Will handling a tarantula from a sling cause it to be "sweeter"?

[bryverine]

@SkittleBunny

Welcome to the hobby!

They don't really have brains like other animals; they run on instinct alone. Unfortunately, they don't get used to being handled.

Now, for some unasked for support!

Versicolor are beautiful tarantulas, what size are you looking at getting? For your first (if you're really set on an avic) I'd highly recommend a lager specimen and setting up the enclosure first and posting it here.

There's a lot of bad information about avics, which are easy to kill if you listen to care sheets.

What I've found is that:
1. you should always have a full, large water bowl of water (no sponge, no gel, no rocks).
2. Don't ever rely on hygrometers, stuffy cages kill avics!
3. Cross ventilation is key with these. I keep my (adult) avic on mostly dry substrate and use a syringe to add water to the soil periodically until a portion looks the color of coffee grounds.
4. No heat mats/pads/rocks/lamps

There are a lot of experienced people here, be sure to search for answers and ask questions!

 

[KezyGLA]

Welcome.

Good choice for a first spider.

As slings these make quite delicate specimens. Stuffy cages are a no-go. Make sure you have plenty of cross ventilation. It is easier to moisten an enclosure than to dry it out. I have a fan in my T room pointed at my more tropical species. When I see it is a bit dry I can add more water as needed. This helps prevent stuffy cages, mould and parasites.

Will you be getting one as a sling, juvie or adult?

And I'm afraid no T would enjoy being handled. I only imagine it would stress them out.

 

[lunarae]

I'm just glad to see no one is giving OP a hard time for A. versicolor being their first and getting a sling at that from the sounds of it. I started out with a sling as well as A. versicolor for my first T. It's still alive and well. Though I dunno if I'd recommend it to anyone else after the fact for all the first time having a T. stress it put on ME as a keeper. But that's neither here nor there.

I actually agree with Poec's request on seeing what they plan to do with the set up, so that we can help them and make sure they have it right. I'll admit when I see anyone start to complain about Poec I just get a warm and fuzzy smile and go 'good old Poec, you tell them'. Though this time people really were stretching it thin trying to stir the pot. I mean honestly.

As for handling creating tolerance. I don't believe so. I think basically you either have one that decides it will tolerate it more or less. The probability for higher level of tolerance is species dependent but even then it isn't a given at all. Each T is different. Here is a video to help really gain that idea that it's just on the T. It's very common for people to suggest that G. rosea be a good first time T. And from what I understand it still can be, unless you happen to get one with less tolerance then is otherwise normally expected of the species.

It's best to not handle them if you can, especially Avic's because they can and will jump. I've had ours jump from the enclosure onto a wall when trying to change the water out once when it was smaller, and another time it jumped out and onto me. Ours was a rather onery one when it was younger, now it hands out in it's web and stays there. Course it's in it's end game enclosure now as well so no more rehousing from it growing.

Jumping can lead to escape as well as damage depending on the situation, arboreals take falls a lot better but if you have anything sharp and jagged laying around they could land on....or any cats and dogs around....or children....etc.

Not to mention they poop as a defense and they have aiming down to a T. No pun intended XD. So handling will result in that happening at some point. You will be pooped on if you handle it eventually at some point so be aware of that. I don't even try handling ours, it simply aimed and pooped on me while I was trying to clean its enclosure. You have been warned >.>

Also some people have handled theirs since they were slings and they seem perfectly fine, then they have a molt and suddenly do a 180 on them in temperament. So that's another thing to be aware of. There really is no training a T or getting it 'used' to you. It's gonna do what it wants and your gonna take it like the good little T keeper slave you've opted to become XD. Welcome to the ranks. I'm sure there's a post somewhere around here where we cry and drown our sorrows to the 'abuse' our T's put us through.

 

[mistertim]

Except you haven't helped them. Instead of your pointless comment, you could've done what I did, linking them to a thread where someone actually tries to help with some useful advice delivered in a proper manner. Not basically saying "humour me with how bad your enclosure will be".

I'm allowed to critique the way you talk to people, as plenty of people have said it about you. It doesn't matter whether you've got decades of experience, I'm not questioning that. I don't know why you always bring that up, is your ego that sensitive? That you constantly need to remind people that you're the Tarantula God of AB?

He explained the point of his comment though. He wants to see the OP's setup; not sure how that is snide. I think you might be reading too much into a person's writing style online (it can happen pretty easily).

 

[Abyss]

Image

• Abyss
• Aug 5, 2016
• 6

Substrate an water dish and my P. subfusca sp. highland are all in the enclosure and rehoused...

Image

• Abyss
• Jul 9, 2016
• 4

Thats what the clear plexi lids look like. I use the lip to secure it with hot glue an never had...

couple examples of arboreal sling enclosures i make/sell.

Use them as a general guide on how you could setup your A. versacolor sling. PM me if you have any questions or anything. Mostly dry sub with a full waterdish and adequate centilation and you should be fine. Dont handle tho, nothing good can come from it

 

[BorisTheSpider]

@SkittleBunny , first of all I love the name . It sounds like an 80's punk band . Secondly try to keep in mind that Ts don't have the capability to learn . All they can do is react to stimuli based on what instinct tells then to do . They eat things smaller then them and run from things bigger then them . Some dig burrows for safety and some climb to the tops of trees for safety but not because they think it's a good idea . It's because that is what's in their nature . Being that you are much bigger then your Ts , this assuming that you aren't the size of a star wars figurine , you will always be perceived as a threat . Certain species may tolerate being held but all can and will bite eventually . Venomous snake collectors have a saying , "It's not if you are going to get bitten , it when you are going to bet bitten" . This also works for Ts , although sans the truly dangerous venom .

