Brachypelma boehmei behaviour..

[Mantis2146]

Hello, I have a Brachypelma boehmei and I have noticed some behaviour I wasn't expecting as a first time T owner. She (I'm hoping) seems to actively hunt her food and I have seen her run full speed around her cage chasing a cricket, like a game of cat and mouse. My expectation was that they are more lie in wait and strike when a prey item ventures too close, is it normal for a T to chase food like this?

I have also noticed her hanging out at the side of her cage that overlooks the tub I keep the crickets in as if she is watching them.

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

They have a voracious appetite I Wouldn’t be surprised it chased it’s prey. A species I want again someday.

 

[Mantis2146]

They have a voracious appetite I Wouldn’t be surprised it chased it’s prey. A species I want again someday.

It certainly provides some entertainment at meal times!
She seems to have quite a thirst too, I filled her water bowl and it was dry in an hour, the picture in my post shows her finishing it off.

 

[viper69]

Hello, I have a Brachypelma boehmei and I have noticed some behaviour I wasn't expecting as a first time T owner. She (I'm hoping) seems to actively hunt her food and I have seen her run full speed around her cage chasing a cricket, like a game of cat and mouse. My expectation was that they are more lie in wait and strike when a prey item ventures too close, is it normal for a T to chase food like this?

I have also noticed her hanging out at the side of her cage that overlooks the tub I keep the crickets in as if she is watching them. View attachment 472513 View attachment 472514 View attachment 472512

They are almost blind

 

[Mantis2146]

They are almost blind

This was my understanding, which is why I was curious to see her going to that side regularly with her front legs up on the side of the enclosure. Obviously it's a coincidence but it looks like she's watching them.

 

[Glorfindel]

They have other Heightened Sense's which enable the location of Prey etc. etc.

 

[Mustafa67]

Hello, I have a Brachypelma boehmei and I have noticed some behaviour I wasn't expecting as a first time T owner. She (I'm hoping) seems to actively hunt her food and I have seen her run full speed around her cage chasing a cricket, like a game of cat and mouse. My expectation was that they are more lie in wait and strike when a prey item ventures too close, is it normal for a T to chase food like this?

I have also noticed her hanging out at the side of her cage that overlooks the tub I keep the crickets in as if she is watching them. View attachment 472513 View attachment 472514 View attachment 472512

Maybe she’s just hungry, I’ve seen my B Boehmei and B Smithi jump on a locust when I dropped one in to each of their tubs. Most of the time they’re super calm though

 

[fcat]

One of mine is actively trying to eat the lid right now

As long as you can rule out it being "unhappy" with its home...substrate not too soft, too moist, too dry, enclosure itself not too small, and you've provided adequate shelter, they are just being a tarantula

 

[Wolfram1]

i often see my brachypelma species position themselves right where the ventilation gaze is closest to their burrow entrance

it stands to reason that is their ambush position, but allows for a quick retreat as well

yours may well be a fairly bold spider that picks up on the prey via vibrations and positions itself to best catch an approaching insect,... despite the physical barriers...

 

[Mantis2146]

i often see my brachypelma species position themselves right where the ventilation gaze is closest to their burrow entrance

it stands to reason that is their ambush position, but allows for a quick retreat as well

yours may well be a fairly bold spider that picks up on the prey via vibrations and positions itself to best catch an approaching insect,... despite the physical barriers...

Quite possibly, it often sits at the main entrance of its burrow (it has dug out a smaller, rear entrance) with just it's front legs sticking out. However it will sit propped up against the side near the rear entrance overlooking the cricket tub but only when there is crickets in it.