The Fridge?

rYe

Arachnosquire
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Dec 30, 2006
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Okay I've been seeing some people mention putting their T's tanks in fridges/freezers to slow down their fast/mean T's. Is this really a method that is any good cause I got a H. Lividum that's mean as all hell and I sure would like to slow this sucker down.
 

Anklebitr

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Apr 11, 2006
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Okay I've been seeing some people mention putting their T's tanks in fridges/freezers to slow down their fast/mean T's. Is this really a method that is any good cause I got a H. Lividum that's mean as all hell and I sure would like to slow this sucker down.
I thought the refrig thing was only for emergencies.. like you need to provide medical attention to the T and it keeps trying to eat you.
 

rYe

Arachnosquire
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I've just heard small things here and there, that's why I'm asking to find out about it.
 

Natemass

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ive heard about people doing that before as well. personally i dont do it but i guess they put them in for a short period of time like 5 mins. but i think if you cant handle it in its normal state of action then you shouldnt have it. thats like putting your dog in the freezer becuz it was getting a little out of hand.
 

cacoseraph

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i can't tell from the OP if you realize that typically this is only done when you want to *do* something to the spider, be it health check or repair or pack it up


but... i've never had to chill a single thing and i have packed up just about everything in the hobby (not species wise, but large fast strongly venemous tarantulas and centipedes and deadly scorpions).

i think it is typically newer, less experienced people who chill. for myself, it is a larger distress on the bug than is worth it to me... who knows though, perhaps one day i will come across bug i need to chill to move... maybe if i ever keep Phoenutria or Siccarius or some other hideous bug :)
 

rYe

Arachnosquire
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I'm more worried for the spider, It got loose once and ran around with a death wish leaping off various tall things.
 

FOOTBALL FAN

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you cant do it to calm her down only for in the case of an emergency if shes hurt and you need to patch her up for example
 

cheetah13mo

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I have a female A. hentzi out in my garage and it is around 40 degrees in there right now. I'll pull her inside in a month or two to trigger an egg sack. She's not aggresive but garage, fridge, what's the difference? In other words, yes, it is done to slow down aggrisive T's among other things. Only for a couple of minutes though. Not a couple of months like mine.
 

Mushroom Spore

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I'm more worried for the spider, It got loose once and ran around with a death wish leaping off various tall things.
The effect only lasts as long as the spider is cold.

People also put spiders in the fridge/freezer when they want to euthanize it. Are you experienced enough to know when to take it out before there's no coming back for your pet? :embarrassed:
 

becca81

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thats like putting your dog in the freezer becuz it was getting a little out of hand.
It's a little different with a cold-blooded animal. :)

The effect isn't going to last very long - a couple of minutes or so (depending on how long it is in there).
 

GartenSpinnen

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Dont put the spider in the freezer, it gets too cold too fast and its harder to control. Put the spider in the fridge for 5-10 minutes, ive done it several times while packing up defensive Ts and i have never had a problem doing it. The key is to monitor them every couple of minutes, and right when you notice them to start slowing down (they will kinda curl up slightly, wont be moving around much) take them out and quickly do what you have to do. The effect dont last but a few minutes, but when shipping a very defensive T a few minutes goes a long ways!
 

chris 71

Arachnoknight
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i,ve done this many times and never had any promblems i think it works great and is mentioned in sam marshall,s book tarantulas and other arachnids just don,t leave them in there all day
 

Nerri1029

Chief Cook n Bottlewasher
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Even very experienced T- owners have had escapes and such.

the T and the circumstances dictate what is prudent vs. overkill.

when I kept my T's at work I had zero tollerance for escapes.

when shipping the hazard is to the T trying to pack them into a small containerif it can help you get them from A to B safely.. then great.

Arthropods are fantastic creatures, have survived for millions of years.. a few minutes of just above freezing temps won't hurt.
IME and IMO

I just received a shipment of T's where the heating pads stopped working a few hours before they got to me.

they were all about mid 40's Ferenheit
all T's survived and are doing fine.

and since many were Pterinochilus I was happy to have them "subdued"
:)
 

cacoseraph

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there is a difference, which might be very important, between a tarantula slowly cooling down in the wild over a period of weeks or months versus a 35-55*F drop in temp in a few minutes... no longitudinal studies have been done, that i am aware of to guarantee you are not harming the spiders or whatever when you chill them in a fridge like that

one thing i can think of is that you will be changing the volume of the water in all the cells much more quickly than has ever been possible in nature and that this could eventually damage fine neuron cells or something. certainly not saying this *does* happen... just that it *could*

i would much rather improve all my nonchilled techniques and have chilling as a last resort emergency fallback!
 

Cerbera

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Well I've read all that, and still don't see it as a justifiable thing to do. It IS unnecessary because even the most cross and escape-prone spiders can be bottle top-cupped assuming you do it positively enough, mid-threat, or not (in fact in some ways its easier if they are !), and then they can be transferred where they need to be going, as shown in the excellent guides on this very site.

I'll let you know when it all goes wrong for me, but for now, fridges, freezers and spiders I'd rather keep apart.
 

rYe

Arachnosquire
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The effect only lasts as long as the spider is cold.

People also put spiders in the fridge/freezer when they want to euthanize it. Are you experienced enough to know when to take it out before there's no coming back for your pet? :embarrassed:
Well obviously not on this subject, which is why I'm asking this question. ;P

I'd like to thank everybody for their feedback on this one. While I'm not to thrilled of the idea of being tagged by and Old Worlder like I said this was more for the saftey of the spider. My H. lividum is a nasty fast one (like most are) but she seems to not care what she does. When I bought her we had no problems moving her from the old tank to a temp deli cup. Then from the deli cup to her new home.... but when I had to add some more substrate after the other stuff settled she spazed on me. She attacked my deli cup with four bites then teleported out the tank to my bed, then appeared on my bed post... then got ahold of my finger but somehow teleported to the floor prior to a bite. I don't know how that happened to be honest I have other people in the room who promised me that when my H. Lividum was sitting in my open palm I didn't fling her! She also made her way up a dresser and pretty much ran blindly off.

I'm not sure if I plan on using this freezer/fridge method out or not at the moment. All your responses where so varied I don't know what to think. but thanks none the less! If I can't get the feel for my H. Lividum I very well may just trade her off for something new world to avoid this hassle. Anybody want a 3-4 inch H. Lividum????? (at least I think that's the size I've only seen her four times!)
 

green_bottle_04

Arachnobaron
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ive heard about people doing that before as well. personally i dont do it but i guess they put them in for a short period of time like 5 mins. but i think if you cant handle it in its normal state of action then you shouldnt have it. thats like putting your dog in the freezer becuz it was getting a little out of hand.

ever owned a p.murinus??? or read a detailed bite report? you might sing a different tune if you have. putting it in the fridge for 5 mins. wont hurt it! it slows it down. which, im my opinion, with a fast spider is a lot better than spending 5 days (give or take) feeling symptoms of the bite.
 

Bothrops

Arachnobaron
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Do you all use this method to transfer T's during rehousing as well? Or do you use it just for pack them or check them?

It's the first time I hear of this method.
 

cheetah13mo

Arachnoking
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I'm not againts it as I said above but the only time I would use the fridge is to handle a T for medical reasons. With a little thought, any hobbiest should be able to transport any T without the fridge. However, that completely depends on how comfortable the hobbiest is with T's. I you not 100% confident, use the fridge. The T has a higher risk of getting injured the you do.
 
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