- Messages
- 72
- Location
- London
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Tarantula bite nearly ends this arboreal rehouse video
- Thread starter Robbiestalkingts
- Start date
- Messages
- 195
- Location
- Pretoria, South Africa
Ouch! Ya okay bro?
- Messages
- 72
- Location
- London
Yeah I'm good, just a little nip from a trixopelma ockerti, it's not a bad bite, I'd call it an exploratory bite it was seeing what my finger was. I was reluctant to post the video but given I've seen a huge rise in people using tarantulas as props/toys handling old worlds, placing them on faces ect I thought it was important to show people (especially new keepers) bites can happen and these animals need to be treated with respect. So it's more an educational video
- Messages
- 195
- Location
- Pretoria, South Africa
I used to handle my T's but then my T.albo molted and became all grumpy, so I decided not to take any chances with my tarantulas and give them their space.
- Messages
- 72
- Location
- London
Best way too be, loads of people will argue that handling is fine, but I believe they should be observational pets (like fish) it's not worth the risk.
- Messages
- 195
- Location
- Pretoria, South Africa
Yeah. People don't handle fish or cuddle with porcupines, tarantulas don't benefit from handling and and it can be harmful if not properly done. In my opinion handling should be avoided unless absolutely necessary and only by people who are experienced. Again, this is just my personal opinion. If people handle their T's that's fine by me. Just consider the wellbeing of both the tarantula and the handler.
- Messages
- 6,379
- Location
- The Oregon rain forest
I'll just leave this here for all the new hobbiests....
Thread 'Beginners rehousing guide' https://www.tarantulaforum.com/threads/beginners-rehousing-guide.30824/
Thread 'Beginners rehousing guide' https://www.tarantulaforum.com/threads/beginners-rehousing-guide.30824/
- Messages
- 818
- Location
- Plymouth UK
I think its responsible to show the 'mistakes', people need to see all parts of keeping any animals, rather than just the nice bits.
- Messages
- 4,166
THIS ^^^^
An epiphany of sorts, I mean, I don't handle my aquarium fish either.
A good rule of thumb would probably be: if it lives in a box, cage or tank it's not a "handling sorta pet"
If you want something that is going to respond to your voice, yearn for your touch and greet you with happiness, get a dog.
- Messages
- 72
- Location
- London
Yep that is the single vest method for rehousing, like I said in my follow up podcast I held my hands up and was wayyyyy to over confident and stupidly didn't do the rehousing at all correctly, I was way yayyy over confident dealing with a juvenile new world when I should have just followed the best practice regardless.
- Messages
- 72
- Location
- London
Agreed I over estimated the fact I had some corkbark between myself and the tarantula, it got startled and turned round and tagged me I openly admit I was stupid. Only reason I posted the video was to show keepers (in amongst the rise of posts showcasing handling of old worlds, tarantulas on faces/body parts) they are unpredictable, so learn from my over confidence, learn from my stupidity and don't repeat my mistakes. I said it all on my podcast following the video on Tuesday
- Messages
- 4,166
I've found that tarantulas tend to go UP when cajoled or startled, if they don't turn into a ball, so I always anticipate that, and I always use catch cups. That's my method and I've never had an escape or been bitten.
Jett250
New Member
- Messages
- 5
- Location
- Millsboro, DE
As a new T owner I've debated the hold-or-not-hold craziness in my head over and over again.
I love spiders, and I hold them at work all the time when they give me an opportunity to. However, I give THEM the option to come to me or not, and if they don't, I leave them be. I've decided to use this with my B. Smithi as well (when he gets big enough to hold at all). As a sling, I make sure that my hands are in the enclosure often, watering, feeding, tank clean up, etc... but I don't touch him. Hopefully that will teach him young that I am not a threat. When he's big enough I would LIKE to hold him a few times, if he seems okay with it... simply because I'd like him to know it's okay if I should ever have to for an emergency situation, like an escape or medical situation. But other than that, he will be observed and not held.
Not because I'm afraid of a bite, but simply because if he doesn't LIKE to be held, I won't make it a thing. Not fair to him.
I also rescued a jumper from the clutches of my arachniphobia filled family, and I feel like he will eventually be acceptable to holding, so when I get the urge I will just satiate it by holding a spooder that doesn't mind the play time lol
I love spiders, and I hold them at work all the time when they give me an opportunity to. However, I give THEM the option to come to me or not, and if they don't, I leave them be. I've decided to use this with my B. Smithi as well (when he gets big enough to hold at all). As a sling, I make sure that my hands are in the enclosure often, watering, feeding, tank clean up, etc... but I don't touch him. Hopefully that will teach him young that I am not a threat. When he's big enough I would LIKE to hold him a few times, if he seems okay with it... simply because I'd like him to know it's okay if I should ever have to for an emergency situation, like an escape or medical situation. But other than that, he will be observed and not held.
Not because I'm afraid of a bite, but simply because if he doesn't LIKE to be held, I won't make it a thing. Not fair to him.
I also rescued a jumper from the clutches of my arachniphobia filled family, and I feel like he will eventually be acceptable to holding, so when I get the urge I will just satiate it by holding a spooder that doesn't mind the play time lol
- Messages
- 72
- Location
- London
Ok it's great that you have the view of not to hold, but I think it's generally well known tarantulas don't "get used" to interference in there enclosure, and the ones that do get held often tolerate it. They don't enjoy it or get anything out of it. Hopefully my video shows you every tarantula is capable of switching and reacting in a split second. So it's best to not even attempt it
