My experience with a Brazilian Red and White

[xanadu1015]

Okay, I have heard that these can be feisty, doesn't mean a thing until you actually see it for yourself. Now I was checking her out since she moulted recently and I touched her with the paint brush, she flipped out! I swear she looked like she was going to jump at me like a face hugger from the alien movies! After that she struck the ground again and remained in a threat posture for what seemed like an hour, it was like she was frozen in place, she didn't budge! Some would call this feisty, I call this "female in perpetual pms-mode" sheesh. I'm not going near this T with a paint brush again, she'll have a breakdown and end up catatonic.


Laura

 

[xanadu1015]

On another note...

For anyone that talks about an OBT, Savannah is your average friendly clown compared to this.


Laura

 

[Brian S]

Laura, This doesn't sound very encouraging to me
I am raising a sling of this species. I hope it is more mellow

 

[JacenBeers]

Are you referring to Nhandu chromatus (Lasiodora cristata?)? If so then yes they can be pretty tempermental. Mine sure is.

 

[Immortal_sin]

L cristata are super spazzes....that's for sure. The male I used to have would do the same thing. I'd open the container to give him food, and he'd freak out. He'd run in circles, then flip on his back in a threat pose, gnashing his fangs. It was pretty funny! Sometimes he'd just attack the prey, then fall over. Sounds like most of them are like this

 

[xanadu1015]

Brian S, one can always hope

I am referring to what was once called an L. Cristata, and I would say she is a definite spazz artist.....if she kicked hair instead of threat posturing, she would be constantly bald.


Laura

 

[cricket54]

I was there when this happened since the tarantula is my baby. I haven't had her as a sling Brian, bought her from a guy advertising in the for sale section here on the boards. He took great care of her, even found a report he had made on one of her molts asertaining that it is a she. I had heard that these are not "handleable" t's so I'm not surprised. He said she was defensive, but not aggressive. Its just that untill her last molt, she has been living down in a series of tunnels she has dug and we haven't seen her react in any way. She is about 5 " now. Their name has been changed to N. cromatus, but I've been calling her "the cristata" since I haven't named her yet. I wish we could post a picture, she is just so pretty! Looks just like the one on Kelly Swift's site. It would be hard to get a good picture of her since she reacts so easily. Even our P murinus, OBT has never acted this way. I have a "Brazilian Black and White", another Nhandu species of tarantula and I'm wondering if it will be acting simular when he is older? He is around 2 inches now.

Sharon

 

[Brian S]

My sling is 1/4 inch long. It has dug a burrow down the side of the pill bottle and darts in it at the slightest hint of danger. It is getting ready to molt again so I hope it grows alot this time. They are a beautiful species from what I have seen.

Brian

 

[Pheonixx]

Hmmm allow me to throw the general census wayyyyy OFF. i got a L. cristata in the mail today, along woith some others (thanks swifty!) and as i was removing it from the vial to be placed in a deli cup, it shot up my arm like it was going to kill me. then it stopped, then i nudged it onto my hand and into the delicup, no biting or threatining. of course it is onlt 1" but who knows...

 

[mebebraz]

mines very feisty

 

[Henry Kane]

Hmmm allow me to throw the general census wayyyyy OFF. i got a L. cristata in the mail today, along woith some others (thanks swifty!) and as i was removing it from the vial to be placed in a deli cup, it shot up my arm like it was going to kill me. then it stopped, then i nudged it onto my hand and into the delicup, no biting or threatining. of course it is onlt 1" but who knows...

Yeah, you won't see the full on attitude for just a little longer but if your chromatus is of the average demeanor, it's total disdain will be much more apparent by the 2 1/2" to 3" mark.


Take care.

Atrax

 

[JohnxII]

Mine's a great teleporter. Very shy though, was quite hard to get a decent picture for the contest. It adopted the plastic flower pot I provided as a retreat, and only teleports back there whenever I need to do maintenance/feeding etc. Doesn't threaten nor kick.

 

[Pheonixx]

so atrax, what you're really saying is enjoy it while i can then, be afraid, be very afraid.....

 

[xanadu1015]

Thats for sure! This lady never acted like until her last molt, now she's out in the open all the time and ready to defend herself at the slightest bit of dust or that comes near her. She is the spazzmaster out of all the other T's. Even my OBT isn't like this. Savannah doesn't care if you move things in her tank, just as long as you don't try to take her out of her web cocoon. But Ms. Red? Forget even taking the top off!


Laura

 

[Hymneh]

My 3/4" / 1" genic is so sweet I can push her softly aside and it'll cooperate.
Against possible food items, it shall know no mercy ...

 

[Ker]

Mine is also of the PPMS variety. I finally broke down and put it into a larger container so that I could have a head start when it decided that my fingers resembled crickets. So far, the aggression hasnt been directed towards me, but we have had some VERY close calls when I lingered too long around the water lid !! My little eating machine honestly seems to think that EVERYTHING that goes into its container is dinner. On the good side, my little 3 inch wonder is quite passive after gorging on four crix, and I can push it out of the way when I need to do something... hmm... food makes nice spider.. must be a male !!