Poecilotheria metallica doesn't hide

[Megaphobeman]

Hey guys
As I've mentioned in the title, I have a 5" P. metallica female that's kinda weird. She hasn't been a regular eater for about 1.5 years. She also doesn't hide in her cork tube. she's always running like crazy when she see's light but that's not enough for her to hide in her tube, she prefers to cramp up in between the cork tube and the terrarium wall.
Right now, I've covered her enclosure with a black coat because she need to fat up, she molted like three weeks ago and she's still super skinny.
I've been keeping Ts for years and I've never had such a particular specimen like her.

 

[EtienneN]

That sounds logical to give her a dark place to recuperate after her moult. In my experience they can have vastly different behaviors between moults. For example, mine never once used her hide that’s in her enclosure for a whole whopping two years. Then she moulted not too long ago and loves that thing like it’s a mansion in the Hamptons. I’d try giving her something particularly enticing like a hornworm. Mine loves them and I give one about every 6-8 weeks. What I want to do is get one to successfully pupate and then watch her catch the moth.

 

[viper69]

Not hiding-- consider yourself fortunate so you can see the BLUE.

 

[Megaphobeman]

That sounds logical to give her a dark place to recuperate after her moult. In my experience they can have vastly different behaviors between moults. For example, mine never once used her hide that’s in her enclosure for a whole whopping two years. Then she moulted not too long ago and loves that thing like it’s a mansion in the Hamptons. I’d try giving her something particularly enticing like a hornworm. Mine loves them and I give one about every 6-8 weeks. What I want to do is get one to successfully pupate and then watch her catch the moth.

Yeah, I know their behavior changes through moults, but I'm kinda worried about her being so strange. She used to ate a lot, then fattened up and didn't molt for almost 2 years (she's only 11 cm right now). Then she didn't hide like anywhere but she's really sensible with light. She perceives light and start running like crazy. And I'm not sure of how good she's been eating these days.
That's why I keep it inside a dark box, at least till she fat's up a little.

Not hiding-- consider yourself fortunate so you can see the BLUE.

Yeah, she's a really awesome spider but I can't enjoy see her eat o web. I think that at least seeing your T's eating is one of the most rewarding thing of being a hobbyist.

 

[jayefbe]

I currently have or have owned almost every pokie species in the hobby, and P. metallica seem to be much more high strung than the others. The light sensitivity seems to be typical for them. Mine will sit out in the open, but any sign of light or movement and they’re racing around the enclosure.

The super long wait before a molt seems really odd though. I’ve never had a pokie take anywhere close to that long. It sounds like you’ve got a particularly odd one.

 

[viper69]

I currently have or have owned almost every pokie species in the hobby, and P. metallica seem to be much more high strung than the others. The light sensitivity seems to be typical for them. Mine will sit out in the open, but any sign of light or movement and they’re racing around the enclosure.

The super long wait before a molt seems really odd though. I’ve never had a pokie take anywhere close to that long. It sounds like you’ve got a particularly odd one.

They are the most high strung of the genus. Your experience is consistent with what we know of them.

 

[Teal]

They are the most high strung of the genus. Your experience is consistent with what we know of them.

My P. met slings are certainly high strung and do a few laps before hiding when disturbed, but my adult female is by far one of my calmest Ts. She sits in the open on the side of her ExoTerra, and seems to enjoy a bit of sunbathing - when light from the window reaches a corner of her enclosure she will move into it. I have never seen her bolt/move quickly except to catch food and she comes to the door of her tank to be fed.

My subfusca LL is absolutely my most skittish Pokie, followed by my rufilata and then the P. met slings. My regalis doesn't have a care in the world haha

 

[viper69]

My P. met slings are certainly high strung and do a few laps before hiding when disturbed, but my adult female is by far one of my calmest Ts. She sits in the open on the side of her ExoTerra, and seems to enjoy a bit of sunbathing - when light from the window reaches a corner of her enclosure she will move into it. I have never seen her bolt/move quickly except to catch food and she comes to the door of her tank to be fed.

My subfusca LL is absolutely my most skittish Pokie, followed by my rufilata and then the P. met slings. My regalis doesn't have a care in the world haha

Yeah regalis are great for handling

 

[Teal]

Yeah regalis are great for handling

No way, P. mets are way better! You have to be able to show off the BLUE.

 

[SuzukiSwift]

Fully grown P. ornata best for handling confirmed =P

 

[EtienneN]

My girl must be a weirdo because she’s oblivious to light in the room and is definitely pretty calm. She’s only threat posed once or twice in eight years of having her.

 

[viper69]

My girl must be a weirdo because she’s oblivious to light in the room and is definitely pretty calm. She’s only threat posed once or twice in eight years of having her.

Good, don’t get complacent

 

[SonsofArachne]

She also doesn't hide in her cork tube

Mine wouldn't use a tube either, so I switched to cork flats that close off one back corner. She's much happier now, often sitting out near the flats.

 

[jayefbe]

My girl must be a weirdo because she’s oblivious to light in the room and is definitely pretty calm. She’s only threat posed once or twice in eight years of having her.

I’ve only had a pokie threat pose once, and it was a big P. ornata shortly after breeding her. How often are people getting threat poses from their pokies?

 

[SuzukiSwift]

I’ve only had a pokie threat pose once, and it was a big P. ornata shortly after breeding her. How often are people getting threat poses from their pokies?

I’ve never had a threat pose from any of mine

 

[Gogyeng]

Ornata and Rufilata are the most defensive imho and will stand their ground if molested

 

[Vanisher]

Not hiding-- consider yourself fortunate so you can see the BLUE.

He has a P metallica that doesnt hide, and i have a P atrichomatus that is a pethole! What is the world coming too!

 

[sourpatchkid]

That particular spot might be warmer than the rest of her enclosure. It could be getting some sunlight from the windows.

 

[Megaphobeman]

That particular spot might be warmer than the rest of her enclosure. It could be getting some sunlight from the windows.

In my T's enclosure? There is not even a window or a heatpad near the enclosure. It tends to be really warm inside my house even in winter! So I have no clue on why on earth my T doesn't hide haha

 

[MetalMan2004]

Just enjoy that you see it plenty!

They all have different personalities. My subfusca hides the most but my rufilata is out the vast majority of the time. Ornatas are still slings so can’t comment too much on that. Metallicas (when I had them) were somewhere in the middle.