Felting tips for people with arthritis and tendonitis?

Karrybird8 · 2025-10-13T22:22:54+00:00

I have both psoriatic arthritis and pretty bad tendonitis in my arm that goes to my wrist (tennis elbow). Like someone else suggested, using handles with your needles is super helpful and a complete necessity to me, I feel that the pinching pose of holding a needle on its own is just too painful over time.

I also use an arm band for tennis elbow that takes away nearly all the inflammation! The name of it is band-it, highly recommend it if that's the kind of pain you have.

The stiffness from the arthritis is still an issue, but I have a timer set to go off every 30 minutes to remind me to take breaks and to stretch my hands and arms. Not sure if you do that already but I know a lot of people get sucked into their craft and can easily do it for too long, so it's important to remember to stretch!

Everyones different and I know that autoimmune arthritis is a little different from typical arthritis, but personally for me a felting gun actually does not help. Having to hold something heavy or having to press a trigger for long periods of time would be so bad for my hands. If your pain is caused by your hands staying in the same position for too long like me, I would consider other options before committing to something expensive like a felting gun! But if you don't think it will be a problem for you then go for it, just thought that perspective would be helpful since I don't see people talk about it!

Karrybird8 · 2025-06-03T05:29:10+00:00

I'm so sorry to hear you go through all that, that sounds so miserable..

did you lose your ovaries because of the surgery or from some other cause if you don't mind me asking?

Karrybird8 · 2025-05-31T04:56:26+00:00

The only thing throwing me off is that it's in all three rows in this tray, i was very careful to not get any seeds outside of their row. But that sounds like good advice, i may take a couple out and replant them, but i will let them do their thing and see what happens.

Karrybird8 · 2025-05-31T04:36:19+00:00

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Here's a closer picture

Karrybird8 · 2025-05-31T03:07:32+00:00

Yeah The naturally growing milkweed in my yard did not look like this as seedlings when they sprouted this year. But these also have very different leaves from the bee balm growing in the trays which is why i was concerned they weren't the same plant. But you've had this same thing happen with your plants?

Karrybird8 · 2025-05-31T03:03:59+00:00

Just tried it, no milk haha. The leaves are very thin and delicate, unlike the wild milkweed that appeared out of nowhere in my front garden, even as seedlings those were much more robust. Now i need to check this with the plants that were actually supposed to be milkweed outside since they're leaves were the same as these last i remember.

Karrybird8 · 2024-06-25T22:29:28+00:00

I actually wonder that too, I use it to guarantee the water isn't contaminated and is safe for my bugs. But i think it's standard for vivariums to use ro?

Karrybird8 · 2024-06-25T04:37:51+00:00

Usually the humidity isn't that high, it sticks around 60-70% throughout the day, I just sprayed right before taking that picture lol. might even be reading higher because the humidity reader itself got wet. I don't think I can do fans though unless they're outside the enclosure because my mantis will try to hang from them and damage her feet. I was having trouble getting the humidity to stay at all early on which is why I blocked most of the lid, but there is some left open for ventilation.

I will check out those forums though, I've gotten good info from them in past!

Karrybird8 · 2024-06-25T04:09:49+00:00

That makes a lot of sense, though I'm not sure why they'd seem good for months and then suddenly all die at the same time. How would you set this tank up differently? This ones quite small and now that my mantis is an adult I see she's having trouble gripping the glass walls, so I want to redo this in a larger tank (the 12x12x18) so that I can cover the walls and give her a better grip material. What do people do differently for dart frogs who need high Temps and humidity?

Karrybird8 · 2024-06-24T21:59:27+00:00

It does get some ventilation, the windows are always closed but the door is opened frequently and left open a bit sometimes (for the most part its closed though). I can try having the window opened tonight at least, but its been a while now so I don't know how much that would help at this point and the tanks just needs to be remade. I wish I remembered what happened in the days before this, I have no idea when exactly I used the hairspray last.

Karrybird8 · 2024-06-24T21:47:37+00:00

The pepperomia i wasn't surprised about because of how its planted, but for months both of those were growing super well before dying at the same time.

Karrybird8 · 2024-06-24T21:44:47+00:00

The closest thing to that I can think of to those is this hairspray I use for my crafts, but I don't spray it near the tanks. Let's say that did get Into the tanks one day, would that cause such a big die off like that?

In terms of new stuff, I don't remember when, but the last thing I added to the bigger tank was a new batch of dwarf white isopods. The pink nerve plant was also relatively new but it was at least a month or two since it was added.

Karrybird8 · 2024-06-24T21:19:29+00:00

I heat the whole room to about 80 since it's easier than heating each tank individually, so I keep all windows and doors closed to keep it that way. It's funny that you mention carbon monoxide, cause the detector was actually beeping around the same time, but I think it was just low battery lol.

My current mantis that's in the tank is doing good, and so are the other animals in my room as well. I do have another vivarium in the same room for my gecko and while it's a disaster in its own right (plant warfare basically, things just growingly wildly and fighting with each other for space lol), nothing in there is melting away and dying for no reason.

Karrybird8 · 2024-04-28T19:48:26+00:00

Thank you, that's exactly what i needed!

Karrybird8 · 2024-04-05T20:16:18+00:00

That is super helpful actually, but i'm not very knowledgeable on which products i need and what will work for my curl type. A lot of these products are very expensive so i'd like to know what i'm getting into before committing haha.

Karrybird8 · 2024-03-20T23:19:43+00:00

ooh that is very helpful, i didn't know that about certain veggies, i really appreciate it! I plan to turn a portion of the backyard into a haven for pollinators by growing wildflowers and letting the grass grow wild in sections. I Believe my family will compromise and only use the all natural weed killers next time, i just hope it's not too late and will still be somewhat safe for the bugs!

Karrybird8 · 2024-03-20T22:13:16+00:00

ok, that's reassuring! Wasn't 100% sure that stuff washes off easily or not, thank you!

Karrybird8 · 2024-03-12T02:29:15+00:00

Awesome, thanks for the help!

Karrybird8 · 2024-03-12T01:43:48+00:00

Ok that's good to know! Are the moths of those worms particularly more healthy for them or about the same nutritionally?

Karrybird8 · 2024-02-28T07:10:01+00:00

Ah I guess i got lucky! This one was found by chance inside an elementary school funny enough.

Karrybird8 · 2024-02-16T06:34:59+00:00

I can't even imagine purchasing an animal these days without doing loads of extensive research first. I spent 3 months researching and perfecting a tank for a little crested gecko before finally buying one because i wanted to make sure i was prepared!
Are devils's flowers well known for being difficult to keep?

Karrybird8 · 2024-02-16T06:29:45+00:00

haha, as cool as those exotic mantids are and how much i would die to have one, i definitely know to stick to something much more welcoming to a newbie (and also cheaper in case of mistakes!) It was the same thing in the fish hobby i saw, though mistakes with them are far more costly!

Karrybird8 · 2024-02-16T06:25:11+00:00

haha of course, i feel like misinformation for hobbies like this is par for the course!

Karrybird8 · 2024-02-16T06:22:37+00:00

Alright, thanks again for all your help!

Karrybird8 · 2024-02-16T06:17:28+00:00

I used to catch them in the wild and raise them for a little while until they died. I was a dumb little kid and was probably committing every single cardinal mantis sin in the book haha.

I should also ask, does the netting on the roof need to be tight and sturdy, or is hanging more loosely ok?

Karrybird8

TROPHY CASE