Aggressive-docile

[jonikniemi]

Ive been thinking this topic alot becouse Ive have been asked many times that what is a good beginners tarantula. I always anwser that there are some guidelines what species are docile and what are more aggressive ones. So I thought that lets every hobbyist make a list of tarantulas that they own and tell the characteristic of all of them. All spiders are individuals and I have had "docile" species like brachys that are insane and the other way around also.

My list:
-Avicularia urticans: Super docile
-Avicularia metallica: Super docile
-Brachypelma hamorii ×2: other one was docile but the other one was one of the most aggressive spidey I have ever owned.
-Brachypelma albopilosum: Super docile
-Caribena versicolor ×??(many): Super docile all of them.
-Davus pentaloris: Super docile
-Grammostola actaeon: Skittish
-Grammostola pulchripes ×2: Super docile
-Grammostola rosea ×2: male super docile, female skittish.
-Hapalopus sp. colombia large: very fast but not aggressive
-Nhandu chromatus: Skittish
-Pterinopelma sazimai: Skittish
-Pterinochilus lugardi: Skittish but not aggressive
-Psalmopoeus cambridgei: Skittish
-Psalmopoeus irminia: One threathposture premolt otherwise pretty docile.
-Psalmopoeus pulcher: Super docile

Tell me your ideas. I think this will help a lot with beginners. I have read so many caresheets that different on eatch other so lets start to "%" the behaviors.

Cheers guys

 

[Chris LXXIX]

Ive been thinking this topic alot becouse Ive have been asked many times that what is a good beginners tarantula. I always anwser that there are some guidelines what species are docile and what are more aggressive ones. So I thought that lets every hobbyist make a list of tarantulas that they own and tell the characteristic of all of them. All spiders are individuals and I have had "docile" species like brachys that are insane and the other way around also.

My list:
-Avicularia urticans: Super docile
-Avicularia metallica: Super docile
-Brachypelma hamorii ×2: other one was docile but the other one was one of the most aggressive spidey I have ever owned.
-Brachypelma albopilosum: Super docile
-Caribena versicolor ×??(many): Super docile all of them.
-Davus pentaloris: Super docile
-Grammostola actaeon: Skittish
-Grammostola pulchripes ×2: Super docile
-Grammostola rosea ×2: male super docile, female skittish.
-Hapalopus sp. colombia large: very fast but not aggressive
-Nhandu chromatus: Skittish
-Pterinopelma sazimai: Skittish
-Pterinochilus lugardi: Skittish but not aggressive
-Psalmopoeus cambridgei: Skittish
-Psalmopoeus irminia: One threathposture premolt otherwise pretty docile.
-Psalmopoeus pulcher: Super docile

Tell me your ideas. I think this will help a lot with beginners. I have read so many caresheets that different on eatch other so lets start to "%" the behaviors.

Cheers guys

Let's not forget that 'docile' is a misleading (and not correct) term.

Anyway, while temperament always vary, I can say that Psalmopoeus irminia is (in general) one of the most defensive T's out there (yes, more than certain OW's species) and by a long shot the most defensive species of the genus. A terrible spider for a beginner

 

[moricollins]

Ive been thinking this topic alot becouse Ive have been asked many times that what is a good beginners tarantula. I always anwser that there are some guidelines what species are docile and what are more aggressive ones. So I thought that lets every hobbyist make a list of tarantulas that they own and tell the characteristic of all of them. All spiders are individuals and I have had "docile" species like brachys that are insane and the other way around also.

My list:
-Avicularia urticans: Super docile
-Avicularia metallica: Super docile
-Brachypelma hamorii ×2: other one was docile but the other one was one of the most aggressive spidey I have ever owned.
-Brachypelma albopilosum: Super docile
-Caribena versicolor ×??(many): Super docile all of them.
-Davus pentaloris: Super docile
-Grammostola actaeon: Skittish
-Grammostola pulchripes ×2: Super docile
-Grammostola rosea ×2: male super docile, female skittish.
-Hapalopus sp. colombia large: very fast but not aggressive
-Nhandu chromatus: Skittish
-Pterinopelma sazimai: Skittish
-Pterinochilus lugardi: Skittish but not aggressive
-Psalmopoeus cambridgei: Skittish
-Psalmopoeus irminia: One threathposture premolt otherwise pretty docile.
-Psalmopoeus pulcher: Super docile

Tell me your ideas. I think this will help a lot with beginners. I have read so many caresheets that different on eatch other so lets start to "%" the behaviors.

