Just a quick question.

[Richard Simmonds]

Hello to everyone, and just a quick couple of questions.
What is the common view on handling tarantulas, and i still haven't seen hide or hair of my baby B. Smithi. Its been nearly 4 weeks now, getting very nervous.

[Glen Feasey]

My view is that is not nessesary! All spiders are capable of giving a painfull bite and can be unpridictable.

[CJ_GRISDALE]

You shouldnt really as even the most docile tarantula can have an of day and be unpredictable, but if you ever do at least stick to the more docile species, every spider is different i have actually handled l.parahybana which has a rep for being nasty in general, this 1 however didnt object to being handled on a regular basis, as with all of my spiders i only handle them if i have raised them from slings i find they have more of a chance to not being as objective to being handled but maybe this is not always the case there are some species in my collection i simply wouldnt even attempt to handle.

[Colin D Wilson]

I agree with all above, handling problems aren't just one sided...
You may get bitten (they're wild animals at the end of the day)
They may get hurt (if you drop them, even from what seems a small height) it can cause fatal damage.

Is the little Smithi eating or has it stopped?

[Richard Simmonds]

Hi she has stopped eating about 4 weeks ago, she covered the entrance to her burrow over, and thats the last i've seen of her. People have said not to worry, but i am only human.

[Michael Jacobi]

As there is no benefit to a tarantula from handling, and the potential for harm to the tarantula from stress and injury and the potential of minor harm to the keeper in the event of a bite, there is almost no reason to handle a tarantula. Those who do so might argue that they receive some benefit in the form of enjoyment from interaction, but this questionable argument doesn't outweigh the potential risks and is tenuous at best.

Above I wrote "almost no reason" because there is only one argument for handling tarantulas that I feel has any merit. That is, the keeper should be comfortable with doing so in the event that it becomes necessary to administer first aid. For example, if a tarantula suffers a fall in its enclosure and its leg partially or completely breaks off and "blood" (milky clear hemolymph) is flowing, it might be helpful to grasp the spider while applying Super Glue to clot the fluid. However, many of the people who make this argument take it one step too far and - anthropomorphically - suggest that regular handling makes the tarantula "used" to the procedure and, thus, is easier to administer such first aid to. This suggestion makes the false assumption that tarantulas are capable of learning. But let's not let the ignorance of the latter argument discredit the former; a keeper should at least know how to handle a tarantula safely, and once the skill is gained should reserve it for emergency situations.

Tarantulas are terrarium pets, like frogs or tropical fish or chameleons. Leave them alone and enjoy them without undue manipulation. As cool as it might be to have a big, hairy spider walk up your arm, it is decidedly uncool to have that spider fall to its death or experience several restless nights of muscle spasms and cramps after a bite.

Kind regards, Michael

[rhys brigida]

I'm not an advocate of handling for the sake of handling, but I do occasionally handle select tarantulas in my collection. Some reasons come to mind:

- Sexing, by viewing ventral characteristics. Sometimes, depending upon species the sexing can be determined by getting a visual on epiandrous fusillae, or by gently running the index finger over the genital opening. Again, I would only do this with tarantulas that tolerate being picked up and handled. Sometimes the visual exam can be done through the glass enclosure, but not always.

- Physical examination for health reasons; perhaps to help remove mites or stop bleeding from a known injury. Also, if a tarantula shows signs of illness or stress it's helpful to inspect the mouthparts, booklungs, and body parts for discharge, breaks in the exoskeleton, blockages, or any number of problems.

- I've also handled or touched spiders in my collection for the sole reason of demonstrating to others that many tarantulas are not defensive and least of all dangerous to us as long as they do not perceive there is a threat to them; while other tarantulas may act defensively immediately under the slightest disturbance. Therefore, and in order to demonstrate the importance of learning what to expect from my own animals became paramount. Again, one can never be 100% sure how a tarantula will react to being touched or handled. Reasonably sure is about the best I can do, so handling for pleasure is not something I pursue. I prefer to let my animals relax, undisturbed for the most part.

- In one instance, I learned something directly from handling that I would've never learned through visual observation. I once held a female tarantula in the palm of my hand a short time after breeding her with a loaned male. I felt vibrations emmanating from her body at low frequencies. I could not see or hear the vibrations, but I could feel them! I could only guess she was still sending courtship signals that could be "felt" by the male if he were standing on the ground nearby!! I was impressed and blown away that she was still doing that in my hand. I set her down gently in her cage and thought, 'there ya go, old girl. Everything's ok'.


I'm also a bit sensitive to urticating hairs...especially those from Avicularia spp. Old world species are generally more apt to be defensive, possibly try to bite, so I have nothing to prove there!

The reasoning above is strictly my own, has always worked well for me, and I would emphasize to you that your individual needs, findings, experiences, and results may vary greatly from my own. If you don't feel right touching a tarantula, don't let anyone talk you into it.

Best regards,