A geniculata very skittish and defensive

[jsteelo]

I just bought a white knee and it’s very skittish/ defensive. I know this is normal every spider has its own personality but mine gets extremely agitated very easily. If i move/touch its enclosure at all it starts flicking hairs. If I pour water in its bowl it kicks hairs and throws defensive poses. If I open the lid he kicks hairs and starts running. He’s fine if I leave it alone he just sits around like Ts do but any interaction comes with hairs kicked. I Just bought it a few days ago but have kept it in the same enclosure i plan on moving it soon they had nothing inside of it only substrate in which he made a little burrow. It’s about 2.5-3in long including legs. Does anyone else have experience with this species? Would a hide help? I bother him as little as possible just something I noticed. I’ve never had a t this defensive before I have a c versicolor and b albiceps and they are super chill so it’s a little change for he as well

 

[Introvertebrate]

Every tarantula should have a hide. The only time my genic kicked hairs is when I rehoused her. There are less "invasive" ways to intervene. Maybe add a little trap door instead of removing the whole lid. A hole just big enough to throw a feeder in. On some other Ts, I'll add water to the bowl with a little hypodermic syringe. I can poke it in through an air hole.

 

[jsteelo]

Every tarantula should have a hide. The only time my genic kicked hairs is when I rehoused her. There are less "invasive" ways to intervene. Maybe add a little trap door instead of removing the whole lid. A hole just big enough to throw a feeder in. On some other Ts, I'll add water to the bowl with a little hypodermic syringe. I can poke it in through an air hole.

Yes I know. I planned on giving her a hide anyway when i rehoused I just meant maybe it would help her chill. She has a burrow anyway so it’s not urgent. The enclosure they had her in at the store is a little too small and they gave her nothing except substrate not even a water dish. Eh when i get the new enclosure I won’t be able to make any holes. It will be hard plastic. I was interested to know if a lot of geniculatas are like this or if mine is over the top. I know they’re aggressive feeders and can be bold but she is straight crazy lol my other ts couldn’t be calmer so it’s a change for me

 

[ladyratri]

I don't have a Genic (yet) but one of my T's that I bought at adult size was much, MUCH more defensive in the bare pet store container, and once rehoused into an appropriate setup with places to hide, she almost always hides rather than throw a threat pose.

 

[jsteelo]

I don't have a Genic (yet) but one of my T's that I bought at adult size was much, MUCH more defensive in the bare pet store container, and once rehoused into an appropriate setup with places to hide, she almost always hides rather than throw a threat pose.

Yeah makes sense. He has a good burrow but I’m def getting a better set up soon. Right now he’s just kind of angry lol but eats very well it’s fun to watch. I’ve been reading they like to flick hairs and be fiesty it’s like 50/50 some are chill some aren’t

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

Yeah makes sense. He has a good burrow but I’m def getting a better set up soon. Right now he’s just kind of angry lol but eats very well it’s fun to watch. I’ve been reading they like to flick hairs and be fiesty it’s like 50/50 some are chill some aren’t

did you buy the store container ?
Mines still too small it hasn’t kicked at all, it runs and hides .

 

[jsteelo]

did you buy the store container ?
Mines still too small it hasn’t kicked at all, it runs and hides .
[/QUOTE no I didn’t buy a container from the store he’s inside of the container I bought him in he was already in this plastic cup. He’s about 3in long including legs. They can kick hairs at any stage also but the smaller they are the less likely it is to do anything it won’t be like a big cloud. Mine has threat posed hissed kicked hairs he’s a little menace lol but I guess that’s normal for this species

 

[IntermittentSygnal]

Mine is pretty chill except when cupped. He has lots of places to hide though. One thing to note, to a genic everything is food until discovered otherwise. That intense prey drive may be some of what you are seeing? When you say you have a hard plastic box that you can’t drill holes in, what type of ventilation will it have?

 

[Stu Macher]

Do you have any pictures of the enclosure? Usually you can solve alot of issues by that alone.

Before doing cage maintenance you can try to toss a cricket in.

