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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Poec54" data-source="post: 39562" data-attributes="member: 3524">Few will contact you though.  The majority walk away just remembering that you handled a big hairy spider and not the all the verbiage.  Considering their unpredictability, small brains, and oversize fangs, these really aren't hands-on pets. Letting others hold them opens you up for legal action in the event of a bad handling incident.  You can't be certain what any wild animal will do (especially in a crowd situation), nor what a person may suddenly do that triggers it running or biting (like blowing on it, coughing, sneezing, poking it, squeezing it, etc).  Some people have serious reactions to urticating hairs, and may rub their eyes before they wash their hands.  I know you have good intentions and are trying to give spiders some positive exposure, but one bad incident will get more publicity than all your good work.  It's a roll of the dice; everything can go fine 100 times, then one bad day can happen.  For the hobby's continued survival in the face of regulations/bans and pressure from anti-exotic pet groups, it's not in our best interest for anyone to be holding tarantulas, especially encouraging it in public or on videos (the 'Do as I say, not as I do' thing never works).   As with tropical fish (the world's most popular pets), understanding and empathy don't require touching.</blockquote>