Is this a silly question tho?

[PsyC]

Do tarantulas sleep? Probably they do, right? If so, how do you know they are sleeping?

 

[user 666]

I like to tell people Ts don't sleep. They're awake all night, watching, planning, plotting.

But you have nothing to worry about the 2 that have escaped.

 

[mconnachan]

Do tarantulas sleep? Probably they do, right? If so, how do you know they are sleeping?

The only silly question is the one that is not asked. - in response to your question, who knows, will we ever know, probably not, I still wouldn't put my hand in my A. genic's enclosure, and that's a fact.

 

[darkness975]

Do tarantulas sleep? Probably they do, right? If so, how do you know they are sleeping?

I don't think they really "sleep" in our sense of the word. They do have periods where they seem a bit less responsive and they have to warm back up, so to speak. Almost like they slow their metabolism down even more than usual and do some form of hibernation.

 

[miss moxie]

They do not sleep. They wait.

In seriousness though, the function of sleep is basically to rebalance our brain chemistry. It is for mental and physical health. When we don't sleep, our brain suffers as well as our body. It is a period of healing and resetting. When we don't sleep we can't focus, our memory suffers, and more. Our mind will literally suffer micro-shutdowns if we stay awake too long in an attempt to fix itself.

For a tarantula their chemistry is rather rudimentary in comparison with our own. They likely don't really have 'mental health' to worry about. They won't suffer from anxiety over not sleeping well enough, for example. Since they aren't nearly as complex as a human being, periods of just sitting are likely enough to provide them with the regeneration they need to function properly.

 

[nicodimus22]

I have noticed behavior that makes me think they may sleep. Just yesterday, I dropped a cricket in for my A. chalcodes female, and it ran right by her front legs, actually brushing by them. The T did nothing. The next time this happened, a few minutes later, she sprang to life and grabbed it. So, was she sleeping the first time, when she showed no reaction at all? Interesting to think about.

 

[miss moxie]

I have noticed behavior that makes me think they may sleep. Just yesterday, I dropped a cricket in for my A. chalcodes female, and it ran right by her front legs, actually brushing by them. The T did nothing. The next time this happened, a few minutes later, she sprang to life and grabbed it. So, was she sleeping the first time, when she showed no reaction at all? Interesting to think about.

An interesting observation. Perhaps she just stayed still the first time to make sure it wasn't something bigger, something scary she should avoid? Something with bigger teeth, so to speak?

I admit, I think it'd be more interesting to hear of an OBT not lunging at the first brush of a cricket against their legs.

 

[Ellenantula]

Won't debate if it's sleep or not... but mine do have long periods of 'conserving energy' though.

 

[GreyPsyche]

I feel like they definitely have resting periods but no sleep as we know it and they probably can go much longer without it than we can.

 

[TyjTheMighty]

I have noticed behavior that makes me think they may sleep. Just yesterday, I dropped a cricket in for my A. chalcodes female, and it ran right by her front legs, actually brushing by them. The T did nothing. The next time this happened, a few minutes later, she sprang to life and grabbed it. So, was she sleeping the first time, when she showed no reaction at all? Interesting to think about.

My A chalcodes female does this too! It would be different if she would twitch or move away, but she is sometimes completely motionless when doing certain things that would normally make her move (like offering her food or taking the lid off her enclosure for example)

 

[Anoplogaster]

Ts don't sleep. They meditate

 

[miss moxie]

Ts don't sleep. They meditate

They also do yoga.

 

[spotropaicsav]

I don't think they really "sleep" in our sense of the word. They do have periods where they seem a bit less responsive and they have to warm back up, so to speak. Almost like they slow their metabolism down even more than usual and do some form of hibernation.

agree.... they enter a restive state of sorts ...They dont sleep in the same way we do...

 

[Chris LXXIX]

Do tarantulas sleep?

Yes, they sleep, dear. Don't trust those that will say a brutal "No" to you.

They dream about tons of electric crickets living in a meadow full of always clean, fresh water source near the burrows that helps the molt, a place where time doesn't exist... like Lordran or Drangleic.

Nurtured by the lovely hissing chant of the Goddess 0.1 Pelinobius muticus PBUH (Peace Be Upon Her) they wait the choosen Theraphosidae advent.

Inshallah

 

[grayzone]

I don't think they really "sleep" in our sense of the word. They do have periods where they seem a bit less responsive and they have to warm back up, so to speak. Almost like they slow their metabolism down even more than usual and do some form of hibernation.

Very plausible. Ive always thought about it like this too.

 

[Sana]

I've seen most of my tarantulas at one time or another unresponsive to something touching them. Thirty seconds later they catch up. I've always assumed that it is a resting state if not sleep as a mammal knows it.

 

[Formerphobe]

I've seen several of my arboreals positioned head down on bark or side of enclosure and so relaxed that their abdomens were hanging over their carapace and nearly touching it. If they weren't asleep, they were doing some extremely intense resting.

As someone else said, it's not "sleep" as pertains to humans. It's impossible for them to reach REM.

 

[BobBarley]

They're not standing still, they are lying in wait.


No, I seriously doubt they sleep the way we think about it. However, I agree with what has been said above, they do "rest".

 

[sasker]

They definitely sleep. I regularly catch them with their eyes closed.

 

[darkness975]

agree.... they enter a restive state of sorts ...They dont sleep in the same way we do...

Almost like suspended animation if you will! Bring on the Scifi

It is fascinating for sure.