# Is a tarantula right for me?



## andyfergy (Jan 1, 2013)

Hi All,
Just signed up here to get some advice on tarantulas,
Im looking into getting one, nothing definate yet just doing research
at the moment. I've never had a tarantula before, but I have kept (and occasionally bred) in the past various stick insects, praying mantis etc.

so I've got some experiance with inverts, Im looking at either a curly hair or a mexican red knee. The reason Im asking is a tarantula right for me is 
because if I brought one I would like to handle it, after reading various websites/books/forums etc there seems to be a divided opinion on this.
I know its not the sort of animal you get out everyday and play with and you have to be careful because they can bite, urticating hairs,
and they are deilcate creatures. but every so often I would like to get it out and hold it, just for the same reason as many of you on here im fascinated with them. im gonna pop down to the south east arachnid show in ashford to have look see.

So was just wanting some opinions/advice/critatisms on the subject, do you guys and girls handle your more friendlier T's or is it best to admire them from behind the glass?in which case Should i rethink getting a T.

All opinions welcome, and my apologies for rambling.

regards

Andy


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## Tarantulaguy01 (Mar 31, 2012)

the general view is each to there own
i have never and will never handle that way there is no risk to me or the tarantula. 
They do not seek or need to be handled.


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## corny girl (Aug 30, 2009)

Hi Andy & welcome,

B.smithi can be a bit skittish so not the easiest to handle. B.albopilosum are calmer & better for handling but, have you looked at any of the Aphonopelma's? I have quite a few as i just love these guys. I have found A.chalcodes & A.Sp.new river to be the most docile, i have a few who come out as soon as i open up their tubs. They are a docile calm tarantula & easy to handle & seem to enjoy it too. TSS have chalcodes SA/A in & if you call Lee before the SEAS show he can take one along for you to collect :2thumb:.

Here's an Aphonopelma chalcodes female.....


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## Mrchancellor87 (Jan 10, 2012)

Hey dude,

I have a collection of tarantulas in my bedroom and I don't handle the majority but I do handle a select few every so often.

Certain species like euathlus sp. red are absolute friendly gems and love a nice walk around.

It all depends on the temprement of the tarantula. You may purchase a curly hair which just does not want to be handled and it would be wise to just watch it  I guess the curlies and red knees are classed as docile but everything (like humans) have their own personalities. One day you might handle it, next day you might go in with your hands and get tagged. As long as you're sensible and careful and learn to read signs, you 'should' be okay.

I know when I was first started I was so scared to handle my chili. I was sat there with her on the floor just waiting for her to move so I could put my hand infront of her. Talk about a hour stare off. To me, it was an achievement and I'm glad I did it.

I know from the forums that alot of people do not feel the need nor wants to handle their tarantulas due to the stress. Its fair enough, each has their own opinion. Personally, as said above, I love to hold them when I can.

I would say, its definatly worth getting a tarantula even if you do not hold it. They're amazing to watch and its a lovely addition to your inverts. You do not need to handle them to maintain the tank etc. I guess its like fish... You can have a lovely fishtank without the need to pick em up? 

You'll love the show in Ashford, I cant wait to go again this year 

Sorry for the ramble! =]


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## k_orbz (Sep 8, 2009)

A lot of newbies are looking forward to handling their new badass pet.

But just give it a thought first, Ts have fangs and can use it.

I have Chile Roses, Mexican Red Knee, Curly Hair.. Yes, I handle my Chilli Roses at times I never bother doing it with my Brachys although I have done before but not lately because they are almost willing to flick hairs at will.

There are dangers in handling Ts, I would say just don't do it without caution..

If you are really looking forward to handling your spider get a New River Rust Rump because for all the Ts they say you can handle its by far the most "forgiving" one. It's the only T that I have which I am confident I could handle.

Lastly, you may encounter friends or etc who are simply curious about Ts and would like to handle them as well.. Just discourage them for their own safety and for the Ts as well. =)


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## selina20 (May 28, 2008)

Heya welcome to the hobby. I couldnt recommend a Brachypelma albopilosum more for a 1st spider they are amazing. If you are going SEAS theres a group of us meeting up in the bar area at 1pm . Keep an eye out for Trapdoor t shirts .


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## Smudge375 (Dec 22, 2012)

I love to handle my T's but you must do a little research. I have a Chilean Rose which are meant to be docile, however, go anywhere near mine and it will nail you every time but others have no troubles at all with their Chilean Roses.
I also have a Chile Pink Burst which once again are meant to be docile and some people can't get anywhere near theirs but mine is as soft as any T will come.

My point is, just because someone says they are docile, yours might not be. If you can, get someone to handle the T you're looking at purchasing. This way you know you might stand some chance of handling your T in the future but this is no guarantee.

