Bear - yes I have handled plenty before - you grab them around the back of the neck so they can't scratch.!
Guys got to relate a funny story.
I was once up north and they have lots of pelicans there. Now these suckers can get quite big. I went into a fish mongers who leave their doors open. Of course one of the pelicans came in but couldn't find his way out and kept banging against the glass window. There was a guy who worked there dangling a little fishie in front of his nose saying come on out you go - but the pelican just kept bashing himself against the window. I got annoyed and told the guy to stop pussyfooting around and help the pelican out. No wayyy. So deedee handed my handbag to the guy and said stand back. Grabbed the pelican - one hand around his neck and one hand on one wing and frog marched him out of the shop. Deedee is only 5 foot by the way - this pelican was taller than me. Walked back into the shop and retrieved my handbag from red faced guy and proceeded to buy my fish with all the guys behind the counter giving this guy hell. There were japanese tourists there and when I came out they all bowed and clapped. I bet the guys were saying "you had better not mess around with these Aussie girls or else". I had a laugh for days after that one.
I may be made to walk the plank for this...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xy7zX2SMPz4&feature=related
RH
DDXX so pleased to hear you love animals, I'm breathing a lot easier now, only because I'm a party animal. Perhaps I should masquerade as Spiderman to keep yolu at a distance.
Who's YOLU - has she come onboard yet?
My cats are even scared of him. I don't know what type it is, but I do know it is a funnel spider. 