Cheers guys

I disagree on P. lugardi, my females were extremely defensive. Not even remotely beginner friendly. Perhaps ok as a first old world tarantula but not for beginners.

This thread has also already been done a few dozen times, people have been making this list for years lol

 

[jonikniemi]

Im from Finland so english is not so good. I use the word docile becouse its used and maeby somewhat well understood?
In this topic Im just trying to say that there are individuals in species. My irminia is not that bad att all. Its not teleporting or anything.
Would I recommend irminia to beginner hell no. But would have I recommend that aggressive B.hamorii that I owned to anyone hell no.

10 year ago every caresheet out there sayd that Lasiodora parahybana is extremely aggressive. How about now? What happened?

I disagree on P. lugardi, my females were extremely defensive. Not even remotely beginner friendly. Perhaps ok as a first old world tarantula but not for beginners.

This thread has also already been done a few dozen times, people have been making this list for years lol

And mine was ok. Thats why I made this thread.
Im new to this forum so sorry I didnt know its been done.

 

[Paul1126]

Temperaments vary so there is no accurate list at all.
I wouldn't describe any tarantula as aggressive, defensive, yes.
When a tarantula threat poses you just remember you are in their home.

 

[jonikniemi]

If its coming to you its aggressive. If its threatposing its defensive. Thats how think about it.

 

[Paul1126]

If its coming to you its aggressive. If its threatposing its defensive. Thats how think about it.

Coming at you?
Striking is still defensive behaviour.

 

[Vanisher]

I disagree on P. lugardi, my females were extremely defensive. Not even remotely beginner friendly. Perhaps ok as a first old world tarantula but not for beginners.

This thread has also already been done a few dozen times, people have been making this list for years lol

Aha! The ones i have had have been pretty laid back!

 

[jonikniemi]

Coming at you?
Striking is still defensive behaviour.

So you are more the "offense is the best defense" kinda guy?

 

[moricollins]

Aha! The ones i have had have been pretty laid back!

Lucky! I had been keeping tarantulas for awhile when I got my lugardi's and they were by far the most defensive I had at the time. Worse than p. murinus even.

 

[Paul1126]

So you are more the "offense is the best defense" kinda guy?

I'm not a tarantula dude, but if I was and some giant threat tried to cup me I would be pretty damn angry.

 

[Vanisher]

Lucky! I had been keeping tarantulas for awhile when I got my lugardi's and they were by far the most defensive I had at the time. Worse than p. murinus even.

I have heard that P lugardi can be ptetty defenssive, but not in my experience. The least defenssive Pterinochilus sp i have experience with are P lugardi and P chordatus!

I'm not a tarantula dude, but if I was and some giant threat tried to cup me I would be pretty damn angry.

What critters are you keeping then? Scorpions and Scolopenders?

I have heard that P lugardi can be ptetty defenssive, but not in my experience. The least defenssive Pterinochilus sp i have experience with are P lugardi and P chordatus!

My P chordatus are more skittish than defenssive. Never tried to bite or anything, never even a treathposture! My lugardis are skuttish to but more easy going. So was a large female i had years ago

 

[jonikniemi]

Now this is what Im talking about.

Thanks guys

 

[Chris LXXIX]

Im from Finland so english is not so good. I use the word docile becouse its used and maeby somewhat well understood?
In this topic Im just trying to say that there are individuals in species. My irminia is not that bad att all. Its not teleporting or anything.
Would I recommend irminia to beginner hell no. But would have I recommend that aggressive B.hamorii that I owned to anyone hell no.

