Handling Tarantulas

[MassExodus]

I was just looking at pics of Lp's on google so I could link them for an ID thread (because my camera stinks, I have a big female looking at me about three feet away right now) and I see an Lp thread. On another forum. And handling comes up, and the usual flood of anti handling sentiment shot forth immediately. Let me kick off this controversial topic by saying this. In around 8 years of keeping tarantulas, I've handled several new worlds, a few of them multiple times because they were not spooked or defensive in any way during handling. When I handle one, which is not often, I do it safely(for the spider). Over the bed, enclosure and catchcup right next to us. At some point I decided I will take a NW bite, that its worth it to feel the weight and presence of a big tarantula in my hands. I was right, it is. When you add another sense to your connection with these cool creatures, it makes it even stronger.
That said, Ive seen threads about people slapping at frightened spiders trying to bolt. Handling is not for everyone. Some folks are nervous, or fearful for whatever reason. Instinct, fight or flight, etc. You know who you are. These animals have instinctive responses too... Some people are over bold, like a fella on this forum who played pattycakes with an obt, because he wanted to know the truth. I understand this. My decision was that its not worth it. Too many old world bite threads. Too each his own, and props for balls. It was the funniest video I've seen in awhile, and confirmed my decision not to go looking for the truth. I'd often wondered if people were being overly dramatic. They weren't, I don't think..
Anyways, I want to hear folks thoughts on my favorite forum. Im not looking for arguments and drama, I want the opinions of the folks that regularly post or browse on this forum. I know not many of you handle your spiders. I know it doesnt benefit the spider. Well, actually ive pulled a few mm out of danger from females by hand..but I digress. Thoughts?

 

[Enn49]

I have never intended handling my Ts but have on occasion not had a choice. I have a few little ones that are quite determined to walk onto me and on one occasion I picked my P. metallica up to save her from the claws of a cat when her container was smashed on the floor, luckily I got away with that one.
I do have a few that almost tempt me to hold but I always think it's a shame to stress them.

 

[Whitelightning777]

I'd suggest using protective equipment for handling such large spiders.

https://www.galls.com/hexarmor-leather-tactical-enforcement-glove

I have these right in my back left uniform pocket. They're great. Yes, I also wear them when I'm maintaining my pokie's cage as well.

LP is one big mamma & mechanical damage is a serious concern from a bite. My Lasiodora Klugi is overall very calm but her feeding response and aversion to human contact means she can't be handled.

Perhaps LPs are more laid back but who knows?

 

[Dave Jay]

I'd suggest using protective equipment for handling such large spiders.

https://www.galls.com/hexarmor-leather-tactical-enforcement-glove

I have these right in my back left uniform pocket. They're great. Yes, I also wear them when I'm maintaining my pokie's cage as well.

LP is one big mamma & mechanical damage is a serious concern from a bite. My Lasiodora Klugi is overall very calm but her feeding response and aversion to human contact means she can't be handled.

Perhaps LPs are more laid back but who knows?

I've been wanting something like those gloves for collecting scorpions, a bit pricey for me , and I'm sure postage would be steep, but the adverts give me search terms which is half the battle with online shopping, thanks for the link.
As for handling, I see plenty of videos where people are handling Australian Tarantulas, one guy freaks me out, there's gotta be a "I got tagged" video very soon! On the whole though, people are letting calm spiders walk on them, it's not handling like grabbing a lizard out of a tank and then restraining it when it struggles to escape, it's more just becoming substrate for the tarantula to walk on. I think you'd see some sort of clues that the spider is starting to get stressed before it became aggressive enough to actually bite. My wife "handles" spiders around the house, mostly huntsmans and it seems that the Tarantulas act very much the same, a calm spider walking on someone with no signs of aggression. I have seen some Tarantulas start to get agitated when being just swapped from hand to hand without being allowed to go anywhere, from that point in the video I'm thinking the guy/girl is an idiot! The best ones I see are where a spider is "tested" to see if it is in a calm mood suitable for handling, allowed not forced to walk onto a hand then transferred to a mattress and allowed to roam but hands are put flat in front of it to be walked on.
I just finished reading a paper on tarantula senses which indicates that they don't have "smell", but they do "taste" objects, I would be worried that I might seem worth tasting!

