Actually Aggressive (not just overly defensive)?

[Insects Glorify God]

I have read/heard about a lot of Ts that are instantly defensive at any moment/movement but is there such a thing a species that will "charge" at the disturbance with the intent to bite?

For example, although I don't have one, it seems pretty safe to say from what I have come across that any OBT (Pterinochilus murinus) is going to be defensive once you open their enclosure. Has anyone had one actually come towards the tongs that are pulling out the dead crickets or topping of its water dish from the other side of the cage?

Thanks for sharing any of your experiences/insights.

 

[EtienneN]

Well even if a T "charges" during cage maintenance it still does so as a result of defending its territory, it wouldn't be doing so because it is 'aggressive'. This is why a lot of keepers of old worlds simply pop a cup over the spider before taking the lid of the cage off. Most OWs are more of the 'stand and fight' aka threat posture type. They don't expend energy unless absolutely necessary.

 

[viper69]

I have read/heard about a lot of Ts that are instantly defensive at any moment/movement but is there such a thing a species that will "charge" at the disturbance with the intent to bite?

For example, although I don't have one, it seems pretty safe to say from what I have come across that any OBT (Pterinochilus murinus) is going to be defensive once you open their enclosure. Has anyone had one actually come towards the tongs that are pulling out the dead crickets or topping of its water dish from the other side of the cage?

Thanks for sharing any of your experiences/insights.

Everything you describe is defensive. Ts do not go out of their way looking for trouble, unlike their stupid human owners.

 

[CJJon]

Well even if a T "charges" during cage maintenance it still does so as a result of defending its territory, it wouldn't be doing so because it is 'aggressive'. This is why a lot of keepers of old worlds simply pop a cup over the spider before taking the lid of the cage off. Most OWs are more of the 'stand and fight' aka threat posture type. They don't expend energy unless absolutely necessary.

I'm trying to figure out how one pops a cup over a spider without taking the lid off the enclosure first? I'd love to be able to do that...

 

[Vanessa]

Tarantulas do not possess aggression. Their reactions are driven by hunger and the need to defend themselves against perceived threats - which we are and always will be. Reactions can go from mild to extreme, but they are still not aggression. The difference between defensiveness and aggression is not how strong the reaction is, but the reason behind the reaction.

 

[basin79]

An aggressive tarantula doesn't exist.

 

[Insects Glorify God]

Thank you all for your replies! I was thinking from what I had come across that they are only defensive (not offensive) but I wanted to ask to make sure I hadn't missed anything.

 

[basin79]

Thank you all for your replies! I was thinking from what I had come across that they are only defensive (not offensive) but I wanted to ask to make sure I hadn't missed anything.

It's usually those who don't own a tarantula or might be new to keeping 1 that usually sees their defensive behaviour as aggressive. It's only when you break down the interaction you get the answer. And I appreciate this is as cheesy as a soap opera but it's the easiest way of explaining things simply.

Them: Woah!!!!!! Look how aggressive that tarantula is!!!!!!!!!!

Me: Why do you think the tarantula is being aggressive?

Them: The tarantula came out for you. Look at the fangs!!!!!

Me: The tarantula came out to a MASSIVE animal (the human) that could potentially be a predator and made itself look big and intimidating to try to scare it off and not get eaten.

Them: That's still aggression. That tarantula wanted to fight.

Me: No. The tarantula absolutely didn't want to fight. The tarantula was calm before I opened the enclosure. Didn't have a care in the world until I decided to interact by getting the cricket remains out/filling the water dish etcetera.

Also there's sadly a trend on youtube probably Facebook to use titles for videos like "My tarantula wants to kill me", "Feeding my most aggressive tarantula" or "Feeding the devil, this tarantula hates me". You get the idea.

 

[jcmbibb311]

One thing I always have to remember is that no animal is necessarily “aggressive” towards any human. Think of it like this, when a wasp dive bombs you, is it coming after you and targeting YOU specifically? That’s not likely. what’s more likely is you came off as a threat to that animal and it is trying to protect and defend itself and it’s nest. This goes for any animal you encounter, especially tarantulas. We are a lot bigger than they are, and for many of them the only way to combat that is by defending their ground the best that they can.

