Are you a Tarantula hobbyist? If so, we invite you to join our community! Once you join you'll be able to post messages, upload pictures of your pets and enclosures and chat with other Tarantula enthusiasts. Sign up today!

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Poec54" data-source="post: 42945" data-attributes="member: 3524">Well, I've been collecting tarantulas for over 40 years and never handle any of mine (I have 100 species).  Roseas are notorious for mood swings and it's common for docile ones to turn defensive without warning and stay that way for years; not really a good beginner species.  Just because you haven't dropped one yet, doesn't mean it won't happen in the future (same thing with getting in a car accident).  They're only popular because w/c roseas are the cheapest adult spider there is, and pet stores have a much easier time selling adults than slings.  Handling gives a lot of wrong impressions to the public.  It also does some damage to the hobby.  People walk away from it thinking these are like hamsters and that they can handle any tarantula, so you get individuals handling Poecilotheria and other OW's.  They saw you do it, it must be okay; they don't remember the details.  They put them on their faces (terrible idea: hairs can get in their eyes; bites in the head and neck are much more serious).  Tarantulas are simple-minded invertebrates with over-sized fangs; they're solitary and cannibalistic, and have no desire to be friends with any other animal.  They should be treated like tropical fish: look but don't touch.Saying that:  'Always important to be extremely gentle, mindful, and they are docile in return' shows you don't have an understanding of tarantula behavior.   They can and will bite intruders, even roseas.  Doesn't matter how gentle you are, or benign your intentions.  You are an intruder and potential threat, just as any large animal in the wild is.  Don't expect a warm welcome.  They make no distinction, nor is their brain capable of that.   This is part of the "Weird behavior" you don't understand.  Most bites occur during handling, and that's what may eventually get them banned.  30 years ago, there was no possibility of outright bans; that's changed in todays political and legal climate, along with pressure from anti-exotic pet groups with some clout.  Handling is a risk to the future of the hobby, especially in public or on video where hundreds or thousands of people can be mislead.</blockquote>

Verification