Lmao!

[Fasciatum]

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[YOUTUBE]admvb0skGAA[/YOUTUBE]

They think it's their egg sack! Gotta test this

 

[Vidaro]

Ive heard about this but ive never seen it before. Cool capture!!

 

[cobaltbrew]

Very interesting.

 

[VESPidA]

aw, now that was just precious i'm going to give my Rosie a ball and see if she 'plays' with it. she hasn't dropped a sac recently, though, so my guess is that it will go untouched

 

[Teal]

I have a pack of ping pong balls...

I might give this a try!

 

[ReMoVeR]

May someone also try it on males ? ;o

 

[Steve Calceatum]

I saw another video like this a while back. Definately would be amusing to try it, and see how Charlotte reacts, LOL.

 

[xhexdx]

Is anyone considering what the spider is thinking the whole time?

"Don't handle your spider, it causes stress."

How is giving them a ping-pong ball to 'play' (they aren't playing, btw) with any different?

Just a thought...

 

[Roski]

I wonder if it would cause stress to the T when you eventually take its "sac" away. She looked like she was expending an awful lot of energy in rotating, manipulating, and carrying the smooth and slippery object.

I could see how it might seem amusing to us, but to think that she is "playing" is to be guilty of severe anthropomorphism at the expense of the animal. Her instincts are being messed with and it's costing her energy in the process. I guess I really don't see any point to this "experiment" other than to give us a laugh... But in that light I just don't find it funny.

[/Severe neuroticism]

 

[Teal]

It's environmental stimulation. It's something new for the spider to encounter in an otherwise unchanging enclosure. Maybe that only works really well on animals with higher brain functions... ?

I don't think she's "playing" with it... but it would be interesting to see which of my Ts would actually react to a random round object in their enclosure.

 

[VESPidA]

Is anyone considering what the spider is thinking the whole time?

"Don't handle your spider, it causes stress."

How is giving them a ping-pong ball to 'play' (they aren't playing, btw) with any different?

Just a thought...

i realize that, hence my usage of quotes around play. i did not intend for that to be read so literally

i see it as no more a stressor than any other decor in the enclosure. if she doesn't care for it, she'll ignore it or push it to the corner.

and while we're being particular, it seems unlikely that spiders 'think' in the manner by which you're personifying them (nor do they 'play', i was just being playful).

 

[xhexdx]

i realize that, hence my usage of quotes around play. i did not intend for that to be read so literally

i see it as no more a stressor than any other decor in the enclosure. if she doesn't care for it, she'll ignore it or push it to the corner.

and while we're being particular, it seems unlikely that spiders 'think' in the manner by which you're personifying them (nor do they 'play', i was just being playful).

No disrespect meant, but I'm curious how you would have worded it instead?

I was also not referring to the tarantulas who ignored it. The OP posted videos where the spider was obviously reacting to the ping-pong ball, and that is what I was responding to.

And since we're being particular, how do you define whether a spider 'cares for it' or not? Does the 'playing' signify 'caring for'?

 

[VESPidA]

No disrespect meant, but I'm curious how you would have worded it instead?

I was also not referring to the tarantulas who ignored it. The OP posted videos where the spider was obviously reacting to the ping-pong ball, and that is what I was responding to.

And since we're being particular, how do you define whether a spider 'cares for it' or not? Does the 'playing' signify 'caring for'?

touche. i'll leave it at that:razz:

 

[Fran]

I Agree with Joe.
I wouldnt do that to my tarantulas for the heck of it, no need to confuse/stress them. Acutally, when I have to remove egg sacks I always change the whole substrate into a new fresh diff enclosure, the stress is there already but that way at least they stop looking for it since they think they are in a new diff envioroment, they dont recognice the surrowndings.

It could be funny to watch, but I dont agree with it.

 

[Fasciatum]

Ive heard about this but ive never seen it before. Cool capture!!

Ow! It ain't my videos! I was going to try it out but some of the post on this thread made me think otherwise :?

 

[knightjar]

Maybe it would actually be good as a substitute for spiders whose egg sacs have been removed for external incubation?

 

[shanebp]

That actually seems like a good idea, although I have no experience with egg sacs and am still new to the hobby.. so many it might not be a great idea. Who knows?

 

[DMBizeau]

It could seem that way, but it could also seem to them like they are getting their sack taken from them twice. I agree with Fran's method if you truly want to reduce the amount of stress. It is the same method I used when breeding contrictors to "reset" them. Just my opinion.

 

[violentblossom]

i see it as no more a stressor than any other decor in the enclosure. if she doesn't care for it, she'll ignore it or push it to the corner.

I agree. Same goes for food in their enclosures hopping around, or even isopods. I don't see much harm in the ping pong ball being there. The tarantula is encountering something new and then interacting with it, and then exploring the thing. The ball is more an object of curiosity than anything. If you find a random object in your home, is your first instinct going to be threat or fear? No. Not if the item isn't giving you any reason to fear it or feel stress.

 

[Fran]

I agree. Same goes for food in their enclosures hopping around, or even isopods. I don't see much harm in the ping pong ball being there. The tarantula is encountering something new and then interacting with it, and then exploring the thing. The ball is more an object of curiosity than anything. If you find a random object in your home, is your first instinct going to be threat or fear? No. Not if the item isn't giving you any reason to fear it or feel stress.

It is pretty obvious to me the tarantula looks like is mistaken the balls for their own egg sacks. Do they do that with the water dish,the crickets or the forniture? No.
That said, your example is not valid.

I agree with DMBizeau, it could be sort of a double stress absolutely pointless.
Not to menction to compare human beings with Theraphosids.