My first recuse :)

Rozkol · Mar 6, 2015

Well last night I rescued my first T. Since I recently got into the hobby I've had a few people take notice of my fascination. Last night I got a text from someone asking if I wanted to take their female Rosie from them. I naturally was interested so I stopped by late last night to check her out. When I got there I noticed she had very little substrate (at least it wasn't wood chips like my LPS), a heating pad on the bottom of her enclosure, and a sponge in her water dish. I asked if I could take her to give her a new home because he was just going to get rid of her (probably to the LPS) so he agreed to give me her. I felt bad because he was giving me the entire setup so I threw him $20 to be fair.

Here's the little girl in her old enclosure at my home

I've since changed her entire enclosure into my own tank and added plenty of substrate and took off the heating pad and removed the sponge. I'll try and get a picture of her in her new enclosure once she's settled in and comes out.
She's really a sweetheart though, very calm and not that skittish. A nice peace of mind to a beginner like myself

Here's a pictu I took of her the day after I got her, in her new enclosure I made for her

assidreemz · Mar 6, 2015

You've learned well, padawan

cold blood · Mar 6, 2015

assidreemz said:
You've learned well, padawan

Mmmmm, learned well indeed he has.

edgeofthefreak · Mar 6, 2015

Awesome. Now lift the entire enclosure out of a swamp using only your mitochondria.

All seriousness, good on you for giving a good home. Looks like you got a good spider for your efforts too! Kudos!

Rozkol · Mar 6, 2015

Thanks! She's number 4 in the collection, also being the second Rosie. Whenever I feel confident enough and am in the situation of moving her for whatever reason I feel like she'll be the first one I handle of the four. I don't plan on constantly handling my Ts but if I have to i want to know I can do it without being too nervous and possibly harming the little critters.

LythSalicaria · Mar 8, 2015

Rozkol said:
Thanks! She's number 4 in the collection, also being the second Rosie. Whenever I feel confident enough and am in the situation of moving her for whatever reason I feel like she'll be the first one I handle of the four. I don't plan on constantly handling my Ts but if I have to i want to know I can do it without being too nervous and possibly harming the little critters.

I understand that feeling, and congrats on your rescue!

Many of us have gotten into the hobby as a way to combat arachnophobia, and for some of us that process involves handling one of them, even if it's just once, or just once in a while. For me, I handled my first T only once in the first week that I had her, and then I got a sweet little A. avic a couple months later who I handled twice.

This was enough to get it out of my system, personally, as I have come to understand the wisdom of not handling them. Mind you, as long as you're doing things as safely as you possibly can and you prepare yourself for the worst-case scenarios, I see nothing wrong with doing it once in a while; especially if it possibly gives you the opportunity to help educate someone. These days, when that opportunity pops up for me, I take the middle ground and just stroke my Avic's abdomen gently for a few seconds. This way she stays in her enclosure and there's no chance of her getting spooked and jumping out of my hands. All people need is to see her rubbing her butt against my finger and they think that she's like a pussy-cat. Hehe!

Of course, afterwards I explain to them what's really going on:

"No, she isn't enjoying having her abdomen stroked, she's just trying to press her urticating hair into my finger; and no, she isn't getting any benefit from this aside from the long-term benefit of a few more people understanding that Tarantulas are not fierce angry monsters."

I'll tell you though - it is quite the experience having one in your hand. That hair is so velvety!...Y'know, until the itching starts.

cold blood · Mar 8, 2015

edgeofthefreak said:
Now lift the entire enclosure out of a swamp using only your mitochondria.

I believe the word you were looking for is midichlorians.:wink:

Yeah, I'm a star wars nerd.:}

edgeofthefreak · Mar 8, 2015

cold blood said:
I believe the word you were looking for is midichlorians.:wink:

Yeah, I'm a star wars nerd.:}

Lol, there was likely a better way to say "I'm a Star Trek nerd" than to try and talk Star Wars. Not even gonna edit, my mistakes are here for everyone to see!

Ellenantula · Mar 8, 2015

edgeofthefreak said:
Not even gonna edit, my mistakes are here for everyone to see!

It's true, a speckled axe is best.

edgeofthefreak · Mar 8, 2015

Ellenantula said:
It's true, a speckled axe is best.

"A knight in shining armor is a man who has never had his metal truly tested"

I like a little tarnish. Adds character. And suspicion.

Rozkol · Mar 9, 2015

LythSalicaria said:
I understand that feeling, and congrats on your rescue!

Many of us have gotten into the hobby as a way to combat arachnophobia, and for some of us that process involves handling one of them, even if it's just once, or just once in a while. For me, I handled my first T only once in the first week that I had her, and then I got a sweet little A. avic a couple months later who I handled twice.

This was enough to get it out of my system, personally, as I have come to understand the wisdom of not handling them. Mind you, as long as you're doing things as safely as you possibly can and you prepare yourself for the worst-case scenarios, I see nothing wrong with doing it once in a while; especially if it possibly gives you the opportunity to help educate someone. These days, when that opportunity pops up for me, I take the middle ground and just stroke my Avic's abdomen gently for a few seconds. This way she stays in her enclosure and there's no chance of her getting spooked and jumping out of my hands. All people need is to see her rubbing her butt against my finger and they think that she's like a pussy-cat. Hehe!

Of course, afterwards I explain to them what's really going on:

"No, she isn't enjoying having her abdomen stroked, she's just trying to press her urticating hair into my finger; and no, she isn't getting any benefit from this aside from the long-term benefit of a few more people understanding that Tarantulas are not fierce angry monsters."

