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Handling?
- Thread starter ryanm7277
- Start date
- Messages
- 10,913
- Location
- Malton, UK
Most of us don't handle our Ts as there is too much risk of them jumping or falling of you and fatally injuring themselves.
If you really want to handle yours approach slowly and if it rears up it would be best to leave it alone. If you succeed in handling it make sure it can't fall more than a few inches onto something soft.
If you really want to handle yours approach slowly and if it rears up it would be best to leave it alone. If you succeed in handling it make sure it can't fall more than a few inches onto something soft.
- Messages
- 2,038
- Location
- Norwich, UK
Tarantulas can move exceptionally fast when they choose to. The term teleport is often used to describe a fast T. One moment they are in their enclosure as you feed them. Milliseconds later they have run up your arm & are now out of reach in the middle of your back. Or they have flown out of the enclosure, across a table, have fallen off that & have dropped onto the floor & are now somewhere in the room. It is surprising how fast even the slowest moving T can move when out of its enclosure.
Even when feeding. Always keep the feeding table & area around it clear. Or you will lose a T.
Think of tarantulas as water filled balloons. As it is very much what they are like. A fall of more than 2 to 3 inches really can split them open like a water filled balloon.
Tarantulas do not enjoy being handled. Some will tolerate it better than others. But they are not a cat, or a dog. They get nothing from us handling them.
Several times I have had to take trousers or shirts off to reach a T that was being fed & get it back into it's enclosure. As it was the only way to reach them.
During feeding, I always have a capture cup or two to hand & I regularly have to persuade a T back off my hand & back into it's enclosure. And 2 weeks ago I had an Orange Bitey Thing on the loose & furniture being moved to find it, as one second it was out of sight in it's enclosure having it's water bowl topped up & the next it had flown across the table, off the table & had vanished across the floor & behind some bits several feet away.
We found the OBT 6 days later on the opposite side of the house, sitting on a window.
If you are going to handle try to make sure you have someone with you to help if the T gets into an awkward location on you. Keep the area around you clear & keep it as close as possible to a surface, be that a table or the floor.
We do allow people who are arachnophobic to interact & even handle selected T's. But other than accidentally during feeding we do not do it ourselves.
Even when feeding. Always keep the feeding table & area around it clear. Or you will lose a T.
Think of tarantulas as water filled balloons. As it is very much what they are like. A fall of more than 2 to 3 inches really can split them open like a water filled balloon.
Tarantulas do not enjoy being handled. Some will tolerate it better than others. But they are not a cat, or a dog. They get nothing from us handling them.
Several times I have had to take trousers or shirts off to reach a T that was being fed & get it back into it's enclosure. As it was the only way to reach them.
During feeding, I always have a capture cup or two to hand & I regularly have to persuade a T back off my hand & back into it's enclosure. And 2 weeks ago I had an Orange Bitey Thing on the loose & furniture being moved to find it, as one second it was out of sight in it's enclosure having it's water bowl topped up & the next it had flown across the table, off the table & had vanished across the floor & behind some bits several feet away.
We found the OBT 6 days later on the opposite side of the house, sitting on a window.
If you are going to handle try to make sure you have someone with you to help if the T gets into an awkward location on you. Keep the area around you clear & keep it as close as possible to a surface, be that a table or the floor.
We do allow people who are arachnophobic to interact & even handle selected T's. But other than accidentally during feeding we do not do it ourselves.
I know the temptation, wonder, curiosity and awe of these creatures is very alluring. I may self get tempted at times to want to handle my T's, and it is absolutely your choice. But when ever I get the itch to do so, I'm also keen to understand that even when they "seem " perfectly happy to want to explore and "be curious", these wonderful creatures are honestly more than likely looking for food.
The air in the room, a sudden cough, a tree getting disturbed out side, reflections in glass, can all cause your very "seemingly" calm t to become scared and defensive and wanting to bult right back into their safe spot, home.
its not only the actions of a t that you need to consider though, yes falling and sudden environmental changes can cause your t to defend its self, but more importantly it's your human reaction to withdraw or fling or suddenly pulling your hand back that ends up being more fatal to the t as we don't realize many times the force our bodies make with these tiny creatures on your hands. A t can get flung, crushed and even easily get stepped on when we accidently panic.
my rather calm t vagans, such a beautiful creature. Always out, always very calm and docile. I went to remove it's water dish last night because it filled it with all kinds of God knows what lmao. Well it had other ideas and decided I scared it and it wanted the dish more. One of the only times I've seen this t ever threat pose, ever!! Fine dude keep the yucky dish, here's your diner and a new dish on the other side for your trouble then lmao. Very quick to react and to easily make an accident that could be fatal.If I ever tried to handle it even when it's usually being calm as a sleeping baby, chances are, anything can change in and Instant.
just do your research. There are a lot more things that can go easily wrong so most don't handle purposely. There are a few people who do handle certain T's and will show you some possible good ways to go about it. Just really be careful, you didn't waste all this time growing your t up from a delicate sling. Worry about it's health and home and food to only drop it, lose it or squish them accidently.