 

[Arachnoclown]

I've always wondered about wearing gloves. Is it worth the damage it may or may not cause the Tarantula? I had a long discussion on the other forum with a guy that wore protective gloves to handle his Ts. If I remember correctly they wear police issue Kevlar style. He took a couple hits from his OBT and his king baboon. The OBT was fine but the baboon still penetrated through but not that bad. After the next molt cycle the OBT was missing it's fangs. Could it have damaged them from the gloves??? Could it have been from tong feeding??? He doesn't know. Personally I'd rather just take a bite than introduce something that my harm my T just for my pleasure. I don't handle for other reasons...hairs. After being in the hobby for many years I brake out bad. I use to handle when I was a teenager with no problems. There's a few species I would love to hold don't get me wrong. For me slings are the only thing I handle...the hairs don't bother me yet and OW slings never bite.

 

[Dave Jay]

I’ve done some real stupid things regarding handling, wandering spider and Dehanni lol... I’ve never hurt any of them but as I’m maturing in the hobby I’m not feeling the same urge to handle as I used to but there’s still an urge at times... Being bitten by an OBT is the most excruciating pain I’ve ever felt, imagine white hot needles constantly going into your finger them the armpit starts to burn etc etc Then the cramps, my legs were completely gone for a couple of days haha it’s no joke...
View attachment 29222 View attachment 29223

I must admit I thought you were mad getting bitten on purpose, but I get where you were coming from, I know quite a few scorpion keepers that deliberately got themselves tagged so they knew what they were dealing with. At least now we know too without having to experience it for ourselves!

 

[MassExodus]

I've always wondered about wearing gloves. Is it worth the damage it may or may not cause the Tarantula? I had a long discussion on the other forum with a guy that wore protective gloves to handle his Ts. If I remember correctly they wear police issue Kevlar style. He took a couple hits from his OBT and his king baboon. The OBT was fine but the baboon still penetrated through but not that bad. After the next molt cycle the OBT was missing it's fangs. Could it have damaged them from the gloves??? Could it have been from tong feeding??? He doesn't know. Personally I'd rather just take a bite than introduce something that my harm my T just for my pleasure. I don't handle for other reasons...hairs. After being in the hobby for many years I brake out bad. I use to handle when I was a teenager with no problems. There's a few species I would love to hold don't get me wrong. For me slings are the only thing I handle...the hairs don't bother me yet and OW slings never bite.

Kevlar? Yeah that would definitely damage some fangs. Im of the same opinion about harming my spiders too. Ive inhaled genic hair(ambush by my little female <3), and been haired on my hands a lot. The only one that bothers me is Theraphosa, but its avoidable. I hope I dont develope a sensitivity to hairs..

 

[MassExodus]

I’ve done some real stupid things regarding handling, wandering spider and Dehanni lol... I’ve never hurt any of them but as I’m maturing in the hobby I’m not feeling the same urge to handle as I used to but there’s still an urge at times... Being bitten by an OBT is the most excruciating pain I’ve ever felt, imagine white hot needles constantly going into your finger them the armpit starts to burn etc etc Then the cramps, my legs were completely gone for a couple of days haha it’s no joke...
View attachment 29222 View attachment 29223

I understand the need to know, fortunately I was older coming into the hobby, and caution outweighed curiosity. You aint a kid but you're still young enough to act like a dumbass. Lol. I have to get drunk now to revert to that..sorry I got sidetracked..im drinking..

 

[MassExodus]

I've been wanting something like those gloves for collecting scorpions, a bit pricey for me , and I'm sure postage would be steep, but the adverts give me search terms which is half the battle with online shopping, thanks for the link.
As for handling, I see plenty of videos where people are handling Australian Tarantulas, one guy freaks me out, there's gotta be a "I got tagged" video very soon! On the whole though, people are letting calm spiders walk on them, it's not handling like grabbing a lizard out of a tank and then restraining it when it struggles to escape, it's more just becoming substrate for the tarantula to walk on. I think you'd see some sort of clues that the spider is starting to get stressed before it became aggressive enough to actually bite. My wife "handles" spiders around the house, mostly huntsmans and it seems that the Tarantulas act very much the same, a calm spider walking on someone with no signs of aggression. I have seen some Tarantulas start to get agitated when being just swapped from hand to hand without being allowed to go anywhere, from that point in the video I'm thinking the guy/girl is an idiot! The best ones I see are where a spider is "tested" to see if it is in a calm mood suitable for handling, allowed not forced to walk onto a hand then transferred to a mattress and allowed to roam but hands are put flat in front of it to be walked on.
I just finished reading a paper on tarantula senses which indicates that they don't have "smell", but they do "taste" objects, I would be worried that I might seem worth tasting!