 

[Charliemum]

Yes I know. I planned on giving her a hide anyway when i rehoused I just meant maybe it would help her chill. She has a burrow anyway so it’s not urgent. The enclosure they had her in at the store is a little too small and they gave her nothing except substrate not even a water dish. Eh when i get the new enclosure I won’t be able to make any holes. It will be hard plastic. I was interested to know if a lot of geniculatas are like this or if mine is over the top. I know they’re aggressive feeders and can be bold but she is straight crazy lol my other ts couldn’t be calmer so it’s a change for me

All t's will be defensive like this if improperly housed, that's a fact of life. Sounds to me like your t has no cover and no space hence why they are so defensive, if your t was comfortable they would bolt to the hide not out the viv.
Give your t a bigger viv with a hide some decor plastic plants work well with genic room to dig (just incase) and a large water dish (mine drink often) and your t should calm down.

Shops often keep t's with a bare minimum, it isn't good for the t but it's cheap n shops want a profit, soon as you get that new viv rehouse ASAP and I guarantee you your genic will calm down once they settle n make themselves at home .

Ps welcome to the Geniculata cult club .

 

[viper69]

Get a hide

BTW all Ts are unique just like humans, some are rapists and serial killers and some aren’t !!

 

[jsteelo]

I

Mine is pretty chill except when cupped. He has lots of places to hide though. One thing to note, to a genic everything is food until discovered otherwise. That intense prey drive may be some of what you are seeing? When you say you have a hard plastic box that you can’t drill holes in, what type of ventilation will it have?

said I am buying a new enclosure that is plastic. It has cross ventilation holes already built into it. Genics like to be out in the open anyway mine does have a place to hide just not an artificial one as I just bought him he has a pretty good burrow

 

[jsteelo]

All t's will be defensive like this if improperly housed, that's a fact of life. Sounds to me like your t has no cover and no space hence why they are so defensive, if your t was comfortable they would bolt to the hide not out the viv.
Give your t a bigger viv with a hide some decor plastic plants work well with genic room to dig (just incase) and a large water dish (mine drink often) and your t should calm down.

Shops often keep t's with a bare minimum, it isn't good for the t but it's cheap n shops want a profit, soon as you get that new viv rehouse ASAP and I guarantee you your genic will calm down once they settle n make themselves at home .

Ps welcome to the Geniculata cult club .

I know what they should have Its only like that rn cuz I just got my t from the shop. It’s built a decent burrow so it has a place to hide it doesn’t bolt out of the enclosure it just runs around I’m still going to get it a hide and stuff but I think my t is Just feisty

 

[Charliemum]

I know what they should have Its only like that rn cuz I just got my t from the shop. It’s built a decent burrow so it has a place to hide it doesn’t bolt out of the enclosure it just runs around I’m still going to get it a hide and stuff but I think my t is Just feisty

Fair enough I wasn't criticising btw I read you just got little one but I still think once you rehouse and give your floofer space n a proper set up you will notice a difference in their behaviour.

You could be right though some t's are sassy regardless..... looking at you Andrew .

 

[Arachnophobphile]

I just bought a white knee and it’s very skittish/ defensive. I know this is normal every spider has its own personality but mine gets extremely agitated very easily. If i move/touch its enclosure at all it starts flicking hairs. If I pour water in its bowl it kicks hairs and throws defensive poses. If I open the lid he kicks hairs and starts running. He’s fine if I leave it alone he just sits around like Ts do but any interaction comes with hairs kicked. I Just bought it a few days ago but have kept it in the same enclosure i plan on moving it soon they had nothing inside of it only substrate in which he made a little burrow. It’s about 2.5-3in long including legs. Does anyone else have experience with this species? Would a hide help? I bother him as little as possible just something I noticed. I’ve never had a t this defensive before I have a c versicolor and b albiceps and they are super chill so it’s a little change for he as well

The biggest thing with A. geniculata is their prey drive. Like most NW terrestrials that are ready to eat and will snatch a feeder up the genic takes it to another level. I have a 9 inch mature male and when he was younger he literally went airborne snatching a 2 inch roach out of the air before it ever hit the ground, was impressive.

I got him at .5 inches and in all this time never had a threat pose or front legs cocked half up to grab. Only when he matured will he kick UrS if I spend too long cleaning up a bolus or cleaning his waterdish. It's always the same. He realizes I'm disturbing his territory and it's not prey. He goes into a stress pose, pulling his legs over his carapace. That's my indicator to wrap it up. If I don't he starts kicking rapidly.

This is mine and his behavior is his. Others can be different obviously.