I'll tell you though - it is quite the experience having one in your hand. That hair is so velvety!...Y'know, until the itching starts.

I managed to hold her the other day and it was awesome! Such a rush of adrenaline lol.

I wasn't too high off the ground as I wanted to be as safe as possible. I won't handle her too much but man doe it feel good progressing. It was a weird feeling having her walk up my arm, like you said kind of like a velvety prick haha.

Poec54 · Mar 9, 2015

Rozkol said:
I managed to hold her the other day and it was awesome! Such a rush of adrenaline...I wasn't too high off the ground as I wanted to be as safe as possible. I won't handle her too much but man doe it feel good progressing. It was a weird feeling having her walk up my arm, like you said kind of like a velvety prick haha.

Glad you recused the spider, but we don't encourage handling for a number of reasons. They sometimes panic and run up arm, and on your back. Then what? Handling is always a risk to the spider, even short falls can cause broken legs and ruptured abdomens. Did you know that sometimes they bite the person they're walking on? What do you do if that happens? Carefully pry it off as the fangs sink into you, or shake your hand/arm and send the spider flying? A spider's life isn't worth an adrenaline rush.

Rozkol · Mar 9, 2015

Poec54 said:
Glad you recused the spider, but we don't encourage handling for a number of reasons. They sometimes panic and run up arm, and on your back. Then what? Handling is always a risk to the spider, even short falls can cause broken legs and ruptured abdomens. Did you know that sometimes they bite the person they're walking on? What do you do if that happens? Carefully pry it off as the fangs sink into you, or shake your hand/arm and send the spider flying? A spider's life isn't worth an adrenaline rush.

Don't worry my friend I already know

. As I stated earlier I don't plan on handling her very often unless it's deemed necessary and as a last resort for whatever reason, although it doubt that'd be the case. I only held her this time as a way to prove to myself that I progressed far enough to be more comfortable with tarantulas. I'll most likely won't be handling her or my other 3 Ts anytime soon now that I've done this.

Poec54 · Mar 9, 2015

Rozkol said:
I only held her this time as a way to prove to myself that I progressed far enough to be more comfortable with tarantulas.

This theory doesn't carry over to OBT's, does it?

BobGrill · Mar 9, 2015

Uh oh. Here we go again....

Really though, that's not something that's going to work with the majority of species.

Rozkol · Mar 9, 2015

Poec54 said:
This theory doesn't carry over to OBT's, does it?

Oh nty. OBTs, while beautiful, are way out of my league. I just got into the hobby and am not thinking of owning any OW for a very very long time. I'm quite content with my babies now. By "comfortable with tarantulas" I simply mean I'm at ease knowing they live in my house and I am confident enough to carefully feed them and do any of their other living needs. Not holding them.

---------- Post added 03-09-2015 at 09:26 PM ----------

BobGrill said:
Uh oh. Here we go again....

Really though, that's not something that's going to work with the majority of species.

Of course not. I wouldn't stick my hand anywhere near more aggressive/defensive Tarantulas. The previous owner of my Rosie stated he handled her quite often and has never been bitten. Granted that doesn't mean anything for the future of how she'll react, or if she's really a psycho Rosie, but it gave me enough confidence to do this this time.

Ellenantula · Mar 9, 2015

I am anti-handling. Now. AB boardification has taught me better.

But I admit I purchased my first T for the sole purpose of holding her -- to overcome arachnophobia.
She too was a G rosea. I have only held her a few times, but on the floor, with her much lower.

Congratulations on holding her, I hope it made a difference for your arachnophobia and got the urge out of your system.

Based on the pix, you had her up too high and that could have meant a bad fall for her. I am glad she didn't run behind your back, or inside your clothing, or give you a nasty bite or bolt away, lost.

---------- Post added 03-09-2015 at 10:10 PM ----------

Btw, am I the only one who thought this thread was going to be about a recluse spider?

Rozkol · Mar 9, 2015

Ellenantula said:
I am anti-handling. Now. AB boardification has taught me better.

But I admit I purchased my first T for the sole purpose of holding her -- to overcome arachnophobia.
She too was a G rosea. I have only held her a few times, but on the floor, with her much lower.

Congratulations on holding her, I hope it made a difference for your arachnophobia and got the urge out of your system.

Based on the pix, you had her up too high and that could have meant a bad fall for her. I am glad she didn't run behind your back, or inside your clothing, or give you a nasty bite or bolt away, lost.

---------- Post added 03-09-2015 at 10:10 PM ----------

Btw, am I the only one who thought this thread was going to be about a recluse spider?

It certainly helped. And I didn't actually have her that high. It's hard to see from the picture but I'm holding her over my bed. She was only a few inches from the bed

My first recuse :)

Rozkol

Arachnopeon

assidreemz

Arachnosquire

cold blood

Moderator

edgeofthefreak

Arachno-titled!

Rozkol

Arachnopeon

LythSalicaria

Arachnosquire

cold blood

Moderator

edgeofthefreak

Arachno-titled!

Ellenantula

Arachnoking

edgeofthefreak

Arachno-titled!

Rozkol

Arachnopeon

Poec54

Arachnoemperor

Rozkol

Arachnopeon

Poec54

Arachnoemperor

BobGrill

Arachnoprince

Rozkol

Arachnopeon

Ellenantula

Arachnoking

Rozkol

Arachnopeon