Heteroscodra Maculata, starburst baboon, not being defensive

[public amputation]

I am semi new to the hobby, one of my T's is a Starburst baboon, ive read they are very defensive, aggressive, but this one isnt defensive at all, she is semi active, was exploreing this morning? But when i tested her temperament she was very docile. She is very small, not a spiderling, very young juevenile possibly, 1.5 to 2 inches. Should i be worried?
Thanks for any replys.

 

[kingshockey]

there is no need to"test"it its defensive reactions by pissing it off you wouldnt like it much either would you? just leave it alone to do its thing and settle into its home.

 

[BoyFromLA]

But when i tested her temperament she was very docile.

But why?

 

[public amputation]

But why?

To see what her personalty is like, first time owning this species, i gently brushes her back leg with a paintbrush to see how she responds, and check if she was alive because she was healthy because she barely moved 3 days ago.

Some actual answers would be appreciated.

 

[Finikan]

Well, you have some actual answers already here, but let me try again:

Theres no need to test its temperament.

If youre concerned because you are not sure that you recieved an H. mac, you should post some pictures.

 

[spideyspinneret78]

Every specimen is different, and that includes temperament. But as others have said, there's no need to test the temperament. H. maculatas have a reputation in general for being more defensive, but this isn't always the case for every individual animal. Mine is not defensive at all, but I still make sure to give her plenty of hiding places and space whenever I do maintenance, to reduce stress and the possibility of her feeling cornered. Also keep in mind that slings/ small juveniles may appear to be more passive/ skittish. This can change as they grow. Temperaments can even change with each molt for some spiders.

 

[viper69]

There’s reasons why H mac are often given away as freebies, and it’s not because they produce thousands of slings at a time.

Generally does one see freebie GBBs, or versicolor- no.

My AF was no exception to the rule of their behavior when I owned her.


People have talked about this species on the forum often- search.

 

[NMTs]

For the most part all the people talking about how defensive/aggressive/temperamental certain species are have not taken the time required to figure out how to care for and house the species properly. For example, if you put an arboreal OW species like H. mac in an enclosure without some vertical surfaces that it can web up and hide between, then it will feel exposed and will act defensively. Or, if you put a fossorial species in an enclosure without enough substrate, it can't make a proper burrow to retreat to and will feel vulnerable and act defensively.

When given the choice almost all T's will retreat to the safety and comfort of a hiding spot if they've been set up properly to make one. Rehousing can be challenging, but that's another reason to set them up in appropriate enclosure so you don't have to do it often.

 

[Smotzer]

You have no need to be worried or check it’s temperament, you lucked out that it isn’t highly defensive after purchase and rehouse unless it is that you bought it for those reasons.

I also wouldn’t be checking temperament of a tarantula with the venom potency that this species has, unless you want to really ruin your day.

 

[AlbaArachnids92]

No need to worry, let it settle in and it'll show you it's temperament in due course I'd imagine.

Last thing I'd want to be testing is the patience of a H mac. The day you get an answer is probably one you'll remember vividly

 

[ButterMan]

they are more skittish than defensive in my opinion. But mine may be different from some of yours. Tarantula behaviour can vary.

 

[Matt Man]

testing temperament is just asking to get bit. You may have just been lucky. We all have days where we don't feel like responding to anything. Perhaps that was yours, perhaps next time will be different?
Is a trip to the ER worth finding out?

 

[AphonopelmaTX]

I really don't understand the point of view of those saying one shouldn't test the temperament of a H. maculata or any other species tarantula. Sure, you should read about a species before acquiring it in order to have a general idea of what the disposition of a species is like, but once you have it, it is good to find out for yourself how the individual in your possession compares to the consensus. I can't imagine buying a species like H. maculata, housing it once, and doing everything possible to avoid interacting with it. To do so would indicate a fear of it, as opposed to a respect, which is not at all what you want when dealing with a high strung species.

Deliberately testing the temperament of any tarantula- especially the ones prone to bite or have a potent venom- every once in a while allows the keeper to better understand how it will act in times where interaction is required such as in a rehousing situation or during the course of maintenance. Sometimes if a tarantula is on the lid or in an inconvenient location in an enclosure during feeding or watering, it is best to chase it away so you can get the job done and get on with your day. It is better to know how a tarantula will react to being poked and prodded beforehand through deliberate temperament testing rather than figure it out on the fly. I also find it inadvisable to trust some stranger on the internet to tell you how your own tarantula would react just because their's acts in some way. No one is going to know your tarantula better than you, and the only way to know it is by interacting with it occasionally.

