Fascinating young tarantula behavior

[BoyFromLA]

Normally, when it comes to feeding, I offer my young tarantulas something smaller than them. Rarely however, I offer something larger than their size, only because I do not have anything smaller to offer at the moment. When this happens, if I am lucky that is, I get to see this fascinating behavior of young tarantulas.

Just today, I had to offer my young one a half grown super worm. When the super worm was tossed in, this young one carefully, and slowly detected it’s motions with it’s front legs, as if it was looking for it’s head, and if I am correct, it was exactly what it was doing. Then when it made sure where the head is, then it bit the exact spot, where the head is.

One may think, nah it was not exactly looking for the head, it just looked that way, but in my opinion it really did go for the head to pin down fast, this larger feeder insect to reduce any risk or harm done to itself.

I do see this behavior from all sizes of tarantulas, but majority of times, from young ones. It always fascinates me every time I see this happen.

So what do you all tarantula keepers out there think? Do you agree with me or do you think it’s just a coincident / a happening? Have you observed this time to time?

 

[vicareux]

I've noticed a similar thing when feeding smaller specimen (1.5 inchers) with full grown or cut superworms,though i think i have an explaination: their fangs cannot pierce through the superworm segment,and they search for gaps in the 'armor' where they can sink their fangs in. And that usually ends up being the crushed head of the superworm,as the crushing already created a lot of holes and cracks in the worm head.
I've notced this as well with my 1.5 inch H.gigas who i fed half a superworm to. It coudnt pierce the superworm segment,and it searched with the fangs until it found the part where the worm was cut and it could sink its fangs in the fleshy insides of the worm.

Though there may be something more to this,as how Mantises most of the time eat the head of the prey first (Not always though).

 

[BoyFromLA]

And that usually ends up being the crushed head of the superworm,as the crushing already created a lot of holes and cracks in the worm head.

I do not crush it though.

 

[viper69]

I've noticed a similar thing when feeding smaller specimen (1.5 inchers) with full grown or cut superworms,though i think i have an explaination: their fangs cannot pierce through the superworm segment,and they search for gaps in the 'armor' where they can sink their fangs in. And that usually ends up being the crushed head of the superworm,as the crushing already created a lot of holes and cracks in the worm head.
I've notced this as well with my 1.5 inch H.gigas who i fed half a superworm to. It coudnt pierce the superworm segment,and it searched with the fangs until it found the part where the worm was cut and it could sink its fangs in the fleshy insides of the worm.

Though there may be something more to this,as how Mantises most of the time eat the head of the prey first (Not always though).

Same thing for small slings and crushed crickets,go for the easy access

 

[greeneyedelle]

That’s fascinating! Instinct or coincidence, it’s possible that it recognizes the least threat from the head comes from attacking the head directly so the worm can’t curl around and defend itself?

 

[AphonopelmaTX]

The six tiny legs of beetle larvae are just behind the head, so yeah, it makes sense a smaller tarantula would be able to detect and attack the end that is moving.

 

[14pokies]

I’ve seen and wondered the same thing. Not sure but I hit you with an agree just in case this is what’s going on.