# Nhandu Chromatus Temperament



## Lennie Collins (Oct 7, 2008)

I am in the process of buying a 5 Inch Female Nhandu Chromatus and the seller I plan on buying from stated that she is very handleable. Also the dealer here in Austin, Texas stated that they are handleable. I have a 5 Inch Nhandu Vulpinus and 6 Inch Nhandu Coloratovillasus that I handle (_they are still itchy even though they __don't kick off their hairs_) and I have read that these are the most defensive ones from this family of tarantulas. I handle my tarantulas very seldom now because most are "used' to me handling them now so it's not I am going to handle her everyday. I decided to stay away from the more potent venom tarantulas and this one caught my eye. For those who handle theirs...your input is well appreciated!:clap:

Reactions: Face Palm 1


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## Fender Bender (Oct 7, 2008)

Lennie Collins said:


> I am in the process of buying a 5 Inch Female Nhandu Chromatus and the seller I plan on buying from stated that she is very handleable. Also the dealer here in Austin, Texas stated that they are handleable. I have a 5 Inch Nhandu Vulpinus and 6 Inch Nhandu Coloratovillasus that I handle (_they are still itchy even though they __don't kick off their hairs_) and I have read that these are the most defensive ones from this family of tarantulas. I handle my tarantulas very seldom now because most are "used' to me handling them now so it's not I am going to handle her everyday. I decided to stay away from the more potent venom tarantulas and this one caught my eye. For those who handle theirs...your input is well appreciated!:clap:


Well, I don't know if I'm much help to you since I don't handle my T's  
But I have a fully grown female N.chromatus and she's an absolute sweetheart. She's quite skittish, but she never really puts up a fight or anything. Every time I had to cup her for rehousing or big maintenance jobs she was an absolute joy to work with (she would always do exactly what I wanted her to do, walk into the cup without a fuzz  ). I wouldn't go as far as saying this species is as docile as a Grammostola or a Brachypelma, but mine is quite the pushover lol

Just my experience with the species


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## Zoltan (Oct 7, 2008)

I have a mature female, and she always goes into threat posture whenever something that is not food (which is usually a pair of tweezers) gets near her, sometimes she climbs onto the objects in the enclosure and shows threat poses from there (to appear bigger and more scary, I presume). And of course there's the hair kicking. On the other hand, she never attempted to bite so far. Personally I would not get my bare hands near any _Nhandu_ because I'm super sensitive to their hairs.


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## Paulie B (Oct 7, 2008)

Mine too rares up but thats about it.  She's OK and does not strike out..


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## HcUnderoath (Oct 7, 2008)

http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?t=136967

i believe nhandu has a huge variety of temperament i would c how aggressive/defensive he is before handling him


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## Lennie Collins (Oct 7, 2008)

HcUnderoath said:


> http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?t=136967
> 
> i believe nhandu has a huge variety of temperament i would c how aggressive/defensive he is before handling him


The seller stated that he has held them in "shows" and fellow dealer hold him in "awe" BUT he feels he has done nothing great. 3 of my tarantula show defensive behavior inside their enclosure BUT once they are out they are very calm. I basically started this thread to see if that "nasty" title given to these tarantulas are true. 2 dealers that handle them say that it is not true but more imput is welcome of course!


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## JayzunBoget (Oct 7, 2008)

All of the Nhandu chromatus that I have seen so far range from defensive to homicidal in temperament.
However I have read of others who have hand tamed chromatus. Hell, I've seen pics of people with hand tamed P. murinus or H. lividum, so I guess it just goes to show you never can tell.
I will say, however, with that species, if you don't know it's temperament, assume the worst till proven otherwise!

Reactions: Face Palm 1


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## HcUnderoath (Oct 7, 2008)

very true, not all T species have the same temperament, i recon it is true both ways and thats why i say they have a wide variety of temperament

but if he says shes calm and has been handled then i guess she is, all im sayin is c how they react first


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## 7mary3 (Oct 7, 2008)

I'd love to handle mine. She won't let me. She'd just as soon fang me as look at me. 

It does depend on the T, but I absolutely won't even try to handle mine. That says something since I've handled my P. irminia and my P. murinus.


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## barabootom (Oct 7, 2008)

I keep Nhandu coloratovillosus, vulpinus and chromatus.  I don't handle my T's but all three species are quite skittish.  I have a half dozen good sized juvies of each specie and a couple adult females of each specie.  In my opinion, coloratovillosus seems to me to be the most skittish, at least as juvies.  The adults seem very calm.  The only ones that go into a threat posture are my chromatus once in a while when I'm cleaning.   I have never had any of them strike trying to bite.  I wouldn't want to handle any of them, but if you have successfully handled coloratovillosus and vulpinus, you must be doing something right, and probably would have a similar experience with chromatus.  Good luck, and please post a bite report if you get tagged.


