Wearing gloves to avoid bites

[jakykong]

They really wont help much if the T runs up your arm and bites you in the face.

I chuckled at this... I've heard of this happening, whether gloves were involved or not, and hope to avoid it myself at all costs.

It's worth emphasizing this point, because I see it as the main point, personally.

The gloves only protect your hands (assuming they do that much). Your arm is only about 3 inches further, which is shorter than one leg span for many Ts, and most Ts that are likely to bite are also quick.

 

[Jared781]

none of my Ts are large enough to wear gloves! to me its the speed that kills.... or at least for some Ts

 

[Stan Schultz]

I'm not agreeing or disagreeing the use of gloves to avoid a bite ..I'm curious though if there were any reported cases of a person being bit by a T while using gloves and if so size of T at the time/ type of gloves/ damage recieved

I've had any number of instances where I've been saved a bite by light leather gloves.

Latex, vinyl, or nitrile examination gloves are only useful for protecting yourself from the urticating bristles.

And, you only wear gloves as protection against being bitten by the more defensive species or the ones with medically significant bites. Note that you almost surely won't be HANDLING these tarantulas directly as such. The gloves are used in case the tarantula makes a break for it and manages to land on your hand (for instance). Or, in case you need to subdue it in a panic. Ordinarily, the average enthusiast will be MANIPULATING tarantulas with strongly defensive attitudes or with medically significant bites using other, safer means (e.g., a transparent plastic drinking glass and a piece of cardboard).

And, from bare faced, one-on-one experience, light leather gloves do protect you from a bite in a crisis! Been there. Done that.

 

[le-thomas]

One situation I can think of where the use of leather gloves could be a plausible idea is when you're doing something simple like taking out the water dish or something, but rehousing generally needs more precision. Faster tarantulas won't have much trouble getting past your hands and biting you elsewhere anyways, so the gloves might end up doing more harm than good. So, basically, they usually aren't a good idea. As stated above, latex gloves can block perfectly from urticating hairs.

 

[Wiggles92]

Isn't it pretty much as simple as saying, "Hmm, this is probably going to bite me; maybe I should use a catch cup to remove it instead of my hand," instead of resorting to thick gloves which will do nothing for protection and will only make you more likely to get bit by greatly inhibiting your movement? A good set of tongs will go a long way for removing furnishings such as the water dish, so one really will not need thick gloves in almost all circumstances; the tongs can also be used to maneuver the catch cup in place.

 

[dsdishon]

Hey, I am a new tarantula owner as well. I have thought about gloves, but the longer I have it the more I am less scared of holding it. I figure by the time next year I will probably be comfortable enough that it won't bother me at all. I knew when I got it that they bite, but I don't have any potent venom ones at the moment. Still a little thrown off by keeping something like an Indian ornamental. Maybe some day. Good luck to you on which ever way you decide to handle your tarantula.

 

[hassman789]

Haha one time my dad got me a tarantula as a Christmas present. He or he ordered thinking it was going to be full grown (it was really one inch) and he thought it was going to be loose in the box. So he described to me what he had setup. Which was a cup and him wearing those big bulky fire place gloves! Haha I can only imagine! It's the thought that counts though.

And when I first read this thread the first thing that came to mind was that chain-mill stuff that they wear on Shark Week. But that may be impractical....:sarcasm:

 

[xhexdx]

Mike Dame had a spider bite clean through his thumbnail. There's a thread on ATS about it.

 

[gottarantulas]

When going in/out of my pokie enclosures I don a glove made by Zilla that is for handling larger snake species, monitor lizards and tegus. They are made of leather for bite protection yet offer mobility. I think you can never be too careful with the larger and presumably more venomnous species.