Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Only in America

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Only in America

    Are these people insane or am I just a wimp?


  • #2
    Negatory captain, to both questions.

    I don't think that they're crazy. They just have different ideas about what's acceptable and safe practice compared to us. I think the whole thing with handling is guaging the mood of the spider as best you can. Shove a hand in the tank and you can probably expect a bite from anything more feisty than a smithi.
    If the tarantula has been removed from it's burrow/tank, the more defensive species certainly lose a lot of their attitude. I noticed this in my H.schmidti when I took her into the garden for some pictures.
    They are probably relying on the theory that once a spider is walking, as long as it keeps walking and doing it's own thing without being overly prodded, it will walk over whatever you put in front of it - be it a log or a hand, the spider seems not to know or care. Why would a spider bite what it perceives to be the floor?
    I know the BTS has a no-handling policy, and I never advise anybody to "free-handle" a tarantula, but we don't all have the same opinion on the matter

    Just my thoughts

    Comment


    • #3
      Only in America



      No comment!!!!!

      OK - just one. If you get bitten by an African/Asian T and end up in hospital it's YOUR PROBLEM (don't blame anybody else)! If you enjoy pain - yes, handling African T's is a great way of "living on the edge".

      Thomas - Augacephalus junodi doesn't count

      Comment


      • #4
        Some very diplomatic answers.

        As Shot8un noted.

        "Only in America"

        Sums it up quite nicely for me.

        Regards,

        Andy.

        Comment


        • #5
          OK lets look at it from a different angle.

          An amature hobbyist who maybee has his first spider sees that. He
          could possibly think that its OK to do that sort of thing. I know there
          is a diclaimer saying its a bad idea but we're talking about a novice
          (no disrespect to anyone intended) and human nature...If they can
          do it I can..I would. We own all the sp. displayed (apart form that
          scorpion thingy), the last thing I would do is touch any of them
          in any way, or advise anyone to do so

          My personal oppinion is it's a bit foolish but thats
          just my view!

          Regards

          Shot8un

          Comment


          • #6
            Understood - but every week I see Steve Irwin messing about with some lethal snake or dangerous animal and I'm not about to rush out and try it.

            If I do, and I get hurt, then on my head be it so to speak. I think we're all capable of making our own decisions - playing violent games and watching horror films didn't turn me into a murderer or a psychopath So seeing pictures of people holding tarantulas isn't going to make me scoop up a crawshayi and give it a hug

            Comment


            • #7
              At the end of the day it’s what every you feel comfortable with, I handle my docile tarantulas from time to time - normally to show people who have a spider phobia that they are not as bad as they look etc. I would not really think about handling my defensive tarantulas as a rule, mainly for there safety..

              Pokies are said to have a nasty bite & I remember seeing a photo of Leon holding one on his arm which some might say is a little risky . I had an heart in my mouth moment a few weeks back when my juvenile pokie shot up the tweezers I was using to clear dead food from it enclosure and ended up on my arm.

              PS, Yeah Steve Irwin is a nutter, and only nutters would even think of copying his stunts - altohugh I heard hes been done for endangering his own child’s life (thast the sort of person your talking about)

              Comment


              • #8
                Hi All
                The BTS has a non handling policy and this more to protect the tarantula than the person wishing to juggle it.

                There will always be someone who wants to handle there spider. I use to regularly purposely handle, in the past. Albeit 18 years or so back. There are and still times when you have too (see below). I did recently during a talk at a local primary school

                However the fact remains this habit is best discouraged for the sake of our little 8 legged furry friends’ sake. Regardless of supposed levels of aggression or species.

                Here is a fun shot, of what’s not recommend. This was taken during an expo to Malaysia. We had been invited into a bug collectors killing room. During the evenings conversations, whilst trying to rescue some of the, inmates on death row. This one, leaped out of its container and up Steve’s arm.

                Needless to say his underpants should have filled quickly, but Steve remained calm and the large Earth Tiger (tree tiger) was returned to its home.

                Enjoy
                Regards
                Mark

                ------------------------------------------------------
                Serious Ink tattoo studio -
                Discounts on tattoo's for BTS members
                My Collection: - Support captive breeding

                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally posted by St0n3y
                  Pokies are said to have a nasty bite & I remember seeing a photo of Leon holding one on his arm which some might say is a little risky .
                  I was on my own at the time and the spider was in a tuppaware mixing bowl. She started to wander about and I had nothing to hand to cup or cover her with so I stuck out the nearest thing - my arm! I couldn't let her wander across the bed or she'd have gone under it and vanished into the darkness. When Kate came back we got some pics as the spider seemed surprisingly at home under my elbow
                  It isn't something I'd make a habit of, put it that way.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    I handle my arthropods only if necessary.

                    In my opinion, anybody who has the urge to handle animals should buy a dog or a cat. Handling doesn't please our animals (arthropods), it's only stress.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: Only in America

                      Originally posted by Shot8un
                      Are these people insane or am I just a wimp?

                      http://www.atshq.org/ats2003pix/handling/handling.htm
                      The handling demo, given by Rosemary Kraft is compelling.....not making anyone "want" to handle, but rather try to fathom what it takes to actually do the handling. True, it conjures up questions as those above....but in the end you'll discover something profound. The pictures show the end result of enormous amounts of time spent interacting with the animals. It's the tip of the iceberg. Ask Ro, and she'll tell you with no complaints she's been bitten by this spider or that spider, and it certainly isn't the spider's fault. In essence, she's being a human, and the spider is being a spider.

                      In one perpective, Rosemary doesn't "handle" tarantulas. They "handle" her just fine, and you must watch her demo, then get to know her. This is a starting point to understand the phenomenon and the person behind it. I, too, once thought it was a circus act....but I no longer feel that way. She's broken through a spiritual barrier of sorts, mostly within herself.

