Tarantulas are among the most well-known types of spiders. This is largely because many people like to keep them as pets.
If you’re someone who is fascinated by spiders, then you might be interested in getting a tarantula sometime soon. You likely know that many tarantula owners will hold the tarantulas from time to time.
Have you ever wondered what would happen when you make mistakes handling a tarantula? What would happen if you dropped a tarantula?
Keep reading to learn about tarantulas and what happens when a tarantula is dropped. This should help you to better understand the consequences of mishandling a pet tarantula.
Dropping a Tarantula Is Dangerous
The first thing to know is that dropping a tarantula is very dangerous. If you drop a tarantula, then there is a good chance that you could wind up killing it.
Since the tarantula is your pet, this is going to be the last thing that you want to happen. Tarantulas are much more fragile than some people realize.
Even the act of climbing is very dangerous for a tarantula. If a tarantula falls, then it might wind up shattering or exploding, so to speak.
When a tarantula falls a fair distance, it’s going to cause its internal organs to rupture. This is obviously quite sad and it’s why you need to be very careful when handling a tarantula.
If you’re going to hold the tarantula or move the tarantula by hand, then you need to be careful. Knowing how to hold a tarantula is of the utmost importance.
It’s Usually Recommended to Avoid Handling Tarantulas
Before moving forward, you should know that it’s usually recommended to avoid handling tarantulas. It can be a very risky thing to do when you want to ensure the survival of the tarantula.
Not only is there a danger to the tarantula when you try to pick it up, but it can also be dangerous for you. A tarantula isn’t capable of recognizing its handler and this means that it’s going to consider you a threat.
When you go to pick up the tarantula, the possibility is always there that you could be bitten. This is certainly something that you don’t want and you need to be careful to protect yourself.
Every time you go to pick a tarantula up, it’s possible that you could be bitten or you could have the spider throw its bristles in your face. This means that the only way to protect both you and your pet spider is to not handle it.
Despite this, many tarantula owners choose to hold their pets anyway. If you’re going to do this, then it’s imperative to understand how to do it right.
Tips for Handling a Tarantula
Handling a tarantula can be done successfully if you use the right approach. When grabbing a tarantula, you’re supposed to grab it between its second and third legs.
Do your best to hold the tarantula firmly without gripping it too hard. Remember that tarantulas are a bit fragile and that too hard of a grip could damage the spider.
Picking the tarantula up fast is usually the best route to take. Tarantulas will instinctively stiffen up and avoid moving, and this should make it so that you won’t get bitten or attacked.
When the tarantula is in your hands, you want to keep it in the palm of your hand. Do your best not to drop it so that you won’t accidentally kill your pet spider.
So long as you approach holding the tarantula this way each time, it’ll be possible to do so relatively safely. However, it isn’t going to be necessary to handle a tarantula this way unless you simply want to.
Try to consider the safety of the tarantula when you’re deciding whether to pick it up or not. Every time you decide to do so, it’s going to be putting the tarantula at risk.
There Are Other Ways to Move Tarantulas
You might think that handling a tarantula and holding it will be the easiest way to move it from point A to point B. This isn’t necessarily the case and you should consider alternatives.
For example, you could move the tarantula in its container since that would be a lot safer. If the tarantula is loose or you’re trying to transfer it to a new container, then you can use a long spoon.
Simply scoop the tarantula up using the spoon and then move it where you need it to be. This is a lot safer overall and you don’t have to worry about being attacked.
It’s generally always going to be better to move your tarantula when it’s inside of some container or habitat. You’ll still need to avoid dropping it, and that means you want to try not to trip or anything such as that.
These fragile spiders can easily become damaged even when dropped at a height of a few inches above the ground. It means that you always need to approach moving them wisely to keep them safe.
Is Keeping a Tarantula as a Pet a Good Idea?
Whether or not keeping a tarantula as a pet is a good idea is for you to decide. You have to understand that a tarantula isn’t going to be a pet that you spend a lot of time directly interacting with.
As mentioned earlier, it’s usually considered better to avoid handling tarantulas because you could accidentally kill them. A small drop has the potential to kill the tarantula due to how fragile it is.
That doesn’t mean that having a tarantula as a pet can’t be satisfying, though. Some people really love simply observing the tarantulas and having them around.
Caring for a tarantula is going to be different than caring for standard pets. You will need to be careful whenever you decide to handle the tarantula, but this doesn’t mean that it can’t be a good experience overall.
Just ask yourself if you would truly enjoy having a tarantula as a pet. If you find these spiders to be intriguing, then you might really have a good time caring for one.
Otherwise, you might wish to get a more conventional pet. Just make the choice that makes the most sense for you.
Final Thoughts
You’ve learned quite a bit about tarantulas and how you need to handle them now. Sadly, a tarantula could easily die if you happen to drop it.
This means that you need to be very careful whenever you decide to pick your pet tarantula up. Knowing how to handle a tarantula will make it more likely that the process will go smoothly.
You even need to do your best to pick the tarantula up properly for your own safety. Tarantulas can bite their handlers when they go to pick them up or they might throw their bristles at you due to feeling threatened.
It might be better to avoid picking a tarantula up just to be on the safe side. If you do decide to pick the tarantula up, then be sure to do things the right way.
If you have any friends who are considering getting tarantulas as pets in the near future, then you should ensure that they know this information. It’ll help to protect the tarantulas so that everyone can have an easier time.
I have a bachelor’s degree in Computer Information Systems and over 10 years of experience working in IT. I have a wife and two children and love taking them to the zoo to see all the animals. I grew up with dogs and fish and now have two dogs and two cats. I’ve also played guitar for almost 20 years and love writing music, although it’s hard to find the time these days.