10 year ago every caresheet out there sayd that Lasiodora parahybana is extremely aggressive. How about now? What happened?

No, don't worry about your English, that language isn't my native one as well. I'm Italian. Here isn't a question of English, but, IMO, of terminology.
Yes, 'docile' was always used (and sadly, still is) as a term, but it's a completely wrong/messed up one.

No T's can be 'docile': it's impossible, since they are moved-by-instinct animals.

I understand what you said about your P.irminia experience, temperament always vary, but nonetheless, it's a quite defensive species.

For instance, a defensive B.hamorii (happens) is the exception, but a defensive P.irminia is the rule

As for L.parahybana viewed as a defensive species, I have to tell you that I've never heard such a thing (at least in Italy) since the early '90s (I started to keep T's back then). That species here was always suggested as a good beginner one.

 

[jonikniemi]

No, don't worry about your English, that language isn't my native one as well. I'm Italian. Here isn't a question of English, but, IMO, of terminology.
Yes, 'docile' was always used (and sadly, still is) as a term, but it's a completely wrong/messed up one.

No T's can be 'docile': it's impossible, since they are moved-by-instinct animals.

I understand what you said about your P.irminia experience, temperament always vary, but nonetheless, it's a quite defensive species.

For instance, a defensive B.hamorii (happens) is the exception, but a defensive P.irminia is the rule

As for L.parahybana viewed as a defensive species, I have to tell you that I've never heard such a thing (at least in Italy) since the eraly '90s, where I started to keep T's. That species here was always suggested as a good beginner one.

Tolerant?

But if we have 100 hobbyist saying that their T (same species) is tolerant/docile, we can really agree that it is good beginner species.
I have 3 different books on tarantulas and everyone of them it says that all Lasiodora species are super aggressive (yes I use that term). Including parahybana. Its wierd to read about it now when people are saying its not.

That lugardi conversation is exactly what I was looking for. Discussion from both ends.

 

[Chris LXXIX]

Tolerant?

But if we have 100 hobbyist saying that their T (same species) is tolerant/docile, we can really agree that it is good beginner species.
I have 3 different books on tarantulas and everyone of them it says that all Lasiodora species are super aggressive (yes I use that term). Including parahybana. Its wierd to read about it now when people are saying its not.

That lugardi conversation is exactly what I was looking for. Discussion from both ends.

It doesn't matter what 100 (or more) persons says on the Internet or whatever. Matters facts

At a scientific/biological level, no Theraphosidae is docile: it's only a question of 'less defensive species, more defensive species'.

The Internet is full of care sheets where everyone says, or may say, different things. Books aren't exceptions. Everyone can (technically) write a book, one moment.

Again, you can use whatever term you prefer, hands down to this, but 'docile' as well for 'aggressive', are wrong terms.

 

[jonikniemi]

For examble:
If 100 people have bad experience with some T seller it doesnt mean that you have bad experience with him but me as a new customer want to know this so I can decide. That was my point.

 

[Vanisher]

The defenssive term applies when majority of the specimens within the speicies acts defenssive- there are exeptions!

The docile term applies when majority of specimens within a a speicies act docile- there are exeptions

 

[Chris LXXIX]

For examble:
If 100 people have bad experience with some T seller it doesnt mean that you have bad experience with him but me as a new customer want to know this so I can decide. That was my point.

Yes. But it's different. In your example enters human/life dynamics. Think about this... among those 100 people a good portion of those hypothetical 100 may be folks that like to overhype things, others may be those kind of customers that "are never happy" and question even a frebie and such, others leaved a bad review due to other, non T's details, such payment etc last but not least, the seller could be a scammer.

Here it's about primitive, full instinct, unpredictable animals, on the other hand.

I'm the first to say that a somewhat (somewhat, based on the standards) "calmer" S.calceatum specimen may exist, but that's only an exception, not the average rule.

 

[jonikniemi]

Lets not overthink this. I was going more in the line "didnt get anything even tho I gave him money"

In this thread im looking for those exceptions.