We don’t recommend handling Australian tarantulas for a couple of reasons. Handling puts the spider at risk. Smaller specimens can run fast and may escape and die as a result of being lost inside a house. Larger specimens can seriously injure themselves or die as result of falls from far less than a metre from the ground. The spider doesn’t benefit at all from being held, so it is an unnecessary risk to its well being. Moreover, while Australian tarantulas are not dangerously venomous, larger specimens can give a painful bite. Whether or not to handle your pet is your choice, but avoiding unnecessary risk is part of becoming a better invertebrate keeper.