# can you handle a red knee tarantula



## Lukeyk (Mar 3, 2008)

and is it easy to keep?


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## ChrisBowman (Jan 1, 2008)

i have no idea but i wouldt fancy handleing one of them


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## Becky (Mar 26, 2007)

Easy to keep and considered docile but everyone i've kept has flicked at me and showered me in itchy needle hairs lol

I dont handle my spiders


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## jackbeveridge (Oct 22, 2007)

you can handle them, however make sure its not often, there is always a risk when holding a tarantula, whether it be biting you or if it falls. : victory:


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## Lucifus (Aug 30, 2007)

You probably could but it depends on the temprement. Some chilie roses are evil incarnate and im sure theres some nice Baboon spiders out there. (bahahahahaha)

Anyway general rule is if you hold your tarantula expect to be bitten. If your going to hold it hold it over a surface and put some padding down underneath in case it drops. A 1-2foot drop can kill a tarantula and i believe after a meter they explode.

From what i know red knees are very easy to keep.


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## decembers_spawn (Jan 17, 2008)

Handling T's is a general no-no.

If you HAVE to handle them, then a Red-Knee is one of the 'safer' ones


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## browner93 (Dec 17, 2007)

you can but it is not advised.
correct me if i am rong.

Josh


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## ferretlad (Mar 6, 2008)

B.Smithi ..Mexican Red Knee, is quite easy to keep provided you folllow a good care sheet on heating/substrait and such, If you want a Red Knee to handle.. it might be best looking into getting a Spiderling and bringing it up to being used to getting handled.


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## decembers_spawn (Jan 17, 2008)

ferretlad said:


> B.Smithi ..Mexican Red Knee, is quite easy to keep provided you folllow a good care sheet on heating/substrait and such, If you want a Red Knee to handle.. it might be best looking into getting a Spiderling and bringing it up to being used to getting handled.


Spiders don't really have the ability to learn to 'get used' to being handled.


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## C_Strike (Feb 20, 2007)

decembers_spawn said:


> Handling T's is a general no-no.
> 
> If you HAVE to handle them, then a Red-Knee is one of the 'safer' ones


Why the big nono?
I only agree that you really shouldnt contemplate handling IF you put either your own or the spiders life in jepoardy

If done correctly what detrimental affects are there?
My spiders still eat, they still molt, they still breed. what more can you ask? 

As far as i can see, there is nothing whoelly wrong and bad about holding spides.
Most people tell you 'NO!!!!' because they themselves are too afriad of the consequences....
but... consequences being? ...
Those that arent sacared generally say that they dont, or its not recommended... fair enough, it isnt recommended for all. 
Iv held Brachypelma, Grammastola, Aphonopelma, Chromatopelma, Theraphosa, Lasiodora, Poecilotheria, Cyriopagopus, Selenocosmia, even macrothele (funnelweb)... never been bitten, never had an aggresive reaction.
Iv had my GBB pull its fangs out and walk them against the palm of my hand whilsit suspended upside down, for added grip, at no point did it decide to try out the new 'substrate' for flavour, lol
If you take even the most possessed spawn of eight legged satan out of its own environment and the personality changes
You just need to appreciate that the spider will take a much longer time working out if your a threat or not.
They are stimulus based, you give them something to react to and they will.
If they feel comfrotable on you, then you dont have a problem.
I have endured some pretty painful things becuase i have had to to avoid a bigger problem, such as having a constant dripping of boiling water on my naked arm whilst carrying a leaking pot in a kitchen for bowt a minute, lol
If you can be confident in your reaction to a bite, and your not scacred of it, then wahts the beef?
Spiders arent incredibly primitve, they have basic learning ability. Try handling a WC OBT compared to a CB one, or even a CB one that is familiar with the scentof flesh. They do react different than if they hadnt everr touched human flesh, they are calmer
they understand threats and non-threats. If you dont pose yourself as a threat then they dont need to react.

As Becky said, Brachys thend to be flicky. Iv yet to have one flick hairs at my when its being handled. The same spider will shower me with hair if i disturb it in its own environment tho


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## iiisecondcreep (Oct 29, 2007)

I've had one for 9 years(since she was teeny wee), wouldn't handle her, shes mental. Very skittish, zooms everywhere, flicks all the time.

Easy to keep though, and gorgeous to look at.


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## ferretlad (Mar 6, 2008)

decembers_spawn said:


> Spiders don't really have the ability to learn to 'get used' to being handled.


Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. I have 3 Ts that are very used to being handled, they dont feel any threat from me and are quite happy to come over and climb onto my hand of their own accord if i leave my hand in their tank for a few mins, I would say this is because they are used to me doing this, and they dont appear to be threatend in any way other wise they would either attack my hand or just avoid me and stay where they were. I keep over 80 Tarantulas and as a rule dont handle any of them..barr the 3 i have mentioned.The ones i can handle or pick up are...my Mexican Red Knee, Curly Hair,Chile Beautiful.


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## Becky (Mar 26, 2007)

If you put your hand in the tank and the spider is hungry, and you moveyour hand gently and it pounces on you as a feeding reponse and bites you what then?


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## ferretlad (Mar 6, 2008)

Becky said:


> If you put your hand in the tank and the spider is hungry, and you moveyour hand gently and it pounces on you as a feeding reponse and bites you what then?


PANIC:lol2: Seriously you should only put your hand in your Ts tank if you are confident that particular spider is docil enough to alow you to do this, and this also boils down to getting to know your Ts indvidual temperament. The Ts i can handle have become used to me doing this from when they were young slings, and i would never be daft enough to put my hand in a hungery Ts tank or one i had my doughts about. Have a look on youtube and see all the people handle there Ts...one or two on there i would not think of picking up.


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## C_Strike (Feb 20, 2007)

I will always touch the spiders leg with a brush or something first. But the main situation i hold them is when they are already on a little walking mission in the tank.
That is the only way i would and have hed my big buggers.
im not too fussed about touching the side of the spider with my finger if its Grammies/ brachys and other 'docile' temperment spiders still generally use a brush.


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