Itching hands

[Ben George]

I've got itchy hands!

For the last week or two I have been getting mild itching on my hand with a bit of a rash, I figure some allergic reaction or some such.

Then today it clicked...my Goliath moulted not long ago. Could it be the result of handling the skin?

As these fellas have irritating hairs, I thought that may be a cause. Though his(/her) previous skins have not affected me like this. Maybe because the hairs are only now starting to develop their toxicity as the spider matures?

Anyone else experienced this with Goliath moults or should I look elsewhere for the itching cause?

(none of my other spiders have ever affected me in this way, so dont think I have a general allergy to Ts)

[Simon Batten]

I know the urcilating hairs on a T.Blondi can be irrating so thats quite possibly the reason its hard to say for definate though

[Adam Smith]

Ive had a couple of incidents when my hands have been itching over a week or more period. Feels like the itch of a mosquito bite and have tendancy to scratch. That is more than likely the cause being the moult but could also bew from the substrate there has been a time I had to clean the substrate out of the tank and developed itchy hands, there are numerous creams you can use for irritaition. Although on a personal experince all creams i use are high aloe vera content and soothes the itching much quicker.

[Simon Batten]

its one of the first signs of madness isnt it, itchy palms

[Ben George]

I... could also bew from the substrate there has been a time I had to clean the substrate out of the tank and developed itchy hands...

Only recently moved him/her into current tank. So that seems unlikely.
Nice to know other people have suffered from the same and it's not just me going mad!

[CJ_GRISDALE]

Itching hands

Yes i think it is due to handling skins/spiders, i get it a lot from handling my mexican superb and salmon pink, and also after ive removed shedded skins from their tanks

[Ray Hale]

Goliath hair is a nightmare. The hairs irritate even after a moult. The skins should be handled with care. Also the substrate contains hundreds of hairs lost during moults or flicking. Be extra carefull when handling substrate. You may find it useful to buy a box of the surgical gloves and throw them away after use.
To stop the itching I have used a product called E45 but it doesnt always work.
The itching will eventually stop.
Hope this helps

Ray

[Jon-Paul]

Ive used vinigar before, not sure if it was it that worked or whether the urge to go to the chippy made me forget about it I did some filming for Nigel marvins "giants" series and spent a day in a cramped studio just to get a blondi to kick hairs which turned out to be about 10 secondes worth of footage! i itched for at least 5 days

[Adam Smith]

Aloe vera based moisutrising cream seems to do well in skin irritation from spider hair for some reason. Or Lanacane cream which is used for skin itching. I got skin irritation from changing substrate of my B Bohemei so now use gloves. It makes a difference.

[Daniel]

I use 30 cm long forceps when handling or removing anything in the cage of my Lasiodora klugi, and even then I wash my hands. Surgical gloves are a neat idea as well. I find that after a bit of practise you can do pretty much anything with the forceps.
I believe that the urticating hairs are particularly unpleasant if you get them in your eyes.

[Michael Jacobi]

Benadryl Extra Strength Itch Relief spray works great if used promptly. I also immediately take an oral antihistamine. Not sure if the trade name Benadryl (manufactured by Pfizer) is in the UK - the active chemical is diphenhydramine hydrochloride, which is a common ingredient in oral antihistamines/allergy pills.

Use forceps to remove molts! Nitrile or latex gloves can be helpful, but if urticaceous setae get inside your gloves your reaction will probably be worse than if bare-handed.

Kind regards, Michael

[Adam Smith]

They do sell Benadryl in the UK sounds very familiar name and have taken them before. They would be one that had'nt crossed my mind but its used for many allergies so can see how it works

[Howard Farley (Huk7)]

It's definitely a localised histamine response to the urticating hairs, which produces the signs and symptoms of a mild allergic reation:

Itching, Erythema (redness), warm to touch etc, etc

Benadryl is a great anti-histamine and is indeed available in the UK over the counter, it is also non-drowsy. Piriton is another, but can cause drowsiness, although you can also get it as a topical ointment.

You can also use a topical anti-itch cream such as Lanocaine, again from over the counter, this provides a mild local anasthetic effect to block out the itching sensation, but will not actually combat the histamine response, you will still need one of the anti-histamines for this.

Hope this is of some use!!

[Andrew climance]

I think I must have an allergy, as just about all hair-kicking species make me itch like crazy. Seeing as I am particularly fond of New World species, and I have absolutely no other allergies that I am aware of, how unfortunate is that!

[David Hoskins]

woah I have had the same thing - rehosued my Salmon Pink - and he was kicking a fair bit, added 2 plants and woke up with a puffy eye really swollen hands and a horrible chronic itch at my joints - been on going for the last 2 days


Thought it might be the plants - is that the spider?