Nhandu chromatus handling.. need help

[church15]

i just bought a N. chromatus from a good breeder
he said it just molted 2 days ago and a little skittish
but he said they have handled it..

but when i tried open the cage and to change the water it burst tremendous speed and run from the opposite side of the cage

can you give me some tips on how to handle her
most of the care sheets say they are aggressive but can be handled

[Pink-Poodle88]

If it molted two days ago, leave it alone. Give it at least 2 weeks or so before you feed it, touch it, or mess with it in any way.

They're definitely handleable, although generally skittish from my experiences. Like I said though, wait a while, the exoskeleton probably isn't anywhere near being hardened yet, especially not if it's an adult. The handling rules are basically the same with all tarantulas, just be cautious and use common sense. Although I fully support and strongly encourage handing, I'd say that if you're nervous about it, then don't. Think about respect for the animal.

[Talkenlate04]

Nhandu chromatus ummmm ya........... Not the best species to be sticking your hand in the tank too say hello.

[church15]

thnx for tht info guys...

do i really need 2 weeks mine is 3.5-4" i think its a young adult or sumthing when i bought her it has a date on her cage and its already 9 months

coz within 6 days im going to get another T and buy her a good 5 gallon tank

[Hedorah99]

i just bought a N. chromatus from a good breeder
he said it just molted 2 days ago and a little skittish
but he said they have handled it..

but when i tried open the cage and to change the water it burst tremendous speed and run from the opposite side of the cage

can you give me some tips on how to handle her
most of the care sheets say they are aggressive but can be handled

It's your pet, but why do you want to handle it? If it is running away and making every attempt to be far from you, it is pretty clear she wants nothing to do with tactile contact. Imagine this burst of speed resulting in your pet falling three feet to the ground. Besides, N chromatus have hairs that make me itch as bad as a blondi.

[Moltar]

There are always going to be specimens that are the exception to the rule. The rule in this case is that N chromatus is not a T for handling. They're skittish and defensive, flick hairs a lot and they WILL bite you without too much provocation. Perhaps pink Poodle has a very tame specimen or He is better at handling than some. I wouldn't reccomend trying to handle it. You may end up haired and/or bitten or worse with a splattered t on the floor.

As for waiting 2 weeks... Yes. You do have to wait. Just have patience, a t is extremely delicate during that period. Right now it feels it's like if your bones were made of rubber and your skin was paper thin. You'd be testy too, right?

[bluefrogtat2]

are you talking about the same species?Mine would eat you alive.wouldn't even attempt handling,rears up without much effort at all,even breathe on her
andy

[Mina]

I have 3 of them, I sub adult female, 1 very small female and 1 unsexed sling, all 3 of them are super skittish and capable of going from 0 to 100 in the blink of an eye. My biggest hasn't ever given me a threat pose, but she is extremely jumpy and nervous. I would not even think of trying to handle any of them.
If you want something to handle, a chromatus is a bad choice. Try something else that has less speed, less nerves, and is less defensive.
Even if you won't listen to the above, do listen to this. Do not handle the T until it has had time to dry and harden from its moult, in other words, if you MUST do this, wait until the T is eating again. You could injure or fatally wound the T trying to handle it at this stage.

[church15]

hmmm thnx for the concerns ill consider to buy the tank and leave as it and put her there after 2 weeks (i like re decorating cages by the way)

hmmm on handling i guess i have to be frank i really like to handle her
one breeder ones told me to handle a T' you must handle them when they are still young to make them more tolerable (i dont insist its true but he has a point)

ok my plan is to handle her using first a paint brush then check her mood
(thats what ive read from other post correct me if im wrong)

then when ever shes ready ill try to handle her placing the cage above my bed
and lowering my hand as mush as possible if ever she jumps or fall and the bed as her cushion

so is it a good plan im quite desperate

[JayzunBoget]

Every T is an individual. In my time I've seen a hand tame OBT and I've seen Rose Hairs that rilly wanted me dead. I believe starting young can help improve the odds and if your seller was honest, then perhaps she was worked with young. But do not underestimate what you've read here.
Mine has never thrown a threat pose, but it does throw entire rows of hair off of his back. It looks like someone took hair clippers and shaved rows of baldness on his abdomen. It covers everything in the cage and makes cleaning day very itchy. For that reason alone I try to disturb mine as little as possible.

[church15]

the main reason i want my N. chromatus to tolerate habdling

1. can easlit transfer them to another cage
2. cleaning and maintenance
3. the possibility of you and your T" being close

but if all of this will be the reason for my chromatus early death i would
not handle it anymore

OT
anyway do N. Chromatus usually borrow meaning 80% of the time?
if there is a pre made burrow? or is it ok to let them roam around?

[arrowhd]

I have an unsexed N. chromatus that is about the same size as yours, around 4 inches. Mine tends to "burst" from one side of the enclosure to the other any time disturbed. I have not seen any aggression per say.
I would think this would be a rather poor choice for handling just due to the nervousness. I can easily see mine making a run for it if given the opportunity.
Is this your first experience in handling T's? If so, I would recommend a different species. With a little more experience maybe then go back to this one later. Good luck.

[7mary3]

I can tell you that my N. Chromatus is not ummm, handleable. She kicks hair like it's her job, and thus far hasn't hesitated to throw up a threat posture. I was working on my vivarium yesterday (I've got a salamander and a treefrog that I keep in it) and even that was enough to piss her off and make her nervous. My advice would be to leave it alone as far as handling goes. Besides, Chromatus hairs aren't fun to deal with after the fact.

[Moltar]

G rosea, B albopilosum, G aureostriata and A chalcodes are all t's that are well known for their docile nature. Any of these 4 would be great if you want a T to handle. With n chromatus you're better off using a cup to do transfers. If you need to do some tank maintenance just drum your fingers on the glass before you open the door. This should be enough to spook her into her hide.

Yes, N chromatus will spend a lot of time in a burrow. You don't need to start a burrow for her. If you do she may or may not use it. You DO, however need to give her a place to hide. A curved piece of wood that she can crawl under will work for that. She'll probably dig a burrow underneath it and spend a lot of time in there, coming out mostly at night. Also make sure she has a water dish that is kept full.

[Mushroom Spore]

one breeder ones told me to handle a T' you must handle them when they are still young to make them more tolerable

Tarantulas are not puppies and kittens. They are tarantulas. They are instinct-programmed, reflex-driven robots. Fascinating, interesting, beautiful robots, but robots nonetheless. They are not mammals, and they do not form personal attachments to other living creatures beyond "I can eat this" and "this can eat me."