big girl rose was always perfect, sitting on my hand and letting people look at her up close. I've learned a lot in the nearly 3 years I've had them. I like them too much to risk an accident, so have given up handling. My friends can just look at how cute she is through the glass :)
 

WhyUBiteBite

Arachnosquire
Joined
Feb 14, 2017
Messages
104
Love the names! And I also use that app for my Ts, it's wonderful, though I'm not always on top of updating when I feed them so I had to turn off the notifications because it's forever buzzing my phone.
I would but my memory is a little fuzzy sometimes from my time in lol.
 

Andrea82

Arachnoemperor
Joined
Jan 12, 2016
Messages
3,686
Ok, now that I am home and at my computer I can clear a few things up.

1) These 3 were new intakes, as such handling was necessary to examine them completely for any signs of trouble or reason to quarantine away from the main group's area.
2) When I do need to handle we have certain safe guards that are placed. 1, the T must willingly walk out, not grabbed, coaxed or any form of force full handling is performed.
3) The area itself is clear and a towel used to block under the door, so in the event of darting there is no where it can go, I understand why you may of assumed this given not many have access to this type of setup.
4) Most importantly, when handling a microfiber blanket is laid out first on the ground, then the entire enclosure is brought down and I sit on the ground, I know its hard to see in the photo but at most my hand never gets higher than maybe 4" at most above the substrate, usually I have my hand within the enclosure unless its for initial photos such as these to be able to log.
5) Probably not needed but in addition to these a sheet is setup in a circle around me/the setup in a ring, Its odd I know but I have found in the event of a runner it usually stops them from ever going any further given they seek shelter within the folds.
6) As far as biting goes, I'm used to bites from alot worse without hesitation or flinching, that and due to Army service my reflexes/nerves are rather dead anyways lol, that said over the years I have honed a sort of hand turn into my habits instead of flick which results in them being deposited on their substrate safely in their enclosure should a nip occur.

That all said, I am aware most if not 90% wont take these sort of safe guards so it is easy to mistake and apply no handling to everything, though I wouldn't recommended it if you take proper precautions you can eliminate the hazards, though that said I also see why many would not given it is a rather involved task to setup in the first place and even with such safe guards there are simply species you do *not* hold. I have also considered adding a 4" vasoline layer about 6 inches up from the baseboards of my T room to prevent arboreals from going up the wall though this may be unnecessary. And yes, I went from arachnophobic a year ago to pretty much obsessed with them lol.

Cheers,
~ Logan
It looked/sounded before like you were handling on a regular basis, like a lot of new keepers do. Good to see you are taking all safety precautions.
 
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