Scared of my tarantula now and could use advice

[sasker]

I know you ain’t silly and know albopilosum is a nw and completely different

Well, I mentioned OWs because a more experienced tarantula keeper may be just as scared of his first OW as a complete beginner for his first B. albo. I do not fully disagree with you (if you are scared out of your wits of your tarantula is really not a good situation), but I strongly feel that keeping tarantulas is much about growing in your experience and knowledge. I remember I had sweaty palms during my first unboxing of a B. albo. I remember I had sweaty palms during my first unboxing of a P. muticus and I will have sweaty palms when I unpack my first OBT/H. mac/H. minax. That does not mean that I shouldn't keep tarantulas because I should not be scared of them.

 

[Lokee85]

If a keeper is so scared they can't provide proper care for their T, then yes, I can see the merit in finding a new home for the animal. But if they are persistent about working through their fear and that fear doesn't prevent them providing proper care, then there is absolutely nothing wrong with keeping their pet.

For some former arachnophobes, it takes a lot more time getting accustomed to their spiders and they can have setbacks with their phobia. As long as the animal is cared for, working through their fears is a very rational thing to do, especially if it's something they're passionate about.

 

[Michael bradley]

Well, I mentioned OWs because a more experienced tarantula keeper may be just as scared of his first OW as a complete beginner for his first B. albo. I do not fully disagree with you (if you are scared out of your wits of your tarantula is really not a good situation), but I strongly feel that keeping tarantulas is much about growing in your experience and knowledge. I remember I had sweaty palms during my first unboxing of a B. albo. I remember I had sweaty palms during my first unboxing of a P. muticus and I will have sweaty palms when I unpack my first OBT/H. mac/H. minax. That does not mean that I shouldn't keep tarantulas because I should not be scared of them.

Yeah agree with the sweaty palms haha as I get that but that’s more to do with nerves of what could happen.. so really there ain’t no right or wrong answer to the op thread.. and wish them best of luck whichever path they choose.. just comes down to opinions .. because I look at it like this, if I was selling some of mine and someone turned up to buy her and said she scared of them, then tbh I wouldn’t let the t go to a keeper like that..

 

[Paul1126]

. I've never needed to use tongs in the decades I've kept them.

@cold blood it's not very specific is it?

You should sell it in my opinion based on what I read.

An insufferable elitist, I've seen your posts before and instead of encouraging good husbandry and care your demeaning way leaves a sour taste in my mouth, you post like you've never made a mistake before.
I've tong fed, who cares?
I've had a spider crawl up my arm when trying to remove a water bowl, it happens.

 

[cold blood]

@cold blood it's not very specific is it?

OK, I will go more in depth....

Comparing using tongs to tong feeding is really like comparing driving, to drunk driving. Now, bear with me as It would appear I'm being extreme, but there really is a parallel. And that is a significant and unnecessary increase in the risk factor.

You can say every time you get into a car and drive there's a potential for an accident, just like every time you go in with the tongs to remove a bolus, there's a potential for an accident....which is true. But like drunk driving, feeding with tongs greatly increases this chance for such an accident.

In fact the people who minimize drunk-driving say the exact same thing as the people who minimize tong feedings dangers. And that argument is, "I've been doing it for a while and I've never had a problem yet". But this completely dismisses the fact that in both situations the dangers are greatly increased by either driving drunk or by feeding with with tongs.

Just because one hasnt had a problem YET, does not mean there is not an increased risk involved.

 

[Kendricks]

I've tong fed, who cares?
I've had a spider crawl up my arm when trying to remove a water bowl, it happens.

What do you mean, who cares? Tong feeding is unnecessary and a risk for the T, so why do it in the first place?
And how would it get up your arm just because you exchange the water? That would mean you reached into the tank, but why?
Use the tongs for working the tank, not the tarantula.

 

[viper69]

What's wrong with using tongs?.

For the reason Ung. stated. Your reasons for use are logical.

Please don't pester me that I watched too many videos. I don't directly tong feed

I'm not pestering you at all. You are the one who posted here asking for input. Second, you didn't state how you used the tongs. We cannot read your mind, only your words

What you MAY not know is the overwhelming majority of people who come here, typically asking for help, have watched oodles of YouTube prior to coming here. As a result they often observe husbandry behavior that is wrong, not safe, etc.

@cold blood it's not very specific is it?


An insufferable elitist, I've seen your posts before and instead of encouraging good husbandry and care your demeaning way leaves a sour taste in my mouth, you post like you've never made a mistake before.
I've tong fed, who cares?
I've had a spider crawl up my arm when trying to remove a water bowl, it happens.

