aggresive/deffensive.

[Malhavoc's]

Alot of species I've seen as no no touchers and "watch out its fast" I've now seen in handling picture so I must ask! What is a defensive tarantula and a aggresive tarantula. And even those G rosea's are supposed to be calm I know quite well from my own that they can and are far from it. so I ask a different question is it right to class an entire species as aggresive because mostly what I see is each and every tarantula has a personality of its own the ability to learn. To distinguish its owner and care person from others. and when I say personality I mean moods habbits hunting patterns testing paterns and even aggresive docile calm..

 

[Lopez]

I don't believe there is such a thing as an "aggressive" tarantula.
Over the last few months I have come to the conclusion that many tarantulas will act defensively if disturbed - it just depends on the individual spider. Not only that, but the time of day/year, all sorts of other factors. Remember, not many tarantulas surf the web looking for caresheets about themselves. They don't know if they are supposed to be defensive or docile. You'll often get a fang-gnashing, striking B vagans, or a docile and meek little H lividum.

One day I'll be able to scoop up my C fimbriatus and handle her for an age, the next she'll bare her fangs at me the instant I open the tank.
This is why, whenever I post "handling" pictures I generally post "Always guage your tarantulas mood before handling"
It's like they get different moods, just like any other animal.

 

[Mojo Jojo]

Ask a dozen crickets just dumped in with a hungry A. genic if A. genics are aggressive or not...;P

Jon

But seriously, here is Merriam Webster's definition of Aggression:

Pronunciation: &-'gre-sh&n
Function: noun
Etymology: Latin aggression-, aggressio attack, from aggredi to attack, from ad- + gradi to step, go -- more at GRADE
Date: 1611
1 : a forceful action or procedure (as an unprovoked attack) especially when intended to dominate or master
2 : the practice of making attacks or encroachments; especially : unprovoked violation by one country of the territorial integrity of another
3 : hostile, injurious, or destructive behavior or outlook especially when caused by frustration

Depending how you look at it, some spiders such at P. muninus could possibly be considered aggressive by the third definition. You annoyed them with your presence and now they are aiming a shot gun at you.

Jon

 

[Code Monkey]

The term aggressive is a bit of a political landmine in the more experienced T community. There is a school of thought, that I don't put much stock in, that feels that 'aggressive' is misleading and confusing to the newbies and public. And I guess to a degree it is since you're asking this question. OTOH, splittling all tarantulas into either defensive or docile is no better in my opinion.

BD makes a good point in that, in spite of the claims, most defensive tarantulas are 'aggressive' according to the 3rd definition, but the detractors always cite the 'unprovoked' clause of the first 2 for why it's a bad word. Personally, like the screaming over trying to point out that certain groups of Ts probably have "hot" venom, I worry that a lot of people are more worried about the reputation of the tarantulas themselves than the welfare of potential owners.

But, even I got sick of the conflict over nomenclature and now just call all the "feisty" species 'defensive'. It's a moot issue anyhow. The newbie isn't familiar enough with this war of words or the species themselves to be doing anything more than learning that 'defensive' or 'aggressive' equals a "mean" T, and by the time they do know enough to differentiate and understand you could call their behaviors anything you wanted.

Besides, as was pointed out, there are always exceptions and variance even within individuals.

 

[esmoot]

Originally posted by Big Dragonfly

Depending how you look at it, some spiders such at P. muninus could possibly be considered aggressive by the third definition. You annoyed them with your presence and now they are aiming a shot gun at you.

Jon

I would be aggressive if someone shook my house and then took the roof off. If that happend tonight the offender would be looking down a barrel of a 7 shot 357 magnum S&W 686+ 3".

 

[Immortal_sin]

it's really difficult territory here! I think there are definately species that most individual Ts are more defensive/aggressive then others. There is always an exception to the rule though, as was already pointed out.
I think it IS confusing to a newbie, hell, it's confusing to me sometimes
I would just state there are species that are best kept by more experienced keepers, and there are species that are better suited to a newcomer to the hobby. Nothing is written in stone though.
I've seen people start out in the hobby with an Usambara, and do just fine. Conversly, there are folks that think 'G rosea, it must be a lamb' and find out they got one of the psycho ones
This is what makes the hobby so fascinating IMO.

 

[Phillip]

While I agree with CM for the most part being one of the folks who doesn't care for the aggressive label my reasoning behind it is this. I feel that defensive best describes it simply due to the fact that if left alone they have no intent to harm humans.

That being said though I will admit that some species when they feel threatened can become quite fiesty indeed.

Phil

 

[Hamadryad]

Personality changes in spiders


What I would like to know is what triggers a behavioral change in a formerly docile and tractable spider and turns it into a defensive ready-to-bite one? I have two G.rosea that were gentle as lambs a couple of years ago,but now they are very reactive and ready to bite - their personalities have completely altered!!! one of them I tested with the rubberized handle of a screwdriver and she sank her fangs into it and was literally dripping venom on the handle!!! I lifted her completely off the substrate this way - if she could, she would have been growling like a pitbull.No more kisses for her you know???

Actually the only spider I have that is handleable is my big female Chaco Golden Stripe...she has always been a totally mellow and easygoing spider.But those Rosehairs...watch out for them...they will turn on you in a second!!!

The Evil Spider Hunter

 

[Phillip]

I have seen previously calm Ts reach the point of rearing up and even lashing out at the tongs but IME they can be walked onto the hand just as they were from day one. Then again this can be done with Ts that are always touchy but the point I'm getting at is I believe that some if not most of the time these things happen it is simply the T being startled and acting accordingly. Similar to the versi that's reared up in another thread. I have seen avics do this but they have yet to offer to bite me despite being handled while they are trying to scare me away.

Phil