Do a little research before buying your new T. Do you want a big T or a smallish one? The Chile Pink Burst is a great little T which don't need a huge home but a Brazilian Black will need a much larger home.

Best of luck with your search and I hope you find what you are looking for.


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## jorge666 (Apr 6, 2012)

Mrchancellor87 said:


> Hey dude,
> 
> I have a collection of tarantulas in my bedroom and I don't handle the majority but I do handle a select few every so often.
> 
> ...


Couldn't agree more, also if you wanna encourage in onto your hand, try putting your hand on the flat surface and encouraging it on with an implement as just "sticking your hand in" and touching it may result in a bite even from so called "docile" species :lol2:
and like this dude says, some days they just won't wanna come out so try not to force the issue, in my experience despite the foreboding opposing opinion, there are i my opinion right and wrong times to handle them for sure! :welcome:


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## k_orbz (Sep 8, 2009)

Smudge375 said:


> I love to handle my T's but you must do a little research. I have a Chilean Rose which are meant to be docile, however, go anywhere near mine and it will nail you every time but others have no troubles at all with their Chilean Roses.
> I also have a Chile Pink Burst which once again are meant to be docile and some people can't get anywhere near theirs but mine is as soft as any T will come.
> 
> My point is, just because someone says they are docile, yours might not be. If you can, get someone to handle the T you're looking at purchasing. This way you know you might stand some chance of handling your T in the future but this is no guarantee.
> ...


This is so true.. forgot to mention this on my post above. ^^


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## andyfergy (Jan 1, 2013)

corny girl said:


> Hi Andy & welcome,
> 
> B.smithi can be a bit skittish so not the easiest to handle. B.albopilosum are calmer & better for handling but, have you looked at any of the Aphonopelma's? I have quite a few as i just love these guys. I have found A.chalcodes & A.Sp.new river to be the most docile, i have a few who come out as soon as i open up their tubs. They are a docile calm tarantula & easy to handle & seem to enjoy it too. TSS have chalcodes SA/A in & if you call Lee before the SEAS show he can take one along for you to collect :2thumb:.
> 
> ...


Wow corny girl, she's gorgeous!really lovely markings on her, can't say i looked at the aphonopelma's I've only really looked at the few obvious ones like the chilli's, curly hairs, red knees. Say at the moment im just reading up and researching, its nothing definate just yet and im just going to SEAS look have look see and have a chat with afew people for advice etc. 

I dont really consider T's particurly badass (with the exceptions of some of the more aggresive species, but i have no intention of buying one), just fascinating creatures, but I do understand even with the more docile species there are risks still.

Is that trapdoor as in the spider or the old childrens tv show selina20?

Forgot to say, thank you for posting all the hints and tips most appriecated


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## Rosko (Apr 20, 2012)

My first T was a sub adult b.smithi, I had a slight spider phobia so wouldn't handle her. It was 3 years before I plucked up the courage to handle a T, it was my second, a g.rosea.
Now I have 35 T' s and no problem handling most of my "docile" ones. I have accidentally handled a couple of my pokies but would never recommend doing that on purpose :whistling2:
Do I think you should get one as a pet....definitely.
Do I think you should handle it.....only you can answer that.

good luck and welcome to the forum :2thumb::welcome::2thumb:


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## corny girl (Aug 30, 2009)

andyfergy said:


> Wow corny girl, she's gorgeous!really lovely markings on her, can't say i looked at the aphonopelma's I've only really looked at the few obvious ones like the chilli's, curly hairs, red knees. Say at the moment im just reading up and researching, its nothing definate just yet and im just going to SEAS look have look see and have a chat with afew people for advice etc.
> 
> I dont really consider T's particurly badass (with the exceptions of some of the more aggresive species, but i have no intention of buying one), just fascinating creatures, but I do understand even with the more docile species there are risks still.
> 
> ...



Aphonopelma's are lovely, just wish more people would recommend them as a first spider (but then those that haven't kept them don't know how docile they are so won't be able to recommend them).


Here's a pic of my eldest son holding a new river as i was unpacking her (she'd just arrived). Bare in mind that my son is arachnaphobic but felt this one was calm enough to go near & wanted to hold her :2thumb:.











Ps. Trapdoor is a Facebook group many of us are on, Selina is an admin on there.