 

[darkness975]

Would handling it from its youth cause it to grow up more docile?

No

 

[bryverine]

Image

• Abyss
• Aug 5, 2016
• 6

Substrate an water dish and my P. subfusca sp. highland are all in the enclosure and rehoused...

Image

• Abyss
• Jul 9, 2016
• 4

Thats what the clear plexi lids look like. I use the lip to secure it with hot glue an never had...

couple examples of arboreal sling enclosures i make/sell.

Use them as a general guide on how you could setup your A. versacolor sling. PM me if you have any questions or anything. Mostly dry sub with a full waterdish and adequate centilation and you should be fine. Dont handle tho, nothing good can come from it

Man! I feel like I see your advertising for these enclosures more than the google ads on top of the boards.

Move that product!

 

[ratluvr76]

Why do you have to be so snide? Why not just give her/him the info straight off the bat, in case they've been reading caresheets...

I'm positive poec wasn't being snide... like at all. Usually poec's comments can be construed as snide if your thin skinned but really, this time it was a very polite inquiry obviously designed to gather information so he could assess the level of the op's knowledge base....

Except you haven't helped them. Instead of your pointless comment, you could've done what I did, linking them to a thread where someone actually tries to help with some useful advice delivered in a proper manner. Not basically saying "humour me with how bad your enclosure will be".

I'm allowed to critique the way you talk to people, as plenty of people have said it about you. It doesn't matter whether you've got decades of experience, I'm not questioning that. I don't know why you always bring that up, is your ego that sensitive? That you constantly need to remind people that you're the Tarantula God of AB?

As I said, being thin skinned in an online forum atmosphere won't ever be a good thing. For anyone.

. It's gonna do what it wants and your gonna take it like the good little T keeper slave you've opted to become XD. Welcome to the ranks. I'm sure there's a post somewhere around here where we cry and drown our sorrows to the 'abuse' our T's put us through.

Haha... the good little t keeper slave... perfect lol

 

[Abyss]

Man! I feel like I see your advertising for these enclosures more than the google ads on top of the boards.

Move that product!

Oh i sell alot of em lol those pictured are ones i am using myself (you can see my baby versacolor in one i think lol)

 

[Nephrite]

Perhaps you'd be interested in a bearded dragon, or even a sugarglider?

 

[Biollantefan54]

Aaaaaannnnnyyyyyywwwwwaaaayyyyyyssssss

Can't wait to see pics of your new T, if you listen to the advice given on this thread (May be hard to find now though LOL) then you will be ready for your spider. They aren't really hard to take care of though, you just need a balance of cross-ventilation to keep the humidity in check. Don't want it to get too stuffy in there! After you get this one and everything is going fine, I'll be waiting for a post saying the next 12 T's you are going to be getting!

 

[lunarae]

Haha... the good little t keeper slave... perfect lol

Hehe. We all know it's true. XD

 

[viper69]

To the OP, if you have questions about what I wrote please PM me. This thread has derailed into a mess.

Second post is mine for Avic care http://arachnoboards.com/threads/avicularia-husbandry.282549/#post-2461399

As others said, handling a T will not make it "nicer". This is true for all species of Ts. They are not cats/dogs/snakes/lizards etc.

 

[magicmed]

To the OP, if you have questions about what I wrote please PM me. This thread has derailed into a mess.

As others said, handling a T will not make it "nicer". This is true for all species of Ts. They are not cats/dogs/snakes/lizards etc.

Meant agree not disagree my bad bud, stupid fingers

 

[MrsHaas]

Please don't hold your t - or any t for that matter. It's fire specific to the animal and can cause injury to either u or the spider or both.

Ts are like fish... To be looked at not played with.

If you handle it is to satisfy your own arrogance. The t gets nothing good out of it...

 

[Jeff23]

You won't find much of anyone here that will condone handling. I won't be handling mine. But if you are going to do it anyway don't follow how it is done in YouTube videos and at least buy a beanbag chair or comfortable rug and do it down low as possible to the floor so you can increase your odds of keeping a healthy spider.

 

[Kodi]

I agree that handling doesn't increase a T's good temperament, but does anyone have any evidence or is it just popular opinion?

 

[viper69]

I agree that handling doesn't increase a T's good temperament, but does anyone have any evidence or is it just popular opinion?

Every time I open the lids to my NW Brachy's homes I have all the evidence I need. Not a single one is enthused about being disturbed. It's obvious by their body posture and their flicky behavior

Every time I open the lid of my G. pulchripes and she reaches up on her own to "escape" and encounters my finger, she withdraws her legs and walks a bit further down "hoping" to find a spot where my fingers are not encountered.

I imagine many have not actually tested this out, and made a reasonable assumption. Identical to the assumption about other wild animals and human interaction, such as human interaction with African elephants. No matter how many times you approach them, they never walk up to you, they retreat and/or display warning sounds, such as charging. And every so often destroy a truck.

 

[Andrea82]

If the T runs away from you, it doesn't want to be handled.
If a T curls up in stressed position, it doesn't want to be handled.
If a T freezes in its spot, it doesn't want to be handled.
If a T shows threat posture, it doesn't want to be handled.
If a T kicks hairs, it doesn't want to be handled.
If a T jumps from your hand, it doesn't want to be handled.
TL;DR T's don't want to be handled.