I just bought a tarantula and it has never been handled how should I start to handle it without getting bit?

Question

My tarantula is a rose hair. It was never handled and I want to handle it but I don't want to get bit. Is there a way I should start out with getting it used to being handled?

Answer 1

OOhh, I love tarantulas! And a Rose Hair is a great one to begin with. Tarantulas that are from North and South America have this fascinating defence mechinism where they "flick" their abdominal hair at you (or anything that makes it feel threatened). The hairs are tiny, barbed and have an irritating oil on them. Because these types of tarantulas have this ability, they are much less likely to bite. Tarantulas from Asia and Africa don't "flick" so they are super aggressive and not for the newbie!
To get your tarantula use to you, begin by GENTLY touching her back legs with a pencil or something like that. Keep her in her tank while you are doing this, and just brush her back legs with the stick. She'll probably dart away and flick her hairs at you. Keep your face away from the hairs. Breathing those in can irritate your mouth, eyes and throat. Do this every day. If she rears up, drums her legs on the ground, and displays her fangs, she is scared and threatening you that she's ready to bite. If this happens, go even more slowly. And don't stick your hand near her until she isn't doing this. This is why you should use a stick. When she doesn't seem too freaked out by this, put your hand in front of her and touch her back legs again. She'll run right over your hand. DON"T jerk away! Just let her scamper across you. It feels really cool and did you know tarantulas taste with their feet? So she'll be tasting you as she runs along. Cool, huh? Just make sure you don't taste like a juicy cricket! Just kidding. Anyway, keep doing this for a few weeks. You'll see that she'll get use to you and at that point, toss the stick and place one hand in front of her, palm up, and use your fingers to touch her back legs. She'll crawl right into your hand. Be VERY careful when you actually pick her up out of her cage. Tarantulas are super fragile and if she gets scared and bolts, a short fall could kill her. Do hold her over your bed or couch until you are both use to each other. Tarantulas like to walk, so always have your other hand in front of the one that is holding her. Don't pinch her to pick her up. You could injure her and scare her. Just be patient and soon you'll have one of the world's coolest animals hanging out on your arm! Female tarantulas can live for up to 25 years, so you have a buddy that will be with you for a long while! Enjoy her and please be gentle with her. Also, remember there has been no reported deaths caused by tarantula bites, so if she does get scared and bites, it'll just hurt like heck. It won't kill you.
Like I said, I love tarantulas, so if you need anymore help or advise, please e-mail me ay [e-mail]. I worked in a zoo and cared for and handled 8 tarantulas. Even a Giant White Knee. Good luck!

Answer 2

While most tarantulas are not very venomous many tarantula experts advise against it. For the handler, bites can be painful, and irritation can result from contact with the itching hairs on the tarantula, but the greater danger is to the tarantula itself. While a tarantula may become acclimated to being held on the hand, if it suddenly runs or jumps it may fall, and the injuries sustained could be fatal. Even a minor fall can kill a heavy bodied tarantula if the abdomen ruptures. Some tarantulas are very fast, and could escape as well. Children should not be allowed to handle them, due the risk of injury to both the child and the spider. When handling tarantulas, always remember their safety, especially the dangers if they are dropped. If a tarantula hits its soft abdomen on a hard surface, it could break open, killing the spider. Also, you could squeeze too hard and injure the spider.
All three of the species of tarantula sold by Carolina may be handled cautiously, although only one is easy to hold. The brown tarantulas (Aphonopelma sp.) of the southwestern United States may get upset and threaten, occasionally even bite. The pink-toed tarantula (Avicularia avicularia) is an arboreal spider from South America, which is able to move quickly on any surface. While very docile and nonthreatening, its quickness may startle some students, allowing it to get away. The South American rosy-haired tarantula (Grammostola sp.) is very docile and a good spider to introduce to students.

For rosy-haired and other easily handled tarantulas, place a flat hand in front of the spider and gently touch the back legs until the tarantula eases onto your hand. The safest way to pick up a tarantula, especially one you are not familiar with, is to grab it with thumb and finger between the bases of the second and third pair of legs (Fig. 3). After gaining a little practice and familiarity, this is also the safest and easiest means of showing a tarantula to others. If a spider escapes or won't sit still, cup both hands over it; the tarantula will normally quiet down quickly in this dark, tight position.

Normally, these three species will bite only if they are being hurt. If they feel threatened, however, they may use their back legs to flick special hairs off their abdomen (see Urticating Hairs later for a full description).

While the above species may be easily handled, what about tarantulas you receive from other sources? First, if they flick their special abdominal hairs with little provocation, go slowly in handling them. Only tarantulas from North or South America have these protective hairs, and you must determine which of these may be handled. Some American tarantulas will readily bite even though they also throw the special hairs. Asian and African tarantulas do not have these special protective hairs and will often bite with little provocation or warning.

With new spiders, take a stick and touch the tarantula gently. If it rears back or displays its fangs, do not handle it. The Thailand black, for example, shows a threat display that clearly warns us to keep hands away.

Answer 3

ewwwwwwww.............. i hate spiders