Can tarantulas be conditioned?

[Arachnomaniac19]

I'm curious as to whether or not tarantulas can be conditioned. Not a conditioner (which my B.albopilosum uses), but classical conditioning. If you don't know what I mean, check out Pavlov's Dogs. Has anyone experienced something like this?

 

[Kodi]

They lack any sort of mental capacity so I'm going for no. Nature has its mysterious ways though.

Nice pun btw.

 

[BobBarley]

I hear they can be "tapped trained". You tap the enclosure then give them a cricket and, with enough repetition, they can come to expect a meal (like come out of their burrows expecting food) after a tap. However, I have never tried it, and I hear that they forget it after a couple weeks.

 

[EulersK]

Let's get this out of the way - they can't be conditioned to handling. That's much too complex for them.

However, I do believe that they have very rudimentary learning capabilities. I've watched a C. darlingi emerge from its burrow, make a B-line for the water dish for a drink, and immediately turn around and go back down her hole. Some adult tarantulas struggle with dubia if they've eaten nothing but crickets, but they often stop refusing after their first dubia. I've got no research for this one, just an observation.

 

[nicodimus22]

I realize that they can't be conditioned, but I AM hopeful that some can use volumizing shampoo...because my albopilosum's setae are QUIET.

 

[ediblepain]

To over simplify.. any animal that likes food and has a brainstem can be clicker trained. In real life things don't always work out as well. I love training trick dogs. I trained 2 gerbils to ring a bell. The cats haven't retained anything.

 

[The Grym Reaper]

To over simplify.. any animal that likes food and has a brainstem can be clicker trained. In real life things don't always work out as well. I love training trick dogs. I trained 2 gerbils to ring a bell. The cats haven't retained anything.

You don't train cats, cats train you

 

[Chris LXXIX]

I'm in symbiosis with Goddess 0.1 Pelinobius muticus PBUH (Peace Be Upon Her) like Patrick Magee in Lucio Fulci's 'The Black Cat'
u_u

 

[The Grym Reaper]

Some adult tarantulas struggle with dubia if they've eaten nothing but crickets, but they often stop refusing after their first dubia. I've got no research for this one, just an observation.

I've noticed this too, I tried to start my genic on them after her first moult in my care and she wasn't having any of it, once she finally decided that they were actually edible I had no more problems.

 

[Garth Vader]

I just don't think they have the capacity for the learning that is necessary for behavioral conditioning.

 

[Chris LXXIX]

@EulersK
Thank you my man

Please don't forget to drop, among a 'coffee' and another 'coffee', a 'cake' rating as well for that as you know I'm of Eye-talian and we love sweety sweet to the sweets du-uh

I just don't think they have the capacity for the learning that is necessary for behavioral conditioning.

My fav. brain Doc
"aiuto Dottoressa sono pazzo!!!"

 

[darkness975]

I'm curious as to whether or not tarantulas can be conditioned.

No

 

[viper69]

Mine watch Cable Tv

 

[Garth Vader]

Mine watch Cable Tv

Mine bring me the paper. If by "bring the paper" we actually mean "throw substrate into the water dish repeatedly".

 

[D Sherlod]

I read one article in which the owner tap trained all his T's. But not for feeding. He tapped the inside substrate twice everytime he put his hands in enclosure so as to be never mistaken for food.
Apparently they would retreat when he tapped. But could easily differentiate the vibrations of prey.

Did it work or was he lucky who knows.

 

[G. pulchra]

No. A tarantula learning to eat a dubia or where it's water dish is doesn't qualify as training. That's just survival instincts.

 

[Venom1080]

I read one article in which the owner tap trained all his T's. But not for feeding. He tapped the inside substrate twice everytime he put his hands in enclosure so as to be never mistaken for food.
Apparently they would retreat when he tapped. But could easily differentiate the vibrations of prey.

Did it work or was he lucky who knows.

thats not training, thats scaring the spider into its hide. id like to see him try that with a GBB or A genic.

 

[darkness975]

I read one article in which the owner tap trained all his T's. But not for feeding. He tapped the inside substrate twice everytime he put his hands in enclosure so as to be never mistaken for food.
Apparently they would retreat when he tapped. But could easily differentiate the vibrations of prey.
Did it work or was he lucky who knows.

I agree with @Venom1080, that guy did not "train" his spiders. He scared them into their hides.

I too would like to see him try it with an A. geniculata or Lasiodora parahybana

 

[D Sherlod]

thats not training, thats scaring the spider into its hide. id like to see him try that with a GBB or A genic.

I wish i could find the article ... It didnt sound like he scared the T's but they didnt lunge at his fingers but stood back and ignored him. The point of it was they seemed differentiate between maintance and feeding.
My gbb runs and hides as soon as i open the lid. My C versicolor thinks i dont exist
ie no responce to my precence good or bad

 

[Venom1080]

I wish i could find the article ... It didnt sound like he scared the T's but they didnt lunge at his fingers but stood back and ignored him. The point of it was they seemed differentiate between maintance and feeding.
My gbb runs and hides as soon as i open the lid. My C versicolor thinks i dont exist
ie no responce to my precence good or bad

thats still not training. it would be interesting to see the article though.