                      A picture is worth a thousand words, but no picture can ever explain what's truly going on in her demonstration or what the ingredients are that make it all possible. In my opinion, she should write a book and have it published.

                      If I had to boil it down to one element, I'd say Ro has given us enough evidence to support that tarantulas respond favorably to a persistant, gentle touch. Some T's show no reaction at all to being handled. Others may begin with a defensive posture, sense there is no danger, then proceed as such. They don't run for their lives or try to bite. Any notion beyond that is also beyond me.

                      Been there, seen it many times, still fascinated by it, trying to understand.

                      Rhys

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Id fill my pants if I had a giant hand come through the window trying to grab me and pull me out....wonder how they'd feel?

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          I agree with Mark on this one. I have handled tarantulas over the years and indeed whan I first went into the hobby handled my Chile Rose at every oppertunity ( usually to impress I admit) .

                          The BTS advocates non handling for a number of reasons.
                          1. As Mark points out to protect the spider rather than the handler.
                          2. Over the years the hobby as seen a great number of different temprent tarantulas enter collections. Some of which have a fierce bite. Refer to G.Wrights recent posting on this forum.
                          3.There are a lot of people out there who would restict our hobby given the chance....why give them that chance. We are seeing a lot of younger members come on board. They are our future. Education is the key to the survival of the hobby in the Uk

                          We are not totally opposed to handling, after all who are we to preach but we are proactive in educating the public.
                          Ray Hale
                          BTS
                          British Tarantula Society - Join today safe and secure online

                          [B]
                          The 29th BTS Annual Exhibition
                          On
                          [B]Sunday 18th May 2014[B]

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Originally posted by preet_raithatha
                            Id fill my pants if I had a giant hand come through the window trying to grab me and pull me out....wonder how they'd feel?
                            A tarantula shouldn't tolerate that kind of treatment, and any keeper who behaves that way deserves whatever they have coming.

                            What would you do if you saw a lady call to a king baboon tarantula in a sweet, loving voice from the edge of the spider's cage...."Come out, Anansi...." Then watch the audience reaction as the spider emerged?

                            Some of that is captured on video. It was not a trick.

                            Sure, grabbing a T would invoke defensive behavior....but not a gentle caress from a small paint brush or the vibrations of your voice.

                            I totally understand why someone might dismiss this as crazyness or a waste of time....but aren't we always trying to understand what goes on "inside" the spider? I can tell you are empathetic toward the animal's "feelings".

                            Rhys

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              What would you do if you saw a lady call to a king baboon tarantula in a sweet, loving voice from the edge of the spider's cage...."Come out, Anansi...." Then watch the audience reaction as the spider emerged?
                              I would not be that amazed to be honest!I would most likely think the the spider is responding to the vibrations made by her voice and has come out to investigate what it is.I´ve had similar things happen with an H.gigas I keep. Or are you suggesting that its responding to its name being called?

                              Some of that is captured on video. It was not a trick.
                              I don´t belive its a trick either.I belive that its following its instinct.What would amaze me though is if it then proceeded in playing a game of fetch the stick!

                              Sure, grabbing a T would invoke defensive behavior....but not a gentle caress from a small paint brush or the vibrations of your voice.
                              I agree and don´t agree with you here.When in the past I have had to transfer a spider into another box ,I have used a fine paint brush very gently all to find that the spider has kicked hairs at me and in some species,they have turned around to defend itself. This has not happened all the time but it does happen.I also own a rcf P.murinus that even if you lightly breath anywhere near it ,it will go into a defencive stance. Then again I´m not always going into my tarantulas inclosures so could you put this down to the tarantulas not being used to it?

                              I totally understand why someone might dismiss this as crazyness or a waste of time....but aren't we always trying to understand what goes on "inside" the spider? I can tell you are empathetic toward the animal's "feelings".
                              What do you mean when you say "inside the spider"? If you mean behaviour patterns ,then yes ,I´m sure like me, many if not most other tarantula keepers often wonder why they do some of the things they do.
                              For example: On a documentary I saw once ,they showed how a type of Orbweb spider alterd its web acording to where the most food was caught in it! Was this learning intelligence or instinct?
                              Its the feelings part of your post that I wonder on, because it provokes the emotions of love,joy ,hate etc which I don´t belive these animals have.In my oppinion their actions are based on instinct and they do not think to themselfs "well I like her so I won´t bite her today!".
                              Like leon posted-
                              theory that once a spider is walking, as long as it keeps walking and doing it's own thing without being overly prodded, it will walk over whatever you put in front of it - be it a log or a hand, the spider seems not to know or care. Why would a spider bite what it perceives to be the floor?
                              I belive this to be the case above all others,but once the spider feels threatened then it will in many cases turn and defend itself.

                              Emphatic towards a spiders feelings I feel is a strange thing to say.I don´t belive there is anyone on earth who can claim to be able to identify to a tarantulas feelings. The best anyone can do, I think is judge wether or not the spider will try to defend itself.Thats not to say that over time you can´t become a better judge of the spiders temperament.I´m sure you can but mistakes will be made along the way and then you might not get it always right!
                              The only way I can empathy ,or identify with my tarantulas is to understand ,that I need to keep them in more or less the same kind of conditions that I would find them in the wild.
                              I don´t handle my tarantulas like this for many reasons,but if other people do or wish to try then its their responsibility ,but personally it doesn´t impress me to see it being done.I would much rather see film or photos of tarantulas againts a more natural background than on someones hand,face dress or whatever.

                              Comment

                              Working...
                              X