Funny Feeding Behaviour

[Rookie]

Hey all,
I fed Peso again tonight (every 2 days since he moulted) and for some reason...he's moving a lot. I'm not really worried, I know the cricket is toast, but I've never seen Peso move with prey before. First he walked on the substrate a little, then he actually scaled the plastic a little (still holding the cricket). Now he's kinda staying put, but he was also kinda rocking back and forth while carrying his kill. Anyone know what this is?
Thanks,
Paul

 

[MrT]

Paul,

Thats called the Tarantula waltz. Its normal, pretty much all T's do it. I'm not sure at what age they start it though. They also pat their butt on the substrate laying down web.

Ernie

 

[galeogirl]

A lot of my spiders, especially juveniles, do the spider dance when they catch food. Perfectly normal, really entertaining.

 

[annex]

how could anyone NOT want a T
when spiders do a waltz, i mean.. c'mon!.. i'm sold...

 

[Joy]

I think the feeding dance is one of their most endearing (and interesting) behaviors! I'm glad you got to see Peso shaking his/her groove thing

Joy

 

[Rookie]

A weird one

Actually, Peso did some other stuff during that feeding.
I fed the smallest out of a dozen crickets, and it escaped from my hand, so I had to retrieve it. In doing so, I accidently nipped off one of its hind legs. So, it was a gimp, tiny cricket. I had a friend in to watch his first live feeding (my friend's, not the spider's). I toss in this sorry cricket, and Peso immediatley runs from it. Quickly. As if to escape. Then Peso climbed the plastic, as if to get away. I apologized to my friend, and said that Peso definitly wasn't hungry. We waited. Then Peso slowly climbed down, and walked around a bit. The cricket was on the opposite side of the substrate, face-first in a burrow. Peso did what looks like the threat postures I've seen so many pictures of. Does that sound right? Then, Peso made his/her way over to the burrow, and plucked up the cricket. Why the song and dance before the killing? Then, after all of that, he moved around to the Tarantula Waltz. Explanations on the wimping out, then sudden interest, then postures, then striking?
Thanks,
Paul

p.s. My friend, a bio major, was thoroughly pleased.

 

[looseyfur]

age

oddly enough I might tend to think its his age. Perhaps I am wrong but I have seen this kind of behavior in the younger Curlys I have (except Dracula whos a fat piggy)

Peso rocks.
I enjoy the stories accociasted with his care and would love to be directed to a pic of him in an existant thread. I feel the need to put a fuzzy little face with the stories. You should develop Peso into a cartoon character and sell the concept to the Cartoon Network.

heh-
Looseyfur
e.

 

[Chris]

Re: A weird one

Originally posted by Rookie
Why the song and dance before the killing? Then, after all of that, he moved around to the Tarantula Waltz. Explanations on the wimping out, then sudden interest, then postures, then striking?

I see this quite often in Grammastola spiderlings. They are big wusses when it comes to live prey. I think what happens is that they get spooked by you moving around their enclosure to toss in the cricket. With all the racket something suddenly moving near them probably makes them run out of reflex. They usually come to their senses and attack within a few minutes after though as if they suddenly realize "hey I am bigger than this thing!"

 

[Joy]

Re: age

Originally posted by looseyfur
oddly enough I might tend to think its his age. Perhaps I am wrong but I have seen this kind of behavior in the younger Curlys I have (except Dracula whos a fat piggy)

Peso rocks.
I enjoy the stories accociasted with his care and would love to be directed to a pic of him in an existant thread. I feel the need to put a fuzzy little face with the stories. You should develop Peso into a cartoon character and sell the concept to the Cartoon Network.

heh-
Looseyfur
e.

I agree, Looseyfur! Peso has captured my imagination as well. And I'll have you know also, Rookie, that I regularly refer to mating pulchras now as "the beautiful embrace from which a Peso is born!" Loved that comment. =D

Joy

 

[Rookie]

Haha,
Okay, you guys, you talked me into it. Without further ado, here's the spider of the hour. The picture is extremely poor quality, and Peso just looks like any other G.Pulchra s'ling. However, I couldn't ignore everyone's flatteries any longer.
I appreciate it everyone.
Paul

 

[looseyfur]

oh peso!

oh peso you sexy devil.

was I right or what he deserves his own show.


yer pal-
looseyfur