Paul- an elitist me? You are entitled to your opinion, enjoy. However, people that know me, know that I am not. I'll say this again for YOUR benefit, as you haven't read all my posts as much as you may THINK you have. I'm no better or worse than anyone here, I am however more experienced than some people here, however, that doesn't make me better. I'm always learning just like you, and everyone else here.

Regarding my suggestion, i.e. advice, to sell the T, below are the poster's OWN typed words (crazy assumption I know that s/he actually typed it) which lead me AND @Chris LXXIX to suggest to the OP to sell it. The poster asked for ADVICE and at time of posting, was thinking about SELLING his/her T. Color me crazy, but Chris and I didn't whip up our advice on selling out of thin air. Not elitist here at Paul.

1. Scared of my tarantula now and could use advice
2. I am kind of deciding if I should sell her and get out of the hobby
3. or any advice
4. Even if I would want to sell her and get out of the hobby, I am scared of transferring her out of the kritter keeper into a temporary deli cup


I have many posts encouraging good husbandry, I suggest you read more before making a judgement. I've made mistakes before. Though I don't understand how my mistakes are relevant to another poster's, particularly if my mistake has nothing to do with an original poster's post.

"You know Paul, I poured sugar into my car engine, that might be useful with your tarantula issue" hahahaahaha

As for tong fed, see Ungoliant, Coldblood and my response. The three of us are all on board the same train of thought on this issue.

 

[Paul1126]

What do you mean, who cares? Tong feeding is unnecessary and a risk for the T, so why do it in the first place?
And how would it get up your arm just because you exchange the water? That would mean you reached into the tank, but why?

Like I said, who cares? I tong feed Ts that are clinging to the side no problem, or I tong feed fussy eaters.
It's a risk, yeah correct it's not like I'm tong feeding OW Ts nor would I ever encourage that.

I reached into the tank with my tongs it either spooked the T or it was a feeding response and it bolted up the tongs.
Who said anything about reaching into the tank with my hands?
Which I do when I'm lazy and there is waterdish that's awkward to get out with tongs.

 

[cold blood]

Because I use primarily sterilite, my vent holes are large enough to fit a super worm or cricket through easily...many of these ts I hand feed or tong feed by putting the prey item through the vent hole near the t and holding it for the,...but the tongs (or my fingers) are outside the enclosure, so there is no risk of a bite or them hitting the tongs...it makes for very convenient feeding.

 

[Paul1126]

Paul- an elitist me? You are entitled to your opinion, enjoy. However, people that know, know that I am not.

You come off this way.

I'll say this again for YOUR benefit, as you haven't read all my posts as much as you may THINK you have.

I have read a few of your posts, some of your threads I have booked marked.

Even if I would want to sell her and get out of the hobby, I am scared of transferring her out of the kritter keeper into a temporary deli cup

Let's be honest most of us that have Ts started out as archnophobes, OP just needs time to adjust and learn that tarantulas can be skittish and hungry.

I have many posts encouraging good husbandry,

I jump in two feet, you do promote good husbandry.

 

[viper69]

most of us that have Ts started out as archnophobes

I wasn't, and neither are many others. Regardless, it's inaccurate of you to say "most", when in fact you have no scientific data to support such a statement. However, one could write "many".

 

[Nightstalker47]

Ill start by saying tong feeding is super risky, especially larger specimens...once had the tongs taken right out of my hands. Seen videos online of arboreals running straight up them and onto a keeper before he can react. Like viper said earlier, tarantulas are more then capable of hunting down their prey, they aren't babies that need to be spoon fed...minimize risk wherever you can.

As for the fear factor. Better to experience the nature of such a creature early on, might be scary now, but you'll learn to understand and accept how these animals operate. I think many of you missed the point here, being fearful of the tarantula at the outset is not going to prevent you from learning and evolving as you further yourself into the hobby...if anything that fear is useful as it keeps you on your toes and your less likely to become complacent as an inexperienced keeper.

Irrational fear is something else entirely though. If you get the shakes, or your super nervous every time you need to get something done around the T....or anything of that sort, then perhaps a venomous arachnid is just the wrong fit for you. Only you truly know the answer to that.

 

[viper69]

OP just needs time to adjust and learn that tarantulas can be skittish and hungry.

You and many others are making the assumption that an arachnophobe, ie the poster, can make this adjustment. It's an assumption on your part. Absolutely no different than the assumption myself and @Chris LXXIX made in believe the poster cannot. Two different sides of the same coin. Neither of use truly knows this, each side is making an assumption based on only a few posts.

 

[Paul1126]

I wasn't, and neither are many others. Regardless, it's inaccurate of you to say "most", when in fact you have no scientific data to support such a statement. However, one could write "many".

