will I ever get over it (advise on handling)

[looseyfur]

I am not afraid by definition.... my fear in handling comes from a few terrible "speedy" enocunters with the T's I currently have. I have a beautiful bloodleg (now named turbo) he is without a doubt the fastest thing on 8 legs. I cant controll him and I am hesitant to Grab him when he takes off ... therefore he runs amuck and hauls ass up my arm and or onto my back or worst directly toward my face. Hes a nut. Then theres "bitch" my stripe knee, maybe the "tarantula whisperer" could handle her but me... forget it... shes not named bitch for nuthin.
bitch not to be confused with Butch a curly and dracula a curly whom never want to be handled and just run for it ( ie speedy nervous ) my new redknee (nameless) who flicks hairs at the drop of a hat... sigh...
last but not least a female rose hair who does what she wants .. screw what you want and her potential mate who again is leggy and fast as sh*t.
so I am venting I guess my dissapointment that I dont have any "sweety" who is slow and wants to chill on my hand or sleeve , bad luck or bad additudes myT's just want to eat and be left the hell alone.(which kinda makes sence anyhow)

I guess there are some methods for handling perhaps if I were more learned with them I could control the situation a bit better and enjoy a bit of the thrill of handling (someplace safe from nasty falls of course)

anywho- any advise?

yer pal-
10053yfur

E.

 

[Mojo Jojo]

Most people don't just stick their hands into their aquarium and pick their fish up. The fishes are eye candy. And aquariests accept that pretty overwhelmingly.

I think most people would agree though, that they would be much more at ease holding a fish than a tarantula. But many tarantula enthusiests still derive pleasure holding their tarantulas. I did when I first got in. I think alot of it was my personal desire to prove that I wasn't scared of the thing. But now, I generally treat my t's as if they were eye candy. I try not to hold them if I don't have to.

That fear comes from not wanting to be fanged. And since all t's have fangs, there is ALWAYS the possibility of getting fanged. I don't care what the reputation of a tarantula is. The possibility exists.

Sure, most bites won't make you sick or anything, But it will be painful. I have never been bit (knock wood). But from reading bit reports, most bites cause pain and or bad itching for between a few hours to most of the day. I have heard the pain from a bite on the finger spreading to the hand and even to the whole arm.

So I think your reaction is quite normal.


Good Luck

Big Dragonfly

 

[Tranz]

I think the unpredictability and skittishness makes it much harder. If they were slow and predictable, it would be a lot easier to handle them. Even if you're not afraid of the spider itself, which I am, there's still the fear of "What's going to happen? Is something going to happen that I will regret?"

 

[JacenBeers]

I never hold my spiders just because i know that they would rather not b bothered by it. I only have two species that are handleable anyways. THe only time I hold them is as a demonstration.

 

[Gail]

I agree with Big Dragonfly - unless you really desperately want to handle them there really is no reason to. I have many tarantulas that you could consider sweet hearts, but I only handle them if I need to move them to clean cages or if they decide to come out on walk about when I am feeding and cleaning and I need to put them back. Even though they are "sweet" there is still always the chance of a bite. Tarantualas just aren't like dogs, cats or even rats - they will never really like being handled - they will simply learn to tolerate it / know that you aren't a danger. The "tamest" tarantula in the world just might sink a fang into you if, say, the family dog happens to walk over and breathe on it while you are holding it. The only other time I will handle is when giving a demonstration just so that people can see and understand that these are not the "monsters" that hollywood and their mothers keep telling them they are Another plus to not handling is that your T's will keep most of their hair and look a lot better LOL

Gail

 

[Immortal_sin]

well, I am one of those people here that do happen to handle their tarantulas.....not terribly often, but every once in a while. I want to feel confident packing them, and I've had more than one break free of the deli cup and come running up my sleeve LOL!
If I had not handled tarantulas before, I can tell you now I'd have been terrified, and someone (probably the tarantula) would have been hurt. So, there are some reasons to handle.
It comes with being able to read body language, and staying calm. Having confidence is the other part of it. If you are tentative, and shaky, the tarantula may sense it (vibration etc) and feel as if it's on shaky ground so to speak. Another tendancy is to flinch, jump, or fling, if the t goes on a runner. That of course is dangerous, especially to the t!
So, remaining calm is a must.
I can't really tell you *how* to do that though...it just comes with time (or it doesn't).
Good luck, and always sit on a soft surface!

 

[Lost_Tarantula]

My only non-sling tarantula is a great guy, about 4"-5" (I'm still not good at judging). What I used to do, since the substrate was built up high, was gently prod him with a pen (retracted, of course) in the abdomen. Sometimes he moved slowly, sometimes he up and ran. But anyway, he'd try to crawl over the edge of the cage, and I'd put my hand there. Somehow, psychologically, it makes me feel a lot better if he walks onto my hand than if I force him on . Anyway, you could just lay your hand down in front of it, and gently tap it with something non-body related from behind. I never know when they whip around and bite, so I use a pen instead of my finger. Oh yeah, do it on the ground or over your bed.

 

[chaset]

I have never had a fear of Spiders, I hold myn sometimes because i like to, I also pick up spiders i find running across the floor,
I don't do it often, and it always sticks in my mind the possibility that one could fall to the floor. it may seem silly but i talk to my spiders when im doing stuff in there housing units. The only reply i ever got was my Usumbara hissing back ;p

 

[Weapon-X]

re

get a pinktoe, you should be able to handle one of those they can be skittish though, only t's i pickup are my redknee and pinktoes---JEFF

 

[Gail]

Originally posted by chaset
it may seem silly but i talk to my spiders when im doing stuff in there housing units. The only reply i ever got was my Usumbara hissing back ;p

Don't feel bad - I keep up a constant dialoge of "my, aren't you lovely today" "Just LOOK at this mess you've made" "Now, now, no need for that" etc. etc. while working with my T's - and, like you, the only reponse I get back is hissing on occassion

Gail