People petting tarantulas

hennibbale

Arachnosquire
Joined
Jun 30, 2016
Messages
80
Reading in YT comments about them petting Ts, saying they seem to like it.

Obviously Albos and Smithis - eh.

"Little spidey-spidey wants a scratchy on the carpace? :333"
 

magicmed

Arachnobaron
Joined
Jun 4, 2016
Messages
404

No, they don't like it and never will.
That's a very tolerant T.

I wonder, forgive my ignorance, if T's (or certain species) enter a trance like state when flipped upside down? Kind of the way a lot of lizards and fish will? Of course then you have molting to think about..Meh probably a stupid thought, I've never tried to pick up a T like that
 

Ranitomeya

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Oct 11, 2012
Messages
255
Many arachnids will react to manhandling differently. Usually overstimulation will cause them to try to run or try to hide. Many will hold their limbs close to their body to try to minimize the chance that whatever's causing them stress won't damage their limbs. I know that in Solifugae, males will run at a female, viciously chew on her until she's tucked her legs in and started acting catatonic, mate, and then run away before she recovers enough to attack him.

I'd imagine that flipping a new world tarantula onto its back with its patch of urticating setae against your hand might not be the best idea. Petting the patch of urticating setae would also be a bad idea.
 

shining

Arachnodemon
Old Timer
Joined
Jul 15, 2011
Messages
755
That's a very tolerant T.

I wonder, forgive my ignorance, if T's (or certain species) enter a trance like state when flipped upside down? Kind of the way a lot of lizards and fish will? Of course then you have molting to think about..Meh probably a stupid thought, I've never tried to pick up a T like that
I have no idea.

I do know you can hypnotize a chicken though. It's pretty funny too.
 

magicmed

Arachnobaron
Joined
Jun 4, 2016
Messages
404
I have no idea.

I do know you can hypnotize a chicken though. It's pretty funny too.
Really? Hmm, I'll have to look that up on youtube. A hypnotized chicken does sound funny...I wonder if the hypnotist makes the chicken talk like a human...roll switch!
 

CJPeter

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jul 20, 2015
Messages
3
I have a juvenile A. anax in my collection that is the most chill T I've ever seen. On a whim while he was out and about, I tried this. No stress posing, no nothing other than to just stay in the spot in my palm. Then, as I'm not bothered by urticating hairs much or at all, I gave it a light pet on the upper abdomen. The only reaction was the legs spreading bit further. No hairs on my finger or hand after doing this a couple times. I put it back in its enclosure and it walked to its flat rock and spread out there. I know what stress in a T looks like, and this wasn't remotely close.

So my take on this would be that some don't mind this, but I wouldn't try it with an ornata. heh.
 

Misty Day

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Aug 9, 2013
Messages
437
But you do realize that it isn't a normal thing. They don't.
Exactly. As someone said above some T's are just more tolerant than others. I would only trust handling one T out of my whole collection, my P.Scrofa, and I still never handle or "pet" her, as I know she wouldn't like it. Plus I don't get any gratification out of stressing out my pets, so I don't have a desire to handle her anyway.
 

KezyGLA

Arachnoking
Joined
Apr 8, 2016
Messages
3,013

No, they don't like it and never will.
Ahah that looked like A. caniceps not G. pulchra. It had a golden tan colour on the carapace.

For the life of me I dont know why people would pet, let alone tickle a tarantula.

Bloody nonsense-pirates.
 

Andrea82

Arachnoemperor
Joined
Jan 12, 2016
Messages
3,686
My E.murinus sling would love to play tickle me with pro-petting people!
Oh, no, wait, wrong game..
.it is called TAG!
 

Moonohol

Two Legged Freak
Joined
Aug 8, 2016
Messages
115
I once saw a YT video of someone handling a full-grown AF P. metallica and petting its opisthosoma. Even with how meek my P. metallica acts most of the time, that still has to be one of the single stupidest things I've ever seen in my life. Petting any tarantula is just asking to be tagged... just say no.
 

Andrea82

Arachnoemperor
Joined
Jan 12, 2016
Messages
3,686
It's kind of on the same level as someone saying 'look, my Avic loves me, pressing its butt to my hand to cuddle!'
Erhm...no. The Avic is actually pressing thousand little U-hairs in you as defense...
 

efmp1987

Arachnoknight
Joined
Aug 16, 2017
Messages
150
My pulchra herd would line up to take turns getting petted. Sometimes they would fight if someone cuts in line. Im very tired...
 

SkittleBunny

Arachnosquire
Joined
Aug 25, 2016
Messages
96
The first time I showed my male tarantula to my dad he reached in and petted down its leg, and it covered it's face and hunkered down to get away. As much as anyone would love an affectionate tarantula, I don't think one would ever develop a need for social stimulation.
 
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