Two things come to mind with yours. Enclosure is not setup correctly where it has a safe place to hide. Could be just it's behavior but then you do not know how it was treated from where you acquired it. Maybe it was handled and handled too much. Tarantulas are not to be handled for their safety and they do not want to be handled as it is.

I urge you to contact the seller to try and get more background information since this is a bigger individual not a small sling. You may not get anything from the seller or they might share some info but either way it wouldn't hurt to ask.

 

[jsteelo]

The biggest thing with A. geniculata is their prey drive. Like most NW terrestrials that are ready to eat and will snatch a feeder up the genic takes it to another level. I have a 9 inch mature male and when he was younger he literally went airborne snatching a 2 inch roach out of the air before it ever hit the ground, was impressive.

I got him at .5 inches and in all this time never had a threat pose or front legs cocked half up to grab. Only when he matured will he kick UrS if I spend too long cleaning up a bolus or cleaning his waterdish. It's always the same. He realizes I'm disturbing his territory and it's not prey. He goes into a stress pose, pulling his legs over his carapace. That's my indicator to wrap it up. If I don't he starts kicking rapidly.

This is mine and his behavior is his. Others can be different obviously.

Two things come to mind with yours. Enclosure is not setup correctly where it has a safe place to hide. Could be just it's behavior but then you do not know how it was treated from where you acquired it. Maybe it was handled and handled too much. Tarantulas are not to be handled for their safety and they do not want to be handled as it is.

I urge you to contact the seller to try and get more background information since this is a bigger individual not a small sling. You may not get anything from the seller or they might share some info but either way it wouldn't hurt to ask.

Thanks for your input. I got him from jabberwock reptiles they are known for being pretty good and respectable it’s a reptile store. He’s not too big prob 2.5 in including legs. He was in a little container for a while probably about 4in with no hide half of that was substrate not to much room to burrow I added more substrate and he made a decent little place to hide I just ordered his new enclosure with a hide. I’m decently experienced with spiders I have 7 atm I used to have more but in that time I’ve never had one so feisty. Hoping its new enclosure will make her feel safer. I believe she’s a female if that makes any difference. I don’t handle my spiders often def don’t plan to with her it’s just a little change for me the ts i have atm are super calm esp my b albiceps which I do handle occasionally like if I have to go in his enclosure he’s never showed any signs of distress towards me. We’ll see what happens when everything’s Set up she’s definitely an aggressive eater

 

[Arachnophobphile]

Thanks for your input. I got him from jabberwock reptiles they are known for being pretty good and respectable it’s a reptile store. He’s not too big prob 2.5 in including legs. He was in a little container for a while probably about 4in with no hide half of that was substrate not to much room to burrow I added more substrate and he made a decent little place to hide I just ordered his new enclosure with a hide. I’m decently experienced with spiders I have 7 atm I used to have more but in that time I’ve never had one so feisty. Hoping its new enclosure will make her feel safer. I believe she’s a female if that makes any difference. I don’t handle my spiders often def don’t plan to with her it’s just a little change for me the ts i have atm are super calm esp my b albiceps which I do handle occasionally like if I have to go in his enclosure he’s never showed any signs of distress towards me. We’ll see what happens when everything’s Set up she’s definitely an aggressive eater

Unless you sex the molt it's just a guessing game on it's gender.

Reptile stores whether physical locations or online are not as reputable as one might think. I would contact them to try and get more background information on your genic.

I highly urge you not to handle your T's. You can handle them 10 to 20 times and never have an issue for example. Then on the next attempt it might bolt up you then launch itself to the ground and go splat. It's only my advice and I'm well aware people are going to do what they want.

There's been so many post here on AB of that actually happening to those that handled their tarantulas.

There's only four immediate threats from handling most NW T's. One, bolt off the keeper and falling rupturing their abdomen, a death sentence. Two, bolting and escaping without ever being found. Three, getting bit which requires immediate sanitizing of the wound to avoid infection. Four, getting UrS, (urticating setae) in your eyes and respiratory system for those NW's that possess them.

There's a fifth in regards to Theraphosa genus like T. blondi. They are large and strong enough as adults with the largest fangs that when they bite can severe tendons in a human requiring surgery.

 

[Brewser]

Provide Hides for a Safe Retreat from Danger.
Congratulations on Majestical A geniculata.
Be sure to post some pics when Rehoused and "Settled In"
Best Regards to Genie & You,