"Handleable" Tarantulas?

[recycling goddess]

heehee... ya she does

[Rapture]

I thought Birdeaters were too aggressive to hold?

[Shadowspider]

I thought Birdeaters were too aggressive to hold?

Any tarantula can be too aggressive to hold. (ok, I'll stop being so nit picky )
As a general rule of thumb, no, you don't want to handle a Theraphosa blondi. Not necessarily because they'd try to eat you (that's what Haplopelma are for :lol but rather because of the urticating hair they have and because of the "possibility" that you *could* get bitten...and 1" fangs sinking into your bones is not a pleasant thought. :eek:
In all honesty (and from my *own* point of view) I would feel more comfortable handling my blondi or any of my Lassie's than I would *any* Haplopelma, Poecilotheria or baboon species. Mostly because, as far as blondi go, they have a tendency toward *not* being aggressive/defensive to the extent that some other species do.

The term "aggressive" is one that is tossed around freely with tarantulas and, in most cases, is not an appropriate discription of them. "Defensive" is, IMO, a much better adjective to use that better describes their attitudes, temperaments and personalities. My Chromtopelma cyaneopubscens is by far more "aggressive" (defensive) than my blondi and my C. cyan. is half my blondi's size.

Ok, I'm rambling.
Should "bird eaters" be handled, to be on the safe side, no. But then again, to be on the safe side, *no* tarantula should be handled...unless necessary.
(no, transferring is not a "necessary" reason to handle any tarantula. )

[bodar]

Shadow spider: you pic of your T.Blondi is also incorrect. im not trying to start a fight or anything but i have had lots of experiance here. seriously though this is a 7.5" inch T.Blondi 1 week post molt.

and a shot of her fangs and my ugly fingers


although it is impossble to ID with only pics. your T is far to black and has a redish tinge it seems on it abdomen. and this is a great excuse to show my prize
specimen my P.Ornata, i know it has nothing to do with anything but hey take what you can get!!!!!
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g55/Bodar/Tiny1.jpg

[recycling goddess]

i'm guessing it was her crappy pic bodar.

niiiiiice p. ornata!!! it looks to be around 3"???

[Shadowspider]

LOL yes, the picture is lousy isn't it?
I assure you, she IS a Theraphosa blondi. I'm assuming you've never seen an adult blondi right after a molt...they are very dark brown nearly black right after a molt, they DO have pink-ish highlights and that picture was taken 3 days after she molted. She measured 9 inches after that molt and that was last year.
I have been in this hobby for many years (between my husband and I, it's been over 25 years, me personaly, 9 years) and *do* know my tarantulas....trust me, I know a blondi when I see one and I know what my blondi looks like. I also know what my male blondi looked like when I had him and mated him 3 different times with my female.
Nice P. ornata, BTW. It is still a s'ling or is it a male?

[Shadowspider]

I'm not trying to argue either, but that pic you posted is not one week post molt of a 7.5" blondi. That is a pre molt blondi...the abdomen its self gives that away as does the cinnamon color.
Let's take a look at Theraphosa blondi
Notice the pink:
T. blondi 9 inches
11 inch T. blondi
Male T. blondi
Young T. blondi

Notice the color:
Most of these "freshly molted" blondi are 2+ months post molt.
Freshly molted T. blondi There is also a picture in the same thread of the same spider before it molted.
Freshly molted T. blondi
Freshly molted T. blondi 2 You may have to scroll down
6 inch T. blondi
Pre molt T. blondiNotice the cinnamon color as opposed to the nearly black coloration of a freshly molted and newly post molt blondi

[recycling goddess]

amazing how different a T can look pre and post moult

[Shadowspider]

Yes, it is.
While with some tarantulas, it is more difficult to determine the difference between inter molt, pre molt and post molt, others, like Theraphosa blondi, it is very easy, especially once they mature. I have seen many times, people who aquire a blondi who freak out once it molts because they think they got duped because the spider sitting in the container is NOT the spider they bought...the difference is *that* severe, especially because the vast majority of photos we see of blondi are of the spider at intermolt or pre molt. Also, like with B. albo. it can be difficult to determine when they are entering pre molt until we have had them for quite a while and have actually had the opportunity to see the subtle changes they go through until they reach their next molt. Did y'all know that an adult B. albo. has *very* pink seate right after a molt. The longer seate is almost as pink as a freshly molted G. rosea.

With species like blondi, as well as pretty much all other Theraphosa spp. it is by far easier to tell when a molt is approaching. The exoskeleton will gradually become lighter in color during intermolt, the seate on the abdomen will get thinner and more ragged looking, (which is evident in the photo above) generally from kicking hair. As well, the skin color of the abdomen is clearly visible where the bald spot is (again, very visible in the photo above). It will first look pink-ish and, as molt approaches, that area will get darker and darker until it is nearly black (which is the new exoskeleton underneath showing through). When a blondi is in imminent pre molt, the entire spider will tend to look "ragged" in it's appearance and will be a rather light, dull cinnamon color with the abdomen looking grey/black where the bald spot is. Once they have molted, they, like *all* freshly molted tarantulas, will look "all fresh and new". The new exoskeleton will be nearly black in appearance, the seate on the abdomen will be shiny, lush, thick and well laid along the abdomen, coming to a gentle point at the end of the abdomen. They are quite shiny (for as much as a blondi shines), the pink highlights on the leg striping and above the chelicerie is quite distinct. The hair on the legs and abdomen is a white/pink color that is easy to see under the right light.
My picture is, indeed a baaaadddd representation of T. blondi because it does *not* show their true color very well.
I would venture to guess, based on the photo above, this blondi has a few more months before it molts, as the abdomen is still brown/pink where the bald patch is, the seate on the abdomen is quite ragged, as is the hair on legs IV, the ragged look of the carapace, and the lightened, dulled colors over all suggest that it has a while to go before it molts.

[recycling goddess]

i learned something but ... oh man now my head hurts