Tarantula bites.

[Dulce]

I had a qs, being new to tarantulas. I wanted to know if once I'm holding the tarantula, will it bite me out of nowhere? Or it just shows aggression right away when you want to handle it?

 

[Chris LXXIX]

When you have a Theraphosidae in your hand/s, everything can happens. Everything from a 'Superfly Jimmy Snuka' "splat" on the floor (read dead or injured spider) to bite/s (certain OW's are able to deliver multiple bites within seconds) to nothing, to escapes to whatnot :-s

 

[The Grym Reaper]

There is always the chance that a T could decide to bite you out of nowhere, these are wild animals that act solely on instinct.

 

[nicodimus22]

Tarantulas are unpredictable animals. Any specimen of any species can deliver a bite at any time. That said, there are species that TEND to be more tolerant of handling, but individuals vary tremendously, and even a normally docile specimen of a normally docile species can be defensive one day out of nowhere.

You'll find that handling is largely discouraged here, and with good reason. There is no upside for the animal. It doesn't like to be handled, it simply tolerates it. It lacks the brain to recognize you, bond with you, or want affection from you. Making matters worse for handling, tarantulas are fragile animals...even a short fall onto a hard surface can rupture their abdomen, resulting in death. If they get spooked and zoom off your arm, splat. If they bite you, your natural reaction is to fling them off. Splat. These are best enjoyed the same way tropical fish are: by taking in their beautiful colors and patterns, feeding them, and watching them do stuff.

 

[Chris LXXIX]

Btw shouldn't been about 'bites & venom' only always. Certain chubby bulky T's considered beginner-friendly 'pet rocks' and somewhat lazy when it comes to bites, actually can bite as well, but that's secondary: everything can happens as I've said, and in no time, for nothing, you have a dead/injured spider :-s

 

[basin79]

You're better off treating your tarantula like a fish in an aquarium. Look but don't touch. They get nothing positive from handling and you only risk their health and a bite doing so.

 

[Dulce]

Oh ok, good to know, I did see a bunch of videos on YouTube, read bunch of care sheets, I saw a vid where the tarantula was using his fangs to grip on the person cause it didn't feel safe and secure on his hands, wonder if that happens often? I got parrots and I've gotten bit by them so I wonder if spider bite would b worse not that I want to find out lol .... I recently bought a lasiodora parahybana, it's on it's way, its a sling. I'm excited!

 

[The Grym Reaper]

Oh ok, good to know, I did see a bunch of videos on YouTube, read bunch of care sheets, I saw a vid where the tarantula was using his fangs to grip on the person cause it didn't feel safe and secure on his hands, wonder if that happens often? I got parrots and I've gotten bit by them so I wonder if spider bite would b worse not that I want to find out lol .... I recently bought a Lasiodora parahybana, it's on it's way, its a sling. I'm excited!

A friend of mine who kept them years ago (and was apparently bitten quite a lot lol) said "it's like being stabbed with a pair of screwdrivers"

 

[Dulce]

A friend of mine who kept them years ago (and was apparently bitten quite a lot lol) said "it's like being stabbed with a pair of screwdrivers"

Ouch, yea doesn't sound pleasant, I got a jumping spider habronattus sp, I handle and a new baby spider I believe to be a amphinectidae, but it's too small to tell, I found it at work and saw it under the microscope, and wow it looks amazing! But thanks for the advice and knowledge everyone I will definitely follow up on that and not handle my t's.

 

[Moakmeister]

Ouch, yea doesn't sound pleasant, I got a jumping spider habronattus sp, I handle and a new baby spider I believe to be a amphinectidae, but it's too small to tell, I found it at work and saw it under the microscope, and wow it looks amazing! But thanks for the advice and knowledge everyone I will definitely follow up on that and not handle my t's.

Good man. I like this guy. Not stubborn like a lot of other new guys.

 

[Tim Benzedrine]

I was talking to a woman once who has tarantulas. I referred her to this board and cautioned her to stay away from creating "hot topics". I used handling as an example and she looked surprised and replied "But that's what I have them for!"
I did not further my suggestion because she's keeping them for the wrong reason, IMO.

 

[viper69]

I had a qs, being new to tarantulas. I wanted to know if once I'm holding the tarantula, will it bite me out of nowhere? Or it just shows aggression right away when you want to handle it?

Holding a tarantula is a good way to have the following happen

1. It dies
2. It gets injured
3. You get bit.
4. It escapes never to be found again
5. It escapes and bites someone else or ends up dead.

If you want a pet to hold, get a snake, this is the wrong "pet" to own. It's a wild animal, and will always be that way.

 

[viper69]

she looked surprised and replied "But that's what I have them for!"

Clearly she is delusional as opposed to ignorant.

 

[viper69]

I did see a bunch of videos on YouTube, read bunch of care sheets,

A lot of videos on YouTube are useless because they show things that one should not do with tarantulas. They are excellent for visual information but usually not much else.

Care sheets KILL tarantulas. DO NOT READ THEM. They are interlaced with fact and FICTION making them extremely dangerous to the tarantula.

Many people come here with dead tarantulas due to reading care sheets. Come here for info- case closed.