 

[Arachnophobphile]

I am semi new to the hobby, one of my T's is a Starburst baboon, ive read they are very defensive, aggressive, but this one isnt defensive at all, she is semi active, was exploreing this morning? But when i tested her temperament she was very docile. She is very small, not a spiderling, very young juevenile possibly, 1.5 to 2 inches. Should i be worried?
Thanks for any replys.

You keep screwing around with it 'checking it's temperament' you'll eventually trigger it taking a defensive position.

Even a small H. Mac sling, smaller than yours will ruin your day if you get bit and envenomated.

Observe it once in a while and respect your tarantula. The only times you should interact with the enclosure is refilling water dish, feeding, maintenance and rehousing.

You choose a tarantula that really requires experience, especially with rehousings, best of luck to you.

 

[AlbaArachnids92]

It is better to know how a tarantula will react to being poked and prodded beforehand through deliberate temperament testing rather than figure it out on the fly. I also find it inadvisable to trust some stranger on the internet to tell you how your own tarantula would react just because their's acts in some way. No one is going to know your tarantula better than you, and the only way to know it is by interacting with it occasionally.

Although I agree that it is helpful to have an idea how your specific T reacts to different stimuli, what would you constitute deliberate testing compared to just giving it a prod and hoping for the best?

This seems to go against 99% of the advice given on the forum, to leave your T alone unless you have to interact with them. Especially for a semi-new T keeper, I'd not recommend 'testing' medically significant spiders.

I'd side on risk reduction as opposed to fear of the animal. I don't go prodding around my pokies other OW's, not because I'm too scared (I'll even admit to previously drawing threat poses out a Chilobrachys to show my mate - stupidity I know) but I don't see the need to risk a random prod to see just how reactive the T might be at some point.

Nothing to say you touch a back leg today and the T doesn't even flinch, tomorrow you could have a white streak up your poking instrument with the same touch.

 

[AphonopelmaTX]

Although I agree that it is helpful to have an idea how your specific T reacts to different stimuli, what would you constitute deliberate testing compared to just giving it a prod and hoping for the best?

This seems to go against 99% of the advice given on the forum, to leave your T alone unless you have to interact with them. Especially for a semi-new T keeper, I'd not recommend 'testing' medically significant spiders.

I'd side on risk reduction as opposed to fear of the animal. I don't go prodding around my pokies other OW's, not because I'm too scared (I'll even admit to previously drawing threat poses out a Chilobrachys to show my mate - stupidity I know) but I don't see the need to risk a random prod to see just how reactive the T might be at some point.

Nothing to say you touch a back leg today and the T doesn't even flinch, tomorrow you could have a white streak up your poking instrument with the same touch.

You actually understood what I meant by deliberate testing when saying "giving it a prod and hope for the best." That's all you can really do. To expand on my point of view, tarantula keepers get experience by interacting with them. Sometimes that interaction comes from breeding, sometimes from having a large collection where rehousings and other forms of maintenance are more common-place, and so on. For a new tarantula keeper, real experience can not be gained by setting one, or a few, tarantulas up in an enclosure and interacting with them only when there is a need to. The actual need to interact with a tarantula is usually pretty rare. That could lull someone into believing that they have experience and ready for a more aggressive species when in reality they are not. The best way for a beginner to get real experience with a tarantula is by deliberate and careful interaction with the one's they have before considering themselves leveled-up and ready for something else. This applies to not only the cautious beginner who chooses a docile species as their first, but also the bold beginner who starts with a Poecilotheria, Stromatopelma, Cyropagopus, etc.

 

[kingshockey]

theres nothing quite like having a big food aggressive t spin faster than you can blink to latch onto your tongs and begin running up them thinking it caught a meal

 

[Matt Man]

theres nothing quite like having a big food aggressive t spin faster than you can blink to latch onto your tongs and begin running up them thinking it caught a meal

some folks like to learn the hard way

I typically don't 'mood check' blasting caps either. I take someone else's professional word

 

[kingshockey]

some folks like to learn the hard way

we can hope the t survives the lesson