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## Fingolfin (Oct 7, 2008)

My chromatus is pretty non-handleable. Very defensive, as far as my new world T's go.


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## Arborealis (Oct 7, 2008)

My N. chromatus is extremely defensive as well. Goes into a threat pose as soon as I open the cage and strikes repeatedly at anything that comes near.


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## cabal (Oct 7, 2008)

If I am going to get tagged by any one of my T's it's going to my  N. chromatus female. She's just mad at the world and hates me


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## Lennie Collins (Oct 7, 2008)

barabootom said:


> I keep Nhandu coloratovillosus, vulpinus and chromatus.  I don't handle my T's but all three species are quite skittish.  I have a half dozen good sized juvies of each specie and a couple adult females of each specie.  In my opinion, coloratovillosus seems to me to be the most skittish, at least as juvies.  The adults seem very calm.  The only ones that go into a threat posture are my chromatus once in a while when I'm cleaning.   I have never had any of them strike trying to bite.  I wouldn't want to handle any of them, but if you have successfully handled coloratovillosus and vulpinus, you must be doing something right, and probably would have a similar experience with chromatus.  Good luck, and please post a bite report if you get tagged.


If I knew how to take a photo and posted on here I would to show you. I am not doing anything amazing. I lay my hand in front of them and they crawl on it. They sometimes act skittish and sometimes they just say forget and are calm! I have only been bitten once it and it was by a Stripped Knee (Ap. Seemani). My allergery injections give me more discomfort BUT I know the PAIN comes from the venom.


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## dtknow (Oct 8, 2008)

My female can be testy with threatposes but is not problem to simply pick up. And unlike a L. parahybana juvie I tried to ventral sex she doesn't try to bite when picked up and turned over. I even picked her up and took a male out of her fangs right after she nailed it and she could care less(gave it back to her after as it had been stabbed right through the carapace and was pretty much dead at that point).
She often runs for cover when I open the container with a snap, unlike say a Grammy where they won't move for much.


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## Mina (Oct 8, 2008)

I have 3 females of different sizes.  The largest is about 5 inches and is very skittish, she usually runs from her prey at first every time I feed her, then she settles down and eats.
The two smaller girls are both little speed rockets, the smaller more so.  The smallest one starts running high speed laps around the walls of her KK any time it is moved and she is about an inch, the 2 inch one usually dives for her hide.
I've never had any defensive behavior from any of them, but all of mine are super duper skittish.


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## ian robbins (Oct 8, 2008)

*I have full grown female...*

She will throw a threat posture but will not really do anything with it, all bark and no bite.

Not like a OBT or a Lividium, they mean business, My Nhandu just wants to be left alone, if I dont mess with her to much she just chills.

In my Opinion you cant labal a species as "handle-able" or- not; that will get you tagged, I would recomend you go by feel, if it feels like it wont bite you then hold it, however if it feels like to sharp pins just savaged your flesh then maybe you dont wanna hold'em that perticular day.

some species do have tendencies, but they are subject to humanitys ever changing persp[ectives, however seeing it for your self may be the only way to truly tell if the tree made noise when it hit the forest floor.

have fun!

-Ian


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## SkittishMe (Jun 7, 2013)

7mary3 said:


> I'd love to handle mine. She won't let me. She'd just as soon fang me as look at me.
> 
> It does depend on the T, but I absolutely won't even try to handle mine. That says something since I've handled my P. irminia and my P. murinus.


Funny how you mentioned those two. I think that the temperment of N Chromatus and P Irminia's are generally about the same. Between these two, I've seen zero threat postures, many speed bolts (Psalmos are very fast indeed and show it very often!), rare stress folds, very shy, rare defensiveness, but very rare agressiveness. They are both quite nice, but get spooked very easily. The Chromatus hairs seem to be very itchy and stingy compared to others like the Grammastola and Brachypelma genus. (elhFFF! :O)
But nothing on these two has ever even gone close to making me hesitate to handle them again (meaning the same exact individual spider). I don't encourage handling, I'm just sharing my experiences, and admit that I love to handle them often but try not to stress them.
Based on my individual experiences with handling these guys and actually with all tarantulas, they are a lot calmer if it has only been less than 3 days after feeding and handle them more often, or not tend to be so surprised your there.
But Yes, I think everyone on this forum has been completely accurate with treating individuals of any species with some level of caution with all situations, Specially if it loooves treats like Geniculata's do.


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## Tballs (May 15, 2014)

My 3.5 inch juvi is the most defensive T in my collection. It bites and flicks hairs and throws more        defence postures than my OBT, P.Regalis and P.Irminia combined. Mine is Definitely one I avoid handling Still a cool species though!


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