Well, the heading goes something like that in the T Keeper's guide, and for a very good reason

All beginners, listen up!

When you read about the Urticating Bristles that most New World Tarantulas possess on their opisthosoma's (Abdomen), and how irritating they can be, heed the warning! A few nights ago I decided that I was going to brave an attempt at handling our most docile T, an 8cm Grammostola Pulchripes or Chaco Golden Knee. I apologise in advance to the T for bothering it and trying to handle it.

Now, usually, this T is extremely calm and docile, but I swear that this time around, it knew what my intentions were, the second I lifted the lid of the enclosure, it started kicking urticating bristles from it's abdomen, something this spider has never, ever done. They were small and very fast kicks, so I didn't think there would be much to worry about, so I waited a few minutes to let the T calm down again, and then proceeded to coax it out of it's enclosure onto my hand.

It kicked once or twice more but then made it's way very calmly onto my hand and then settled down completely and actually wondered off my hand onto the bed seeming very interested in these new surroundings. After about 5 minutes, i decided to put it back in it's enclosure and I then lay down on the bed, on my stomach, to watch my T's all going about their business... this is where the fun started...

I was not wearing a shirt either, within about an hour, my hands were itching like mad, especially between my fingers, and shortly after, my entire chest and belly area were itching from laying on the bed where the T was walking around. I have been itching uncontrollably for about the last three days! I have been itching and scratching as though I had chicken pox or something, and it feels sooooooooooo good to scratch LOL! But eventually you start really scratching like mad!! :side:

So... If you intend to bother your Tarantula in order to handle it and it kicks hairs from it's abdomen, be sure and wait for a good long time for the bristles to settle before going ahead, in fact leave it for another time. Oh, and DO NOT let it walk around on your bed and then lay there LOL! :blush:

Hope my epic fail gives you all a good giggle and saves you from the same plight :lol:

HS

:laugh:

shot for the heads up!

giggle [check]

Haha, people seem to vary in their sensitivity to bristles, and it seems that you can get more sensitised to them over the years, as well.

Always be careful to handle your T's close to your face, as those bristles can cause serious harm to the eyes and mucous membranes are particularly sensitive to them.

Also be wary of the substrate in your T's enclosures as it very often is covered in bristles!

Make sure to use strudy rubber gloves when cleaning out the enclosures of New World T's.

I've been lucky so far and only itched a tiny bit after cleaning my Acanthoscurria geniculata's cages. But on the other hand I got highly allergic to my cockroaches. Great. :S

I shall say I now what Marula and HeteroScuderia
is taliking about!

When I first started with tarantulas the Urticating hairs never bugged me I could hold my Ts and clean there tanks with out hectic itch just use to spray water on the affected site and relief But now it bad I dont even open my tarantulas tank and I all ready start feeling the itch so I just shine a tourch through the glass.

My worse was the other night I was checking on my tarantulas after feeding them when I opened my A geniculati tank she gave it to me so I closed the lid really fast and went to bed But it was 5 mins later and the Urticating hairs had found there way to my face under my noise in my noise on the side of my face under my chin had to take a shower and was my noise out about five times

lol HS thanks for the good laugh

I am also very careful when it comes to my ts as I also itch like crazy. Did u use anything for the itch and did it work?

I have caladryl cream that I dont leave home without, it works instantly for the itch and even brilliant for burns

I haven't had a bad reaction as yet, but being a person that has many allergies, I am always on chronic medication for it, so that might be helping.

But I do get itchy when I remove an exuvium and handle it. Especially the larger notorious hair kickers.
My E campestratus for example loves kicking hair as was forewarned by the seller. But OMW, I didn't expect that. Looks like Tarantula in the Mist after it kicked hairs.
Needless to say, my hands were VERY itchy after removing it's exuvium and handling it by hand.

Still... better than getting bit I reckon