No, I was not either.
Yeah, saying most was not a good choice of words, I never stuck in at school, maybe I should of.

 

[viper69]

Ill start by saying tong feeding is super risky, especially larger specimens...once had the tongs taken right out of my hands. Seen videos online of arboreals running straight up them and onto a keeper before he can react. Like viper said earlier, tarantulas are more then capable of hunting down their prey, they aren't babies that need to be spoon fed...minimize risk wherever you can.

As for the fear factor. Better to experience the nature of such a creature early on, might be scary now, but you'll learn to understand and accept how these animals operate. I think many of you missed the point here, being fearful of the tarantula at the outset is not going to prevent you from learning and evolving as you further yourself into the hobby...if anything that fear is useful as it keeps you on your toes and your less likely to become complacent as an inexperienced keeper.

Irrational fear is something else entirely though. If you get the shakes, or your super nervous every time you need to get something done around the T....or anything of that sort, then perhaps a venomous arachnid is just the wrong fit for you. Only you truly know the answer to that.

I wish I had this video link of a guy trying to do BASIC husbandry with an Asian OW, granted NOT an NW hah, but it took off like a bat out hell, all around his room, and vertically up his vacuum in the middle of the room. These are unpredictable, WILD animals, some more so than others.

Indeed tong feeding is super risky. Tons are just another "branch" for a T to make a quicker jump/run onto the owner. Even for an Avic, which will easily do this, if its up on your shoulders or neck, sure not like having a Poki on you, but the risk is now to your cherished pet, as Avics will jump off you and maybe injury or die due to the jump.

I've posted numerous times about the time one of my many Avics decided to run out and take a 4ft plunge onto the floor after just barely opening the lid. It survived with no injury fortunately.

Because I use primarily sterilite,

I read this too quickly, and thought it read "because I'm primarily sterile"

My first thought was, "well either you are or you aren't" hahahah

 

[Whitelightning777]

'when the spider is misbehaving like that'

''Now you listen here B.albopilosum, behave or you're going to bed without your dinner!'

We all know that tarantulas have mood swings. If something has them riled up, why not try again later?

This is even more important when you get to fast moving OW species later on.

Find out what is driving your terrestrial T literally up the walls. Tongs should be kept out of reach when feeding. Just drop the feeder by the T. The vibrations will help her catch it much faster.

It's best to develop good habits now, even with a beginner spider, such as no frivolous handling and being mindful of it's moods.

Of course, you can't lecture or train any tarantula!!

Remember, there's no such thing as a slow moving tarantula, but some might move slowly from time to time. If you have 8 legs, who needs a V8?

 

[Pseudo]

Seen videos online of arboreals running straight up them and onto a keeper before he can react.

Indeed tong feeding is super risky. Tons are just another "branch" for a T to make a quicker jump/run onto the owner.

They aren't being mean when they say tong feeding is super risky; they are trying to give you sound advice. Any time you put your hand or tongs into the enclosure, you are risking the tarantula climbing on you. A MM Avic. avic. I owned made a mad dash to get out of his enclosure once. I didn't want to slam the lid on him, so I put up my hand to try to deter him. He ended up on my back, and my husband had to remove him. He could have jumped and harmed himself upon landing.

If you happen to have long hair, it makes it worse. Your tarantula may try to grip your hair and climb, but your hair isn't stable enough for a tarantula to climb.

I have never tong fed my tarantulas. Some times they miss their prey and don't pay attention to where it goes, and I pick it up once it is away from the tarantula and drop it back near striking range. From there, they eat. The slings I own are doing well and growing. Two of my adults are even a little fatter than they should be. Your tarantula will be fine without tong feeding.

 

[Whitelightning777]

I tong feed my Versicolor, but he stays within his web and I put the feeders into the web, not directly handed off to the tarantula.

Some folks will use thin reeds or other similar items to draw them out for photography or to feeders without to many problems.

 

[Andrea82]

We all know that tarantulas have mood swings. If something has them riled up, why not try again later?

This is even more important when you get to fast moving OW species later on.

Find out what is driving your terrestrial T literally up the walls. Tongs should be kept out of reach when feeding. Just drop the feeder by the T. The vibrations will help her catch it much faster.

It's best to develop good habits now, even with a beginner spider, such as no frivolous handling and being mindful of it's moods.

Of course, you can't lecture or train any tarantula!!

Remember, there's no such thing as a slow moving tarantula, but some might move slowly from time to time. If you have 8 legs, who needs a V8?

You have trouble reading meanings behind words,I think. What I posted wasa JOKE. You know, as in, not real but funny,people laugh about it and everybody's happy kind of thing.
No need for the lecture either

 

[sasker]

I always lecture my tarantulas. What's wrong with that?