Good luck!!
The air in the room, a sudden cough, a tree getting disturbed out side, reflections in glass, can all cause your very "seemingly" calm t to become scared and defensive and wanting to bult right back into their safe spot, home.
its not only the actions of a t that you need to consider though, yes falling and sudden environmental changes can cause your t to defend its self, but more importantly it's your human reaction to withdraw or fling or suddenly pulling your hand back that ends up being more fatal to the t as we don't realize many times the force our bodies make with these tiny creatures on your hands. A t can get flung, crushed and even easily get stepped on when we accidently panic.
my rather calm t vagans, such a beautiful creature. Always out, always very calm and docile. I went to remove it's water dish last night because it filled it with all kinds of God knows what lmao. Well it had other ideas and decided I scared it and it wanted the dish more. One of the only times I've seen this t ever threat pose, ever!! Fine dude keep the yucky dish, here's your diner and a new dish on the other side for your trouble then lmao. Very quick to react and to easily make an accident that could be fatal.If I ever tried to handle it even when it's usually being calm as a sleeping baby, chances are, anything can change in and Instant.
just do your research. There are a lot more things that can go easily wrong so most don't handle purposely. There are a few people who do handle certain T's and will show you some possible good ways to go about it. Just really be careful, you didn't waste all this time growing your t up from a delicate sling. Worry about it's health and home and food to only drop it, lose it or squish them accidently.
Good luck!!
- Messages
- 1,181
- Location
- Maine
Great! Also nicely put. I have said this before, I think it is human nature to want to explore, including tactile.
- Messages
- 2,038
- Location
- Norwich, UK
Our only concern was for the OBT's well being & for our dogs if they saw it before we did.
Lemon
Member
- Messages
- 75
- Location
- North America
I don't handle my T's often, but when I do I find it best not to pick them up per say, but let them crawl over your hand instead, this way if they want they can just walk off with no problems or any potential harm! Then again, T's are unpredictable, so harm is always a risk, as maybe they are feeling more defensive, or maybe they run up your arm and they're on your back, happened to me once with my T. Albo before his final molt! Didn't know where he went then suddenlt this patch of golden fuzz is on my leg!
Yeah I am not planning to pet it or cuddle and I totally understand and get that the handling if done is for me and my Ts have not interest or want. I have only new world and urticating hairs are definitely a concern and worry. My sling/juvie Goldie has almost been in my hand but I pulled away as I was scared. I did also have an Avicularia dart out of it's pint container/shipping container up my are and onto my shoulder and I had to quickly take my shirt off to put it back in the cup, so I do understand the potential of a darting, running T.
- Messages
- 43
- Location
- Portland, Oregon
True, never recommended. Still, take the species into consideration. My Brachypelma smithii is mellow as can be, and is fine sitting on a hand or walking slowly up an arm. They are often the ones you see being introduced to people that are afraid of spiders. You also see them in the movies crawling up people arm while they are terrified. Would the director have an extremely dangerous spider placed on their actor's arm? I think not. On the other hand, I don't even put may hand in my Acanthoscuria geniculata's enclosure without a rubber glove and long sleeves. With that said, there are also individual "personalities" even within species, and one must not generalize temperament 100 percent across a species. To complicate further, a given species may change temperaments during different developmental periods, such as from juvenile to adult. The rule of thumb is to always proceed slowly with caution and respect, and your (and you T's) odds for safety are much heightened.
Definitely not ever gonna handle an old world, not even sure I will ever own one
Not Savsonite
Member
- Messages
- 40
- Location
- California
It's your money, your pet, handle it if you want.
Everybody feels the need to judge simply because someone once told them it's bad to enjoy life. Misery loves company, don't join them.
Remember, it is a wild animal, anything can happen. Some of the regurgitation in the replies is correct: they damage easily, they bolt when they want, they're unpredictable.
If you do handle, just do it safely for the tarantula, low and slow.
Whatever you choose, best of luck to you and your tarantula(s)!
I wouldn't suggest YouTube for handling advice, you'll get the same oxymorons. "I never handle. But when I do, I do it like this"
Everybody feels the need to judge simply because someone once told them it's bad to enjoy life. Misery loves company, don't join them.
Remember, it is a wild animal, anything can happen. Some of the regurgitation in the replies is correct: they damage easily, they bolt when they want, they're unpredictable.
If you do handle, just do it safely for the tarantula, low and slow.
Whatever you choose, best of luck to you and your tarantula(s)!
I wouldn't suggest YouTube for handling advice, you'll get the same oxymorons. "I never handle. But when I do, I do it like this"
arachbiodude
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 658
- Location
- Mobile Alabama USA
My boehmi crawled up the side of the container and I used paintbrush to make her walk on hand. She ran up arm to my back and I sat down on the couch and eventually she went to couch. Had her crawl on lid and then back to cage. No problem and the first time I handled her.
arachbiodude
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 658
- Location
- Mobile Alabama USA
