I have pet some of my tarantulas before. Usually I run the back of my finger down their leg or something. Never the abdomen though. I once calmed down my really skittish Brachypelma hamorii by petting her on the leg. I have also pet my Ephebopus murinus. She got spooked when I touched her but she soon relaxed. But what I find interesting is that they don’t really mind it. My Skeleton barely reacted once she knew what I was doing. This is gonna sound far fetched but what if they like it? What do you guys think?
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Petting Tarantulas
- Thread starter nedaK
- Start date
Well, to be honest, tarantulas do not understand the concept of petting and showing affection. Even if they don't mind about it, doesn't mean they enjoy it.
The most likely explanation is that they're just tolerating it like any other unnecessary disturbance that's not threatening their lives - That's also why your E. murinus "relaxed" after you tried again. She didn't know what you we're doing, only that she wasn't in imminent danger.
The most likely explanation is that they're just tolerating it like any other unnecessary disturbance that's not threatening their lives - That's also why your E. murinus "relaxed" after you tried again. She didn't know what you we're doing, only that she wasn't in imminent danger.
Yeah. I just wanted to know what other people thought about it.
Yeah that’s what I thought.
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There is a always a line drawn between the for and against of touching/ handling tarantulas.... each to their own.
I don't ever interrupt any of mine unless its for feeding or maintenance/ rehousing, they're purely display animals (properly cared for of course).
As far as I understand it, they lack the emotional capacity to associate touch with affection, they're programmed purely to feed, mate and stay alive.
I only have 7 T's atm (until the expo tomorrow
), and there is only 1 I could easily handle if I ever decided to but I still don't because she would have absolutely no idea what's going on. I have a red rump and curly hair but they're kickers at the slightest breeze so I avoid at all costs (docile species my a**e ).
But yeah, I don't think they particularly enjoy being touched, based purely on the idea that they lack the emotional capacity. A bit like dogs lacking the capacity to associate reprimand with a wrong-doing, to them, it's just unprovoked aggression.
I don't ever interrupt any of mine unless its for feeding or maintenance/ rehousing, they're purely display animals (properly cared for of course).
As far as I understand it, they lack the emotional capacity to associate touch with affection, they're programmed purely to feed, mate and stay alive.
I only have 7 T's atm (until the expo tomorrow
), and there is only 1 I could easily handle if I ever decided to but I still don't because she would have absolutely no idea what's going on. I have a red rump and curly hair but they're kickers at the slightest breeze so I avoid at all costs (docile species my a**e ).But yeah, I don't think they particularly enjoy being touched, based purely on the idea that they lack the emotional capacity. A bit like dogs lacking the capacity to associate reprimand with a wrong-doing, to them, it's just unprovoked aggression.
I see a lot of similarities between tarantulas and cats. They both seem to enjoy some play fighting. I think that's why some destroy their enclosure. Who knows what they really think though? It could totally be they have the mental capacity of a fish.
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"But my Avicularia rubs its butt on me...it must love me!?!?"
Next day..."I dont know what this rash is from??"
Next day..."I dont know what this rash is from??"
spodermin
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We don't know the capabilities of these animals consciousness. Statements of certainty either way are unfounded.
Don't pet your Ts
Don't pet your Ts
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I've found that some spiders tolerate handling, and some actually seem repulsed by contact with human skin. Its really neat when you have one that lets you handle it. Just be prepared for a bite, don't let the spider drop, and cowboy through the pain. Just an fyi, yesterday I ran into some type of ground wasps doing yardwork, four of them stung me. Ive also been stung by my local scorpions several times, yellowjackets as well, and had an assassin bug in my boot jab his face spike thing directly into the front of my middle toe, just under the nail(That hurt like a mother****er), but none of those were like a G pulchra bite, which I hate to admit was worse. Not intolerable, or anything, not like an old world T. But still, the venom was unlike all those other encounters. It burned worse, and caused soreness and throbbing, and actually went away and I fell asleep, only to have it come back an hr later, and wake me up, which is weird. Not horrible pain though, not trying to scare anyone. Just..weird venom.
spodermin
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I swear one of these days I'm going to incite one of my new worlds to bite me just so I have an idea. I was thinking about this earlier today
How about playing patty cake with an OBT like @Shampain did for science?
This is still one of the funniest sh*t I've ever seen and I will never get tired on watching it.He did it so the others won't need to!
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spodermin
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How about playing patty cake with an OBT like @Shampain did for science?
He did it so the others won't need to!
Ive seen this and it is absolutely hilarious. But no bite reports can replace actually feeling it, especially for someone with inhuman pain tolerance like me. I've fallen asleep during a tattoo before because the pain was soothing
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Patty cake patty cake baker man, bake me a cake as faUUUUCK! AAAHHHRGGGF!
I was once in the same boat as you, I thought I could tolerate a lot of pain. There is just some pain that you never want to experience and I found that out in 2007.
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@spodermin oh, if you do it, please share the video.
spodermin
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@spodermin oh, if you do it, please share the video.
Of course!
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@Shampain my dude I've seen you do the unthinkable but never knew about this, took it like a champHow about playing patty cake with an OBT like @Shampain did for science?
He did it so the others won't need to!
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@Kaden Alexander Do whatever you want just be careful. Even my most docile Ts won't hesitate to try to tag me when hungry and i wouldn't mess with the E.murinus at all. I've had 3 of em and each of them had a worse attitude then a obt. I've had all 3 come after me and luckily didn't get bit but they flicked me and probably the most irritating hairs I've felt. They flick hairs from the front so it's a one-two punch when it comes after you.
spodermin
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Deal bro!