 

[Garth Vader]

My Nhandu chromatus (Sophia Beetlejuice) often throws up a threat pose when I offer food, more water, etc. She's a grump. She holds her threat pose for a long time too. I could do a time lapse video and it would look like a photograph, she just holds it for like 32 minutes or so.

It seems that she startles easily and is defending her territory. She doesn't understand that I am there to just help out and offer her mealworms and water. If I am very gentle and slow with maintenance, she doesn't seem to notice. So I try to be very, very quiet and not disturb her very much. OR I DEAL WITH HER WRATH.

 

[CJJon]

One thing I always have to remember is that no animal is necessarily “aggressive” towards any human.

Totally disagree. Tarantulas, yes. Other higher-order animals, no way.

 

[Insects Glorify God]

Thanks for the "soap opera" illustration. While I currently own 1 T (my first), I was thinking that the responses people get were just that- responses. Yes, I agree, the titles on YouTube and Facebook do make the Ts sound worse than they are. Not that they don't require caution and planning before entry but they aren't out to get us the second the cage opens.

I have found that snakes are the same way. If you put your hand in their enclosure, you "could" get bit. It's not because they want to kill you or derive pleasure out of making you bleed. Depending on your approach, they simply perceive you as a threat or think your hand looks like food. The only time I was ever bit by one of my snakes was when I was in a hurry and neglected my usual precautions. It was totally MY fault and understandable.

Thanks for insight and wish me luck on my next T purchase? I love my pink toe and can't wait to get another one of God's amazing inverts!

 

[jcmbibb311]

Totally disagree. Tarantulas, yes. Other higher-order animals, no way.

You’re right. I guess what I mean is that a lot of aggression from any animal still seems to be fueled in many ways by defensiveness, for whatever reason that may be. However, saying every animal wasn’t the right choice of words.

 

[Vanessa]

NP.

 

[cold blood]

If they come forward, its a feeding response, not agression.....when someone gets chased around the house or down the street by one, then we can start calling them agressive....till then, its defensive.

ne thing I always have to remember is that no animal is necessarily “aggressive” towards any human.

Yeah, there are plenty of mammals and even a few reptiles like crocs which can be absolutely agressive...heck, many could easily dispatch a human, some can even hunt humans.

My Nhandu chromatus (Sophia Beetlejuice) often throws up a threat pose when I offer food, more water, etc. She's a grump. She holds her threat pose for a long time too. I could do a time lapse video and it would look like a photograph, she just holds it for like 32 minutes or so.

It seems that she startles easily and is defending her territory. She doesn't understand that I am there to just help out and offer her mealworms and water. If I am very gentle and slow with maintenance, she doesn't seem to notice. So I try to be very, very quiet and not disturb her very much. OR I DEAL WITH HER WRATH.

I warned you about that one....ive never seen a chromatus quite like her....lol. Shes defininitely one to keep the fingers away from...hehe.

 

[DomGom TheFather]

I'm trying to figure out how one pops a cup over a spider without taking the lid off the enclosure first? I'd love to be able to do that...

sometimes I use cling wrap or foil to cover a small opening for tongs if I have a crazy bolty spider. You can push the tongs through and do what you have to do. But a cup? Even with the cling wrap you have to have the enclosure open at some point.

 

[EtienneN]

I just crack the lid and sometimes employ the cling wrap/foil method as mentioned above. I really like Tom Moran's 2 litre coke bottle top method so that the cup is A) big enough to fit over your spider and you can B touch the tarantula on the legs with a paintbrush with the cup as a sort of "shield".

 

[basin79]

Cling film an enclosure's opening to poke tongs though?

Is that really a thing? Why is that a thing?

 

[Garth Vader]

I warned you about that one....ive never seen a chromatus quite like her....lol. Shes defininitely one to keep the fingers away from...hehe.

You know I'm not complaining. I think she's delightful and I love her feistiness.