Interesting B. dubia behavior

[RoachGirlRen]

Has anyone else noticed this: when you flip B. dubia over onto their backs, they sit there completely placidly and make no attempt to right themselves? My whole colony does this. They are very active and healthy, and run like lightening when placed on the ground, but the second I roll them over they freeze. Is this some kind of tactic to discourage motion-sensitive predators? I had one of my females rolled over for several minutes just sitting on my knee, and she did not budge an inch!

 

[KyuZo]

Yup, i just flipped mine over and they did not moved, EXCEPT for their antennae.
they waived them around to see if there is any movement around them. if their environment is calm (for a while) and normal, then they'll try to upright themselves.

 

[Xaranx]

Dubia like to play dead.

 

[scolex]

Maybe thats the way I should feed them so they don't dig right away....hmmm

 

[KyuZo]

Maybe thats the way I should feed them so they don't dig right away....hmmm

That's the way some of my tarantulas like to be serve... DEAD roaches!

 

[OldHag]

My daughter calls them Fainting Roaches. She will sit down and see how many she can get to "Faint". She will have dozens of them on their backs in a row...I love that kid

 

[Xaranx]

My daughter calls them Fainting Roaches. She will sit down and see how many she can get to "Faint". She will have dozens of them on their backs in a row...I love that kid

Oh that's great.

 

[Tleilaxu]

My daughter calls them Fainting Roaches. She will sit down and see how many she can get to "Faint". She will have dozens of them on their backs in a row...I love that kid

Pics please!

 

[Moltar]

When compared with crickets, i think dubia's have much more advanced defensive behaviors. They'll freeze for EVER and just wait out a hunting tarantula. They dig, play dead, etc, etc. All crickets do is jump, run in circles, jump, run in circles and jump again.

I've only been feeding dubias for a month or so but i've found they are easier for the t's to catch if they're not in panic mode. I try to set them gently down when i can instead of just dropping them in. That way they start out crawling around instead of freezing or digging.

 

[OldHag]

I lied!!! She hasnt gotten dozens to sleep yet. Shes still working on that, but here is her record so far! Shes been documenting it.

 

[KyuZo]

i think that you're missing a mark. i counted 9

 

[OldHag]

I was teasing my daughter about that too