My T.vagans fell

[troublemakerwithspiders]

I am so upset with myself I was giving my tarantulas a worm treat this morning when he ran straight up the tongs onto my arm and jumped onto the floor. I feel like I should have been more prepared and done better by him. He was easily returned to his enclosure with a catch cup, but I wanted to know if maybe handling them, I don't handle mine, would better prepare me, or is there something else I could do so I won't have this happen again. I feed with tongs just placing the food item in the enclosure not giving it to the tarantula. Can I cut the head off the worm? I'm not squeamish but was concerned about it burrowing so I think I left the tongs in longer than I usually would. Sorry such a long post just need advice and feel horrible. I have 11 tarantulas and really love them. Should I not be a keeper am I too dangerous?

 

[Soulman]

I am so upset with myself I was giving my tarantulas a worm treat this morning when he ran straight up the tongs onto my arm and jumped onto the floor. I feel like I should have been more prepared and done better by him. He was easily returned to his enclosure with a catch cup, but I wanted to know if maybe handling them, I don't handle mine, would better prepare me, or is there something else I could do so I won't have this happen again. I feed with tongs just placing the food item in the enclosure not giving it to the tarantula. Can I cut the head off the worm? I'm not squeamish but was concerned about it burrowing so I think I left the tongs in longer than I usually would. Sorry such a long post just need advice and feel horrible. I have 11 tarantulas and really love them. Should I not be a keeper am I too dangerous?

My god,you love them, don't give up.your get help from members,and one day your be helping someone.

 

[ExMember]

I have never had a tarantula bolt as you have described but have dealt with fast lizards doing the same thing you described.

I go to extreme lengths to safeguard against this. All my Ts that are big enough get cages with doors on top. I feed my more bolty species (my baumgarteni is crazy as is my P sazimai) by pushing worms through airholes and watering with a syringe. For my slings I keep in pill jars I use the lid to block them in while feeding. The only spider that bolted on me was a 1/3" Phidippus regius that didn't make it more that a couple of inches before I caught it in a catch cup. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure so to speak.

Decapitating mealworms is a practice I use for all my tarantulas. Kinda gross but has a few benifits and one drawback. The drawback is that it can kill off the movement which in turn may not get a great feeding response from the spider. I get around this by literally dropping the worm on top of the spider or right in front of it. Usually does the trick. My adult G pulchripes usually takes it's time so I drop the worms in front of the water dish and that always does the trick

The benifits to decapitation is that I never worry about worms burrowing or if I crushed the head good enough. No threat to the spider if it molts either. Also I can leave feeders in for a bit longer for the slow pok(i)es who don't eat right away. I have had instances where the t has taken a few days to eat and I usually remove uneaten prey items after about 24 hours. This gives me a bit more time so at the very least I remove them before mold occurs.

I still am relatively new to keeping my own spiders (just under a year) but have been around tarantulas for 10+ years. My advice works for me but maybe not everyone.

Is there any ruptures on your tarantula?

 

[troublemakerwithspiders]

My god,you love them, don't give up.your get help from members,and one day your be helping someone.

Ty so much I really needed to hear that

 

[troublemakerwithspiders]

I have never had a tarantula bolt as you have described but have dealt with fast lizards doing the same thing you described.

I go to extreme lengths to safeguard against this. All my Ts that are big enough get cages with doors on top. I feed my more bolty species (my baumgarteni is crazy as is my P sazimai) by pushing worms through airholes and watering with a syringe. For my slings I keep in pill jars I use the lid to block them in while feeding. The only spider that bolted on me was a 1/3" Phidippus regius that didn't make it more that a couple of inches before I caught it in a catch cup. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure so to speak.

Decapitating mealworms is a practice I use for all my tarantulas. Kinda gross but has a few benifits and one drawback. The drawback is that it can kill off the movement which in turn may not get a great feeding response from the spider. I get around this by literally dropping the worm on top of the spider or right in front of it. Usually does the trick. My adult G pulchripes usually takes it's time so I drop the worms in front of the water dish and that always does the trick

The benifits to decapitation is that I never worry about worms burrowing or if I crushed the head good enough. No threat to the spider if it molts either. Also I can leave feeders in for a bit longer for the slow pok(i)es who don't eat right away. I have had instances where the t has taken a few days to eat and I usually remove uneaten prey items after about 24 hours. This gives me a bit more time so at the very least I remove them before mold occurs.

I still am relatively new to keeping my own spiders (just under a year) but have been around tarantulas for 10+ years. My advice works for me but maybe not everyone.

Is there any ruptures on your tarantula?

No I think hes just scared but great advice ty so much I feel so bad

 

[Jess S]

You've had the nightmare run up tongs incident! You are now a member of a club of keepers who've dealt with the same thing. Funnily enough I posted a video only a few days ago, of this happening to an experienced keeper with the exact same species. Here's the link (the vagans video is in my last comment)

Awesome A. geniculata feeding clip!!

I chanced upon this quite a while ago, and remembered it and happily managed to find it again. Hands down one of my favourite feeding clips I know some of you will hate the enclosure and the tong feeding. I totally get that but it's still a great feeding clip and worthy to be shared!

www.tarantulaforum.com

@Brachyfan gives some good tips which will make life easier. I always crush mealworms heads to stop them burrowing as it does cause them to thrash a bit too, which provokes that feeding response.

Just drop them in and don't take your eyes off the t!

If my P sazimai is being particularly loopy skittish I feed it in the bathtub, as the enclosure is on the shallow side and it would be up over it and off in a heartbeat if it got spooked. The benefit is the tub and bathroom is cooler than the room my T's are in. Leave it in there half hour before wrestling off the lid and I have a slower more chilled t. I do the maintenance, the waterdish, then drop in a cricket. Lid straight back on. Replace enclosure and check later if she's got it.

