Tarantula Presentation!

[invadermike]

In my psychology class we are studying phobias, and I asked my teacher if I could bring in my tarantulas and do a lesson on arachnophobia. She was scared at first and said no, but then I convinced her, so I have to get a little lesson plan together and talk about ways of counter-conditioning, which are ways to over come your phobia. I am going to get waivers for the students to sign about venom and what not, so if they get bit by any chance, it’s not my problem, besides the fact that they might kill my tarantula! I am bringing in only 2 of my tarantulas both G. roseas. I plan on getting a nice big curly hair T to bring as well, because I have to do 3 presentations and I didn’t want to use the same T each time, so they will only have to come out once, most of my T’s are slings so I can’t really bring those to let anyone hold them if they have the guts, anyway I’ll let you know how it goes, I’ll be doing the presentation on Tuesday the 17th. Does anyone have any comments or opinions or any advice? This is a high-school class of juniors and seniors, so they aren’t little kids, but could act like them, anyway, let me know what you think and if anyone has done something like this before. Thanks
-Mike

 

[AllenG]

Eek...sounds like u will have your hands full, just look out for your T's best interest...


The thing I worry about in these situations is those bad kids that you will mention "they can't fall from much of any height or they risk severe injury or even death" and then when u offer to let them hold them he/she lets you put it on their hand then "oops" drops him

I don't have any pointers, I would suggest that you NOT let anyone hold them...i would figure all it would take is someone holding one then someone else making a quick movement or such and spooking the T into possible biting or making a bolt for "freespace" and falling to his doom (plus the stress it MAY put on your T to be in a strange environment with a bunch of teenagers...

 

[invadermike]

well, as for the T falling, i am making whoever wants to hold it (i doubt anyone will, maybe 1 person if i'm lucky) sit on the floor, so it can't really fall anywhere, i won't let anyone who i don't think is capiable of handeling it, well.. handel it. My T's are very docile so biting shouldn't be a problem, but it is always possible. Hopefully it goes well. Thanks for the reply!
-Mike

 

[Action Jackson]

I'm doing a little Tarantula Teaching stint in a bit, myself. Unfortunately, it involves middle schoolers... But you take what you can get, eh? As far as handling goes, though, no grubby kid hands are touching my spiders; I'm really scared to death of what clumsy or simply mean spirited kids would do with my animals, you know. Call me crazy.

But these are high schoolers, so the rules are probably a little different (I've never taught them, but I know I generally dislike them). It's your funeral, but good luck. Have fun dispelling.

 

[SpiderTwin]

Good luck with your presentation, it's always a sketchy thing to let people who are not familiar with the movements of a T to hold them. It sounds like you have put alot of thought into it, keeping the students and the T's low to the floor is a good thing.

Maybe you can hold the T and let the people only touch it. That's what I did when I did a show and tell at my kids school, but they were alot younger too. Definately stick with the slower moving species.

Again, good luck.

 

[AllenG]

oh yeah and we expect an update on how it went...including the "minutes" of the whole experience...