Raise your hand if U regularly handle your tarantula

[Psychobunny]

Do you often handle your T, and what species is it.

If you do handle (I dont) have you ever been bitten or has your T ever freaked out

and run?

 

[ismart]

I handle my Rose hair often. She is sweet! My mexican red knee on the other hand, is no longer handled due to the fact she tagged me pretty bad about 10 years ago. She is nasty! :angry:

 

[frogparty]

I used to hold my rose hairs and my striped knee when I bred tarantulas.

I would NEVER EVER tOuch my featherleg baboon or my skeleton

 

[Newflvr]

As a general rule I don't treat them as cute and fuzzy pets. Occasionally I will get a ascapee during packing or feeding. Nothing gets the blood flowing like a Singapore Blue sprinting up your arm. Regular handling I don't reccommend if it has fangs, teeth or a stinger bad things can happen.

 

[Chivalry]

I handle my Rose hair often. She is sweet! My mexican red knee on the other hand, is no longer handled due to the fact she tagged me pretty bad about 10 years ago. She is nasty! :angry:

My gosh, how long do they live?

 

[frogparty]

Red knees can live 25 years or so. Desert animals live longer than jungle as a generalization

 

[meaganelise9]

Oh my god. That's wayy longer than I would have expected.

 

[lunarstorm]

Yeah. The thought of a spider being alive for that long is kinda scary. To ensure a good night of sleep, I'll just think of it as being old and slow and not devious or crafty in its twilight years.

 

[mykey14]

I handle my pink toe and my rose hair every 3 days or so.

they seem fine and docile.

but then i again im always super gentle.

I see people pick them up carelessly and handle them roughly and those are the people who are used to them.

the people who get bit are generally the people who are used to them and think they wont bite.

But what do i know, ive only had my two Ts for less then 6 months :whistling:

 

[brancsikia339]

Always wanted one, but don't own one. Whenever I go to the store, though, they'll let me handle rose hairs

 

[dragon]

I rarely handle mine -- it is an unnecessary stress on the animal. For a T, there is no "getting it used to being handled". Pretty much each time it's all new again. (Remember not a lot of brain matter there to work with.) On those occasions, that I do, it is usually my G. rosea (rose hair) as she is a very docile girl.

 

[Mex_Ghost]

I haven´t handled mine, and I think I´ll never handle them..... they are beautiful but crazy!!!

 

[Psychobunny]

I rarely handle mine -- it is an unnecessary stress on the animal. For a T, there is no "getting it used to being handled". Pretty much each time it's all new again. (Remember not a lot of brain matter there to work with.) On those occasions, that I do, it is usually my G. rosea (rose hair) as she is a very docile girl.

I agree with you, they do not have the brain function needed to "get used to being handled"!!

Some are known to be very docile, but they are still wild and unpredictible animals with sharp fangs!! LOL

I am not affaid of them (or I would not own one), and would gently get him on my hand just long enough

to transport him into something, but I am sure my heart would skip a few beats if he went running

up my arm, but I wouldnt freak out, I would just move slowly to find and scoop him off.

I have asked this same question to Ken and other pro breeder's and have gotten mixed responses, but

most will tell you (if asked) NOT to handle any T, but at the same time, will advocate regular handling to

"get them used to you" to prespective buyers.

This implies to the buyer that T's are okay to handle, and actually LIKE it!!

WRONG!! T's do not like to be handled, they will tolerate it, but they do not like it.

They are very sensitive and delicate animals.

 

[rs4guy]

I handle my Versicolor sling daily. I want it to be at home in my hands, so I figured regular handling can't hurt. So far so good!

 

[uralowl]

I've handled my Chile Rose twice before, but I don't plan to handle her again any time soon. She didn't seem to mind too much either time I handled her, she just went back to being normal when she was put back inside her enclosure. But I just don't like putting her under stress, if she is under any when being handled that is. It was very cool handling her though, she wasn't one of those tarantulas that are constantly moving when being handled either. It was actually pretty hard to get her off my hand the second time I handled her because she wouldn't budge.

I've just realised how much I've been rambling on and I think I'll shut up now, lol.

 

[rs4guy]

I handle my 7" p metallica all the time, she is the sweetest.

JK!