 

[ExMember]

You've had the nightmare run up tongs incident! You are now a member of a club of keepers who've dealt with the same thing. Funnily enough I posted a video only a few days ago, of this happening to an experienced keeper with the exact same species. Here's the link (the vagans video is in my last comment)

Awesome A. geniculata feeding clip!!

I chanced upon this quite a while ago, and remembered it and happily managed to find it again. Hands down one of my favourite feeding clips I know some of you will hate the enclosure and the tong feeding. I totally get that but it's still a great feeding clip and worthy to be shared!

www.tarantulaforum.com

@Brachyfan gives some good tips which will make life easier. I always crush mealworms heads to stop them burrowing as it does cause them to thrash a bit too, which provokes that feeding response.

Just drop them in and don't take your eyes off the t!

If my P sazimai is being particularly loopy skittish I feed it in the bathtub, as the enclosure is on the shallow side and it would be up over it and off in a heartbeat if it got spooked. The benefit is the tub and bathroom is cooler than the room my T's are in. Leave it in there half hour before wrestling off the lid and I have a slower more chilled t. I do the maintenance, the waterdish, then drop in a cricket. Lid straight back on. Replace enclosure and check later if she's got it.

Excellent advice

 

[Arachnoclown]

Sounds like you got lucky. Not sure what kind of enclosure your using but you should always have the worst case scenario already in your head. The hand without the tongs should have the lid of the enclosure or a catch cup or fish net. Drop the tongs next time. It's better it falls a few inches then a few feet onto the floor. When you drop the tongs the other hand should cover the top of the enclosure with whatever your using. Personally I just use my hand to stop them but you may have to work up to that. Fish nets are my favorite. You can quickly cover the top of just about any enclosure. I've stopped 10" pokies with fish nets. Two fish nets can trap and move any spider back to his or her enclosure.

Toy spider for demonstration...no need to torture a spider.

Can easily cover any enclosure even large ones.

8" mature Male Lasiodora parahybana wouldnt stand a chance with this net.

Until you get more comfortable I'd get a few nets...their cheap and I feel easier then catch cups.

 

[troublemakerwithspiders]

You've had the nightmare run up tongs incident! You are now a member of a club of keepers who've dealt with the same thing. Funnily enough I posted a video only a few days ago, of this happening to an experienced keeper with the exact same species. Here's the link (the vagans video is in my last comment)

https://www.t, hope he is ok, hes m...-a-geniculata-feeding-clip.25385/#post-164408

@Brachyfan gives some good tips which will make life easier. I always crush mealworms heads to stop them burrowing as it does cause them to thrash a bit too, which provokes that feeding response.

Just drop them in and don't take your eyes off the t!

If my P sazimai is being particularly loopy skittish I feed it in the bathtub, as the enclosure is on the shallow side and it would be up over it and off in a heartbeat if it got spooked. The benefit is the tub and bathroom is cooler than the room my T's are in. Leave it in there half hour before wrestling off the lid and I have a slower more chilled t. I do the maintenance, the waterdish, then drop in a cricket. Lid straight back on. Replace enclosure and check later if she's got it.

Ty for answering again good advice I guess it happens

 

[troublemakerwithspiders]

Sounds like you got lucky. Not sure what kind of enclosure your using but you should always have the worst case scenario already in your head. The hand without the tongs should have the lid of the enclosure or a catch cup or fish net. Drop the tongs next time. It's better it falls a few inches then a few feet onto the floor. When you drop the tongs the other hand should cover the top of the enclosure with whatever your using. Personally I just use my hand to stop them but you may have to work up to that. Fish nets are my favorite. You can quickly cover the top of just about any enclosure. I've stopped 10" pokies with fish nets. Two fish nets can trap and move any spider back to his or her enclosure.

Toy spider for demonstration...no need to torture a spider.View attachment 43336View attachment 43337View attachment 43338View attachment 43339View attachment 43340
Can easily cover any enclosure even large ones.View attachment 43341View attachment 433428" mature Male Lasiodora parahybana wouldnt stand a chance with this net.View attachment 43343
Until you get more comfortable I'd get a few nets...their cheap and I feel easier then catch cups.

Yes yes yes ty so much

 

[troublemakerwithspiders]

You've had the nightmare run up tongs incident! You are now a member of a club of keepers who've dealt with the same thing. Funnily enough I posted a video only a few days ago, of this happening to an experienced keeper with the exact same species. Here's the link (the vagans video is in my last comment)

Awesome A. geniculata feeding clip!!

I chanced upon this quite a while ago, and remembered it and happily managed to find it again. Hands down one of my favourite feeding clips I know some of you will hate the enclosure and the tong feeding. I totally get that but it's still a great feeding clip and worthy to be shared!

www.tarantulaforum.com

@Brachyfan gives some good tips which will make life easier. I always crush mealworms heads to stop them burrowing as it does cause them to thrash a bit too, which provokes that feeding response.

Just drop them in and don't take your eyes off the t!

If my P sazimai is being particularly loopy skittish I feed it in the bathtub, as the enclosure is on the shallow side and it would be up over it and off in a heartbeat if it got spooked. The benefit is the tub and bathroom is cooler than the room my T's are in. Leave it in there half hour before wrestling off the lid and I have a slower more chilled t. I do the maintenance, the waterdish, then drop in a cricket. Lid straight back on. Replace enclosure and check later if she's got it.

Ty so much for that video I appreciate the advice and especially that no one has been rude to me ty again yes he ran up the tongs just like that

 

[Arachnoclown]

If I had a dollar for every pokie/avic that's ran up my arm....