Aggressive Chilean rose

[Overmenneske]

Hello everyone! I'm new to this forum, and kind of new to the hobby.

My latest Grammostola Rosea seems to be quite defensive. Sometimes when I change the water or something she suddenly almost jumps and behaves in an apparently aggressive manner. When I tried to pick her up, she attempted to turn around. (To bite me maybe?) A few seconds after I gave up and removed my hand, she litterally jumped around appearantly quite mad.

Is there any way to "tame" her? Will she bite when she turns around, or is it just me? Any tips anyone?

Last: How often should I change everything in her closure? (substrate, clean walls etc.)

 

[metzgerzoo]

Rosies can be tempermental. Usually if they are going to actually bite, they will give you a threat display first. Most rosies will flick hair in lue of biting (although someone apparently forgot to tell mine that). If you've only had her a short time, it might be best to leave her be for a while so she can settle in. As far as complete house cleaning goes, so long as you clean up after them when they are done eating and doing their business, you shouldn't have to change out the entire substrate but every 6 months or so. While it can be possible to familarize(sp?) a T with being handled, you can not "tame" them. They respond and react on instinct. How exactly are you trying to pick her up anyway?

 

[Overmenneske]

A guy once told me that the carapace grip (between the two middle leg-pairs) was the best method, so that's how i did it. I now see that herding it onto the hand might be the best method, but has she maybe already demonstrated that handling is not OK?

 

[Kali]

I bought my boyfriend a crabby rosie, and she settled down eventually. Give it some time to acclimate to its new home before handling. Our rosie will not walk neatly onto your hand, put must be on another surface outside of her enclosure before she will allow handling. Good luck!

Kristin

 

[Overmenneske]

I got her January 1st, and she is 14 years old. But the enclosure was included, so she is still living in the same environment she grew up in.

 

[cricket54]

Mine is tempermental and not one that will ever allow
me to hold her. She has attacked the cup I was
using once to pour water into her dish. It wasn't
right away though, not till after she had touched
the cup with her feet a couple times. At least she
moves slower so I can avoid any confrontataions.
I just don't want to take any chances. She doesn't
like to be touched and I'm sure it would upset her,
maybe she would turn aound and bite if I kept
trying so I don't. When I have had her in my hand,
her hairs were irritating. I took some benedryl and
washed them, but it took a while for the burning
to stop. I am afraid to try and get her to crawl
into my hand because she could bite.Don't keep
trying to often and stress her out.
Sharon

 

[RugbyDave]

hallo over! welcome to the boards.

check this thread from last year

http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?s=&threadid=9223&highlight=rosea+bitch

hej hej
dave

 

[DnKslr]

Our rosie will not walk neatly onto your hand, put must be on another surface outside of her enclosure before she will allow handling. Good luck!

Mine is this way also. It will calm down considerably if it's outside the tank. She will not let me pick her up or even touch her in the tank. If it try to touch her, she turns and faces me every time and spreads her fangs. She won't strike out of the blue but will show me a threat display with the legs getting higher and higher until she finally has enough. Usually, once her legs start to rise, I slide a spatula under her from the front and lift. Her legs are dangling over the side and she immediately calms down so I can set her anywhere.

 

[jesses]

Originally posted by overmenneske
Hello everyone! I'm new to this forum, and kind of new to the hobby.

My latest Grammostola Rosea seems to be quite defensive. Sometimes when I change the water or something she suddenly almost jumps and behaves in an apparently aggressive manner. When I tried to pick her up, she attempted to turn around. (To bite me maybe?) A few seconds after I gave up and removed my hand, she litterally jumped around appearantly quite mad.

Is there any way to "tame" her? Will she bite when she turns around, or is it just me? Any tips anyone?

Last: How often should I change everything in her closure? (substrate, clean walls etc.)

Most of my Tarantulas react to me moving things around their enclosure. Some of mine will assume that anything is moving is food, attack first and ask questions later. Once they realize that it isn't food, they'll back off a little.

I don't know what "attempted to turn around" means, but my two Roseas always want to face toward whatever is moving, making vibrations, or touching them. Example if I tap my Roseas on the back leg, they will probably turn around to see whats back there.

There is no way to tame a Tarantula, but their behavior can change over time.

Also, if you are messing with your Tarantula, and you get a threat display, that does not make your Tarantula agressive, it makes your Tarantula SMART.