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## selina20 (May 28, 2008)

andyfergy said:


> Wow corny girl, she's gorgeous!really lovely markings on her, can't say i looked at the aphonopelma's I've only really looked at the few obvious ones like the chilli's, curly hairs, red knees. Say at the moment im just reading up and researching, its nothing definate just yet and im just going to SEAS look have look see and have a chat with afew people for advice etc.
> 
> I dont really consider T's particurly badass (with the exceptions of some of the more aggresive species, but i have no intention of buying one), just fascinating creatures, but I do understand even with the more docile species there are risks still.
> 
> ...



we are a group of people based mostly on facebook but meet up at all the shows etc. so if you want to have a chat to some like minded people you are welcome to come see us and say hi


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## Bexzini (Oct 21, 2010)

selina20 said:


> we are a group of people based mostly on facebook but meet up at all the shows etc. so if you want to have a chat to some like minded people you are welcome to come see us and say hi


Do you have a link Selina?


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## selina20 (May 28, 2008)

Bexzini said:


> Do you have a link Selina?


You have to add me as a friend for me to add you because we are hidden from the public riff raff lol


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## Gemificus (Jan 26, 2007)

I would recommend getting a spider if you like them because they are amazing pets, 

my first ever Tarantula was a B.Smithi (mexican red knee) I got her because i was afraid of spiders and i figured whats the best way to get over my fear of spider's? do the sensible thing and get a big one as a pet of course..

she was my fave i admired her from afar at first but after a little while i started to handle her and she was very good at being handled and quite calm i would get her out for a little while every few days, some days she would even try to get out herself by using her fangs to open her enclosure i would then hold out my hand and she would crawl to me. 

after Vanessa i added a chilli rose to my collection he was a rescue and had been mistreated his owner had flicked him in order to make him aggressive after a little attention he was also handle able. 

and my next was a costa riccan zebra he was NOT handleable at all and i didn't try with him he was very skittish and fast he attacked anything that moved, he was fantastic to watch when he fed i also had a Red leg tarantula that was handled by the guy i got it off he would be silly with it putting it in his mouth and all kinds after the novelty wore off he gave it to me i never handled her either she was also quite skittish and i felt she had had enough. 

the best thing i think is to get to know your spider, they do all have their own personalities it sounds far fetched but each spider is different you could have two of the same species one that is fine to be handled and the other not so much. 

If i could have another B.Smithi i deff would they are fantastic spiders and really pretty, i do miss my vanessa


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## selina20 (May 28, 2008)

Gemificus said:


> I would recommend getting a spider if you like them because they are amazing pets,
> 
> my first ever Tarantula was a B.Smithi (mexican red knee) I got her because i was afraid of spiders and i figured whats the best way to get over my fear of spider's? do the sensible thing and get a big one as a pet of course..
> 
> ...



You cannot "train" or "tame" a spider down. Some will tolerate being handled and others wont. They get no benefit whatsoever from being handled and just see us as a big tree to climb on.


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## Gemificus (Jan 26, 2007)

i don't recall saying i tamed him i do however recall saying with a little work, 

which means the right treatment no flicking no throwing things at him or mistreatment of any kind


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## Bexzini (Oct 21, 2010)

Gemificus said:


> i don't recall saying i tamed him i do however recall saying with a little work,
> 
> which means the right treatment no flicking no throwing things at him or mistreatment of any kind


Tarantulas dont act like mammals in the sense that they get 'hand shy' if they are hit or smacked etc. The tarantula will not differ or improve if you handle them correctly, they just dont have the ability to understand that you will not hurt them. When you get a tarantula it will either tolerate handling or it wont.

Also reading about the tarantula you had that was mistreated, chances are the tarantula always had the same temperament but as you havent been flicking the tarantula it just explains why the tarantula isnt acting aggressive, its as simple as that.


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## selina20 (May 28, 2008)

Gemificus said:


> i don't recall saying i tamed him i do however recall saying with a little work,
> 
> which means the right treatment no flicking no throwing things at him or mistreatment of any kind


They dont understand all that lol. People tend to humanize inverts and see them the same as most pets and put emotions on them. They are wild animals which really couldnt give a toss if you were there or not


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## Bexzini (Oct 21, 2010)

selina20 said:


> They dont understand all that lol. People tend to humanize inverts and see them the same as most pets and put emotions on them. They are wild animals which really couldnt give a toss if you were there or not


Had to giggle at that last bit


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## adamntitch (Jun 17, 2007)

i find my chiles worse than my obt haha 3 of my chiles are just evil find dealing even with my h gigas easyer 

i find my chilie flame sp red and my white knee easyer as well


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## selina20 (May 28, 2008)

Bexzini said:


> Had to giggle at that last bit


Its true though :lol2:


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## Veyron (Mar 29, 2011)

selina20 said:


> They dont understand all that lol. People tend to humanize inverts and see them the same as most pets and put emotions on them.


What she said ^

Can't tame them because they don't learn. They act on instinct alone. Some are nasty little :censor:, some aren't. 