Lol, actually most spiders seem to dislike touching us. I dont know why. Maybe they feel our heart beating and our blood rushing in our veins.

 

[Dave Jay]

Lol, actually most spiders seem to dislike touching us. I dont know why. Maybe they feel our heart beating and our blood rushing in our veins.

Just like a pinky mouse!

 

[MassExodus]

I have never intended handling my Ts but have on occasion not had a choice. I have a few little ones that are quite determined to walk onto me and on one occasion I picked my P. metallica up to save her from the claws of a cat when her container was smashed on the floor, luckily I got away with that one.
I do have a few that almost tempt me to hold but I always think it's a shame to stress them.

I had a similar incident with my metallica, I remember you mentioning this once Enn. Did you feel the claws? Did it trip you out?

 

[MassExodus]

Now, imagine posting this thread somewhere else. Welcome to Tarantula Forum, noobs and lurkers.

 

[Enn49]

I had a similar incident with my metallica, I remember you mentioning this once Enn. Did you feel the claws? Did it trip you out?

No, sadly I didn't feel her claws, I was too busy trying to make sure she was ok. Funny you asked if it tripped me out, her name is Trip.

 

[MassExodus]

I'd suggest using protective equipment for handling such large spiders.

https://www.galls.com/hexarmor-leather-tactical-enforcement-glove

I have these right in my back left uniform pocket. They're great. Yes, I also wear them when I'm maintaining my pokie's cage as well.

LP is one big mamma & mechanical damage is a serious concern from a bite. My Lasiodora Klugi is overall very calm but her feeding response and aversion to human contact means she can't be handled.

Perhaps LPs are more laid back but who knows?

To be clear, I had a mature male about 7-7 1/2" that was a sweetheart, but every other Lp Ive seen has been skittish, and way too fast for their size Laid back is rare.. My big female is slappy and never, ever in a handling mood. She's not old yet, as proven by the fact that she moulted, mated and moulted out of it in less than a year's time, so Im hoping she gets even larger than her current bulky 8 1/2 ". I dont think she'll drop a sac for me, for some reason. She's very resistant to mating, and molts too fast for a big spider. My mm may have been spent though. I miss that big rangey tittybaby.

 

[MassExodus]

Lmfao

 

[Arachnoclown]

@Shampain found your stool if your wearing a kilt...

 

[Metalman2004]

I'd suggest using protective equipment for handling such large spiders.

https://www.galls.com/hexarmor-leather-tactical-enforcement-glove

I have these right in my back left uniform pocket. They're great. Yes, I also wear them when I'm maintaining my pokie's cage as well.

LP is one big mamma & mechanical damage is a serious concern from a bite. My Lasiodora Klugi is overall very calm but her feeding response and aversion to human contact means she can't be handled.

Perhaps LPs are more laid back but who knows?

May not be an issue and protective gloves are probably better than no protective gloves, but Poecs like tight places. If one does decide to run up your hand I’d be afraid it’d decide to tuck itself under the cuff of the glove. Probably a one in a million situation though.

 

[Metalman2004]

I’ve done some real stupid things regarding handling, wandering spider and Dehanni lol... I’ve never hurt any of them but as I’m maturing in the hobby I’m not feeling the same urge to handle as I used to but there’s still an urge at times... Being bitten by an OBT is the most excruciating pain I’ve ever felt, imagine white hot needles constantly going into your finger them the armpit starts to burn etc etc Then the cramps, my legs were completely gone for a couple of days haha it’s no joke...
View attachment 29222 View attachment 29223

Thats a hell of a ballsy Phonuetria picture. Glad you didn’t get bit and get a death boner.

 

[Whitelightning777]

Isn't that one symptom of the Brazilian wandering spider's bites?