holding T'z

[BigSam]

Yesterday I was holding my G. Rosea, but I've heard that holding them was not a good idea, it causes the T damage.....is that true????


Sam,

[pelo]

Holding them is fine.It's the possible fall that may injure them.Just make sure to hold them above a table...maybe sitting on the floor.A fall could be fatal...rupturing their abdomen which can't be treated.It doesn't have to be much of a fall either...even a fall from a foot high maybe enough to kill them.Eliminate the chance of falling and it's ok to handle your T's providing they're a handable species...peace..

[arachnopunks]

Terrestrial t's can suffer ruptures to their abdomens if dopped from great heights. If you wish to handle, make sure that you are sitting on the ground and better to have a blanket under you to provide some padding. T's can surprise you with how quick they can actually be even if they "never" seem to run. While handling be sure that you don't accidentally breathe heavy on the T that will make it run for sure. Otherwise, handling is an individual thing if the T allows it and your careful sure. The T will let you know if it will allow being held.

[BigSam]

yesterday when I was holding him he got away from me....he went on to my back and I couldn't get him. I was so scared becuse I thought he was going to fall. But then I got smart, I just lied on my stomache and waited for him to get off of me. He finally did get off me and then I got him and put him back in his cage.


Sam,

[Damnathius]

My G. Rosea is the only one I will hold. I've held my A. avicularia, but now that she is spending most of her time in her web it is difficult.

My rosie will sit very calmly on my hand, and shows no signs of wanting to bolt, but when I put her back in her cage, she sits very still in one spot for a long time. I think it actually stresses her out, so I have decided to not handle her anymore.

Someday I might get a T that doesn't seem to be much affected by handling that is actually accessible for handling instead of being holed up in her web!

Dave

[arachnopunks]

Yeah we have a few rosies that really don't like being handled so I don't. I do have a G.pulchra juvi that is fine with being handled. She will crawl all around me for as long as I let her and doesn't flick or drop hairs. We named her Snuggles because of her Uber docile nature. On the flip side, we have other G pulchras who cannot stand being handled but they show little forward defensiveness. Out of the Three G. pulchras we have one has actually struck at me when I was trying to make its habitat more inviting. No bite, just a warning. This is why we tell people that Tarantulas are "more like a fish and less like a hamster".

[WYSIWYG]

Originally posted by Damnathius
My G. Rosea is the only one I will hold. I've held my A. avicularia, but now that she is spending most of her time in her web it is difficult.

My rosie will sit very calmly on my hand, and shows no signs of wanting to bolt, but when I put her back in her cage, she sits very still in one spot for a long time. I think it actually stresses her out, so I have decided to not handle her anymore.

Someday I might get a T that doesn't seem to be much affected by handling that is actually accessible for handling instead of being holed up in her web!

Dave

Stressed out?!? They say a spider that sits still is actually a HAPPY spider.

Wysi

[arachnopunks]

He's right. when a T sits still and/or pulls its legs over it's carapace it is a response to being stressed. They really don't recognize you as a care giver and aren't sure if you are a predator. Consider that a T's normal everyday life really would not consist of friendly contact. A T is truly "happy" when it is left to roam and dig and everything else that T's do to make their habitat nice for them, not so much with handling. Then again you still have the individual factor where some are more corfortable with handling than others.

[Damnathius]

Wysi,

I think that any time a spider is not performing it's usual functions, such as wandering around the enclosure, grooming itself, eating and etc., then it is "stressed". But I'm still new to this so I'm not sure.

Although sitting in one spot for a period of time is one of my rosie's "activities", just the posture after I last handled her was not quite right, or not the norm.

My post was to suggest that there are some subtle hints to stress, at least from my observations, and I should have clarified initially that she was not behaving normally and she had an unusual posture.

[WYSIWYG]

Originally posted by arachnopunks
He's right. when a T sits still and/or pulls its legs over it's carapace it is a response to being stressed. They really don't recognize you as a care giver and aren't sure if you are a predator. Consider that a T's normal everyday life really would not consist of friendly contact. A T is truly "happy" when it is left to roam and dig and everything else that T's do to make their habitat nice for them, not so much with handling. Then again you still have the individual factor where some are more corfortable with handling than others.

Most of my T's sit still for long periods of time even when they are not being bothered. I agree with you on the legs over the carapace observation, but he did not say anything about that in the post I replied to. All he said was that it sits still for a long time.

Wysi

[WYSIWYG]

Originally posted by Damnathius
Wysi,

I think that any time a spider is not performing it's usual functions, such as wandering around the enclosure, grooming itself, eating and etc., then it is "stressed". But I'm still new to this so I'm not sure.

Although sitting in one spot for a period of time is one of my rosie's "activities", just the posture after I last handled her was not quite right, or not the norm.

My post was to suggest that there are some subtle hints to stress, at least from my observations, and I should have clarified initially that she was not behaving normally and she had an unusual posture.

I respect someone who responds to his spider's needs. At one point, I only had about 4 Ts....my big female rose and 3 slings. When my rosie let me know she no longer wished to be handled, I satisfied my urge to handle by purchasing another spider that would tolerate it. Eventually, that one chose not to be handled so I moved on to the next. I still enjoy watching most of them doing what they do (mostly sitting there doing nothing), but it's nice to have a couple that can be trusted for when I get the handling urge. Usually though, when I'm in the mood to be "cuddly" with my critters, I just pick on one of my furries (cats) or snuggle up with my honey!

I have about 5 critters that are handleable so there is usually someone who is willing to be held on the rare occasion that furries and hubbies just won't satisfy my desire to pick up one of my "eight legged freaks" =D

Wysi

[arachnopunks]

Your're right. The sitting still for long periods if not handled or enclosure moved around ,etc. is norm for alot of different species. Our Rosies sit for extended periods in the same spot without being disturbed. My first Rosie, RIP, I had her for 8 years and it was part of her normal day to sit and do nothing in the same spot for hours. She had a shelter, deep substrate, and an excellent water source but still she would just sit. I think that over time The T's come to recognize the entire enclosure as their "burrow" ---at least some do.

-Johnny

[Damnathius]

Wysi,

Although my initial reason for purchasing a T, "Elvira" the Curlyhair was my first, was to have one to hold and crawl around on me, it is now more important that they are stress free. Yes, it would be great to have a "holder", but it is not nearly as important as it once was, which accounts for my purchase of a P. murinus and H. lividum. I get great pleasure just observing at this point.

Johnny,

My rosie was very much a homebody during the first 6 weeks or so, staying in her clay pot 99% of the time. Now, she is the most visible of all of them, spending 99% of her time out and about the enclosure. It has been several days since I have even seen her in her pot, so I think that you are correct that some view the whole enclosure as their burrow.

I find it interesting that my rosie has one particular spot in the enclosure that she grooms herself on, and it is no different (to me) than any other spot in the enclosure.

Sorry for getting off topic.

[BigSam]

I'm confused WYSIWYG, how do you know if a T is happy or sad?? Can you please put all of dat in english


Sam,

[WYSIWYG]

Originally posted by BigSam
I'm confused WYSIWYG, how do you know if a T is happy or sad?? Can you please put all of dat in english


Sam,

I have a feeling you're just teasing, but here goes......

Happy T = Sits still or willingly crawls onto my hand even without being "encouraged" to do so.

Unhappy T = flicks hairs, goes into threat pose, bites, runs,
"slaps"

As far as knowing when my T needs to be left alone, it is usually exhibiting one (or more) of the above "Unhappy T" behaviors so I take the hint (usually flicking or slapping) and leave it alone.

Does that help?

Wysi