All T's are unpredictable as ANYTHING can make them react in an aggressive manor at any time.


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## Gemificus (Jan 26, 2007)

Belittle me as you will...

I understand that they are cold blooded but they are not compleatly dead inside and they do know familiarity 

familiar places, food, sounds and smells. and many keepers have said and will say their T's 'seem' to have a personality of their own. some are even picky with types of food they eat. 

you can't be 100% certain that some T's do not react differently to different environment's or familiar sounds and smells. 

all you can go off is what you are told and read about T's. 

nobody anywhere can say they 'know' how any kind of animal/invert behaves all the time as no1 can actually get inside their brains to see what kind of chemical signals go on in there and how they associate one thing to another and as they cannot tell you like a human can then you can't be certain


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## selina20 (May 28, 2008)

Gemificus said:


> i understand that they are cold blooded but they are not compleatly dead inside and they do know familiarity
> 
> familiar places, food, sounds and smells. and many keepers have said and will say their T's 'seem' to have a personality of their own. some are even picky with types of food they eat.
> 
> ...


Sounds would be a hard one seeing as they have no ears :lol2:


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## Gemificus (Jan 26, 2007)

even the deaf can pick up sound via vibration


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## Bexzini (Oct 21, 2010)

Gemificus said:


> Belittle me as you will...
> 
> I understand that they are cold blooded but they are not compleatly dead inside and they do know familiarity
> 
> ...



We are NOT belittling you just stating the fact so you are not misunderstood.

Also we didnt say that we 'know' how they behave as there were several references made to them being unpredictable.


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## J87 (Nov 26, 2012)

I've never held my Ts before. 

I'm not sure if it's them or me that i trust the least :lol2:


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## Daisyy (Jan 15, 2010)

The problem with getting a t that you want to handle is the fact any T can be different to how they are described, I got a curly hair hoping he would be a calm first tarantula and he is absolutely mental. I put my finger against his tank and he'll dart over trying to bite me,even cleaning his water bowl is a task.


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## J87 (Nov 26, 2012)

Daisyy said:


> The problem with getting a t that you want to handle is the fact any T can be different to how they are described, I got a curly hair hoping he would be a calm first tarantula and he is absolutely mental. I put my finger against his tank and he'll dart over trying to bite me,even cleaning his water bowl is a task.


See now my curly hair is the polar opposite to this. Great example of how ts can differ in temperament.


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## shortyreptile (Feb 4, 2012)

:welcome: hi I have some t,s in my bedroom and I hold one which Is my pulchripes I only handle it once a couple of months. so I think you should get a curly hair.


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## Bexzini (Oct 21, 2010)

shortyreptile said:


> :welcome: hi I have some t,s in my bedroom and I hold one which Is my pulchripes I only handle it once a couple of months. so I think you should get an *obt something like a curly hair*.


theses are 2 very different t's


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## AilsaM (May 18, 2011)

shortyreptile said:


> :welcome: hi I have some t,s in my bedroom and I hold one which Is my pulchripes I only handle it once a couple of months. so I think you should get an *obt something like a curly hair.*


As said 2 very different species and there's no way on Gods green earth I would ever suggest handling an OBT! : victory:


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## shortyreptile (Feb 4, 2012)

I didn't mean to put an obt lol I wouldent hold one either lol


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## selina20 (May 28, 2008)

Gemificus said:


> even the deaf can pick up sound via vibration


Yes but thats not sound as in hearing is it. Thats picking up vibrations.


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## boxofsorrows (Nov 7, 2011)

selina20 said:


> Yes but thats not sound as in hearing is it. Thats picking up vibrations.


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## selina20 (May 28, 2008)

boxofsorrows said:


> image


That song was going through my head when i wrote it oddly enough


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## Daisyy (Jan 15, 2010)

J87 said:


> See now my curly hair is the polar opposite to this. Great example of how ts can differ in temperament.


Exactly, leaving out the fact I completely disagree with handling due to the safety of the t, it's pretty much impossible to garentee your tarantula is going to be able to be handled no matter what kind it is.


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## andyfergy (Jan 1, 2013)

Hi guys still appreciate all the advice your giving,
please try and keep all debates civil even if you are dragging
the beach boys into it 

i've either heading towards a curly hair or aphonopelma chalcodes
but still nothing is definate yet, and i still realise i could lend up
getting a evil vicious :censor:. I think i my best bet is to go to something like
SEAS so i could see one beforhand and buy one,

thanks for all the advice, its good to hear different peoples opinions:2thumb:


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## AFCDave (Nov 8, 2012)

I have a B.Smithi (Mexican Red Knee) and have handled her a number of times but lately she has been very moody and skittish so it all depends on the mood of your T if you can handle itor not.


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