Superworms and human fingers

Dexity

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jul 20, 2010
Messages
10
Ok so now I have had a couple of instances when I go to handle my T's where I swear they think my finger is a superworm, I have not been bitten yet but I think it is getting close. Two of my four have attacked when they see the finger, wrapped their front legs around the finger, then let go realizing it wasnt food. Has anyone else experienced this?
 

Scoolman

Arachnolord
Old Timer
Joined
Feb 9, 2010
Messages
612
Ok so now I have had a couple of instances when I go to handle my T's where I swear they think my finger is a superworm, I have not been bitten yet but I think it is getting close. Two of my four have attacked when they see the finger, wrapped their front legs around the finger, then let go realizing it wasnt food. Has anyone else experienced this?
I had a little .75 GBB do that once.
I always use a soft brush to tap the substrate then touch the legs to make sure they I am there. I swear, sometimes it seems as though are in a deep meditative state at times, and I have to give a good nudge. They seem to wake as though from a deep sleep.
 

TomM

Arachnobaron of Pennsylvania
Old Timer
Joined
Oct 15, 2009
Messages
448
I don't handle my Ts but my hamster, Fatty Patty, actually made that mistake once. She absolutely loves Superworms and the only time she ever bit me I wiggled my finger near her cage right after I gave her a Superworm and she nipped at it. My fault completely, thankfully hamsters are not venomous.{D

Fatty chowin' down on a superworm in her nest:
 

curiousme

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
Dec 11, 2008
Messages
1,661
Ok so now I have had a couple of instances when I go to handle my T's where I swear they think my finger is a superworm, I have not been bitten yet but I think it is getting close. Two of my four have attacked when they see the finger, wrapped their front legs around the finger, then let go realizing it wasnt food. Has anyone else experienced this?
They can't see either one, but evidently your finger didn't taste good.:)

Tarantulas can only see light and dark, so they must have felt the disturbance in the air currents with their setae and decided it was dinner time. They taste through chemoreceptors in their feet and luckily, you didn't taste like food. I wouldn't stick your finger in the cages of these Ts anymore, because you might not always be lucky. :) We use a chopstick, or paintbrush to herd the T out if it is small; and cup it and remove it, if it is big.
 

Venari

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Jun 22, 2009
Messages
342
They taste through chemoreceptors in their feet and luckily, you didn't taste like food.
I've used an old make-up brush (girlfriends throw out the most useful items, sometimes) to nudge an A. Geniculata into a shipping container, and he wrapped himself around the brush completely. I think he was hungry, even with his large abdomen! At least it was an easy transfer, but getting him off the brush required a second object to prod him off. Maybe he was a chronic smoker and his "tastebuds" were faulty? lol
 

Dexity

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jul 20, 2010
Messages
10
Well, I handle them. I keep sugar gliders as well and my T's are far more cuddley!11! So far no bites, but my B. Bohemi has a attitude problem, always ALWAYS throwing hairs, the others not so much. Hell the one I have that is "semi-aggresive" has never thrown a hair and she is nearly full grown (n. chromatus) reared her legs up once at a superworm. I believe that is mostly because she attacked one once and ended up attempting to bite into the tongs, now she is scared shitless of the tongs...
 

EndlessForms

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Oct 14, 2010
Messages
224
We handle too, but don't stick our hands into the enclosures while trying to get them out. Better safe than sorry in the bite department, IMO.:)
sometimes when i go to handle my rosea, she can be a bit nervous, so i gently nudge her with a paint brush or pencil to see how she reacts and to show her i'm there. sometimes she'l respond to the surprise of a stick coming out of no where by kicking hairs, or rearing up. so i usually don't use my hand the first time, but after a few seconds she calms down and i can freely pick her up...
 

Arachnopal

Arachnopeon
Joined
Nov 7, 2010
Messages
7
corraling

I use a old large blush brush. its big and poofy super soft. Have even had a few T's enjoy being brushed on thier abdomen with the brush. Well they seem to enjoy it. Have not had 1 roll over like a dog yet. I agree with the sleeping thing. They don't call T's living rocks for nothing. I once watched a T stay in 1 spot for 48 hours if it moved while i slept it managed to get right back in the same spot before i got up. sneaky huh?
My vote here is you scared them. You woke them up and they reacted. Sometimes I will tap my finger lightly on the side of the tank before I open it. Then use the brush to move T an inch or so to make sure it is awake. I do handle my T's. I place my hand in the tank palm up and coax the T with the brush onto my hand. 50% of the time once the T is in my palm they tuck themselves up and stay put for a moment. I still say they like our body heat. Some guys will just reach in and cup a T in thier hand and lift it out. I think this scares most T's and can make even the most docile T bite
 

curiousme

Arachnoprince
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Dec 11, 2008
Messages
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sometimes when i go to handle my rosea, she can be a bit nervous, so i gently nudge her with a paint brush or pencil to see how she reacts and to show her i'm there. sometimes she'l respond to the surprise of a stick coming out of no where by kicking hairs, or rearing up. so i usually don't use my hand the first time, but after a few seconds she calms down and i can freely pick her up...
We have multiple chopsticks that are speckled with fang/ bite marks from testing the water with our Ts and that alone is a deterrent for us. Neither one of us has ever been bitten and we intend to keep it that way if possible. It is just personal preference, not everyone feels that way and more power to them, to do what they wish with their Ts.:) We do have Ts that would most likely be like yours, but removing it from its enclosure is your insurance policy for its attitude. Get them out of what is familiar/ home to defend and they are much more likely to be calm and lose any defensiveness they may have had.
 

Dexity

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jul 20, 2010
Messages
10
I tried the chopstick thing, she pulled it out of my hand then dropped it and ran into her hidey. I havent tested the others with it, my A. Versicolor and B. Bohemi are about to molt, and the N. Chromatus is a sweetheart. Its funny because the one that did that with the chopstick is usually very docile, and it may just be the chopstick, she has only semi attacked me once and all three times I put the chopstick close to her last night she attacked it. Ill try my hand tonight, if I get bit oh well! Ill tell you all how it goes... :p
 

curiousme

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
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Dec 11, 2008
Messages
1,661
I tried the chopstick thing, she pulled it out of my hand then dropped it and ran into her hidey. I havent tested the others with it, my A. Versicolor and B. Bohemi are about to molt, and the N. Chromatus is a sweetheart. Its funny because the one that did that with the chopstick is usually very docile, and it may just be the chopstick, she has only semi attacked me once and all three times I put the chopstick close to her last night she attacked it.
When you say you brought the chopstick close, do you mean you are coming at the Ts face/ eye area with it? If so, perhaps that is the problem. We use it to touch their back toes to urge them out of the enclosure. When they whirl around to snap/ slap at it, we know they are just not in the mood.

Ill try my hand tonight, if I get bit oh well! Ill tell you all how it goes... :p
Have fun...
 

Dexity

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jul 20, 2010
Messages
10
I nudge their back legs almost always, sometimes side, never top or front I dont want to aggitate/hurt them! And I held her earlier, my schitzo curlyhair she was friendly! She was just not in the mood yesterday.
 
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