Do NW arboreals kick hair???
- Thread starter JBoyer
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Avicularia don't kick hair, and they're not very aggresive.
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They do have urticating hairs, but they don't kick them off. Instead, they have to physically push the hairs into your skin with their abdomen. As for being aggressive eaters I think that depends on the individual T. My 1.5" A. avic is a real enthusiastic feeder, while my 3" A. avic takes some time before going after a meal.
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To follow up what LP said, there is a way of telling when you have annoyed an Avic. They will raise up their abdomens if they don't want to messed with. When they do this, it is an attempt to rub their urticating hairs on you.
My A. urticans does this to me every time I try to take her out of her enclosure, but she is not aggressive in any way.
As for eating, it's always fun to watch them snag a cricket. They are quick and can be quite acrobatic if needed.
My A. urticans does this to me every time I try to take her out of her enclosure, but she is not aggressive in any way.
As for eating, it's always fun to watch them snag a cricket. They are quick and can be quite acrobatic if needed.
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Avics also have a tendency to jump. Not out of aggression or anything but just if they are feeling a little flighty. Avic slings are especially prone to jumping and can be pretty quick too. Make sure you have plenty of floor space where you are handling or dealing with them.
Atrax
Atrax
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They also like to incoporate the hairs into their silken retreats. Wear gloves when cleaning!
Wade
Wade
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First I read it in the ATS forum, then forgot about it, then I experienced it, which brought back the memory in avery itchy, itchy way!
Never imerse your bare arms into a sink full of water in which you've been washing out T cages!
BTW, by "cleaning" I mean completely breaking down the cage and washing the acessories, not routine matinence. Also, some people are not bothered by urticating hair much at all, so it probably doesn't matter to them. I've become very sensitive , however.
Wade
Never imerse your bare arms into a sink full of water in which you've been washing out T cages!
BTW, by "cleaning" I mean completely breaking down the cage and washing the acessories, not routine matinence. Also, some people are not bothered by urticating hair much at all, so it probably doesn't matter to them. I've become very sensitive , however.
Wade
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crawshayi
Arachnopeon
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Avicularia versicolor
aculy Avicularia versicolor is the only Avicularia spp. that can kick its urticaning hirs acording to richard gallena dn a few other the only sp
aculy Avicularia versicolor is the only Avicularia spp. that can kick its urticaning hirs acording to richard gallena dn a few other the only sp
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I have yet to see a versi kick hair and I doubt that they can. I have however seen them do the ol butt rub like other avics to push them into you.
Phil
Phil
crawshayi
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Avicularia spp. Avicularia versicolor
well to be honest niver have i i jsut khwo that they can but i ahve never seen it but i have allwased woned why they go bold i have never seen eney of mine do it its just then u get told by richard gallen u have to belive it. sory about my bad spelling
well to be honest niver have i i jsut khwo that they can but i ahve never seen it but i have allwased woned why they go bold i have never seen eney of mine do it its just then u get told by richard gallen u have to belive it. sory about my bad spelling
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Avics also tend to "shoot" poo when they are nervous/upset by you too, and I might add they are reasonably accurate with their aim too. So be on the look out for them pushing urticating hairs and shooting the S%$# with you ;P
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Monkey's got nothing on Avics when it comes to the poo flinging.
They raise that butt, they take aim, and *squirt*
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Nothing as yet described in Aviculariinae "kicks" hair.
All the described members of Avicularia, Iridopelma, and Pachistopelma have Type II bristles, though. They can stick 'em in ya. That's why you may see them them raising their rumps at you (that, or to squirt poo. . . another favorite defense). Ephebopus murinus does have airborne bristles, however. You may see them waggin' their palps at you to "kick them off". I guess you could call it "throwing" hair. Apparently, so do other Ephebopus ssp., but I only have one other species besides E. murinus. . . the so called E. uatauman (though I don't know if anyone's really compared those recent imports to R. West's types). I have both male and female of those. The male bit to defend at first. The female just ran/hopped/cowered. In the time I've owned them, neither have molted. I don't know if they have bristles on their palps, but I'd assume so. I sorted through perhaps 40 or 50 of them at an importer to find the pair I wanted and suffered nary an itch, but I still don't doubt they have the "fiberglass missles."
-Garrick
eight
All the described members of Avicularia, Iridopelma, and Pachistopelma have Type II bristles, though. They can stick 'em in ya. That's why you may see them them raising their rumps at you (that, or to squirt poo. . . another favorite defense). Ephebopus murinus does have airborne bristles, however. You may see them waggin' their palps at you to "kick them off". I guess you could call it "throwing" hair. Apparently, so do other Ephebopus ssp., but I only have one other species besides E. murinus. . . the so called E. uatauman (though I don't know if anyone's really compared those recent imports to R. West's types). I have both male and female of those. The male bit to defend at first. The female just ran/hopped/cowered. In the time I've owned them, neither have molted. I don't know if they have bristles on their palps, but I'd assume so. I sorted through perhaps 40 or 50 of them at an importer to find the pair I wanted and suffered nary an itch, but I still don't doubt they have the "fiberglass missles."
-Garrick
eight
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Yup My one Avics tank looks like she has pet pidgeons. Frikkin poop on the windows and such. Cleaning every other day to keep it pretty. Rarely do I see either one out of their silk huts.
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Regardless of who says that a versi can kick hairs sorry but I still fail to see that as believable. For starters they don't go bald but rather always have a shiny mirror patch on the abdomen where the hairs in question are located. Secondly having witnessed them doing the abdomen press into the hand furthers my feelings that they do no have the ability to flick hair as if they did then they most certainly would when disturbed enough to attempt the butt rub move. Sorry but they simply don't have the ability to launch them.
Phil
Phil
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Now what they can launch and very well as has previously been said is poo. The avics have to be at the top of the projectile poo list and they can get some real distance on it as well.
Phil
The avics have to be at the top of the projectile poo list and they can get some real distance on it as well.Phil
I'd been wondering if it was my imagination. I have an a. iodium (or iodious, whatever) and though it rarely kicks hairs at me it always ends up with a big bald patch. I've watched it sortof kicking them when it webs though. It's not the kind of movement like it's grooming but then it's not quite as. . .vigourous as those rare instances when it does kick at me.
While on the subject of hair kicking though. . .I've seen videos of blondis kicking and you could actually see little hairs floating around. When mine kicks nothing happens. Is it just a matter of different species or is it a matter of how intent they are to hair you? Just curious.