My G. pulchra is, hands down, my most defensive T?

lilivili

Arachnopeon
Joined
Mar 19, 2021
Messages
37
Like, idk why?

If I open his enclosure he starts climbing out and I have to gently coax him back in with a pipette or tweezers and he goes after them! He's grabbed them from me and bit them!

I have over a dozen Ts and none of them are anything like this. I have an OBT that's an absolute darling, I have theraphosas, irminia, etc.

My pulchra is #1 on my never touch list because he is the fastest to bite.

He also just sits out in the open most of the time on that piece of cork bark.

Did I get a misidentified species or is he just a little fire cracker!?

20230922_110950.jpg
 

MariaLewisia

Arachnoknight
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Aug 28, 2022
Messages
185
It's a feeding response, not defensiveness. He's just curious what happened when you opened the enclosure and goes to investigate, and suddenly here comes something that might be food. Who knows when the next meal will come, so better pounce it. My G. pulchra is the same, one of my T. albo's even worse.

Also, ALL tarantulas should be #1 on your never touch list.
 

lilivili

Arachnopeon
Joined
Mar 19, 2021
Messages
37
It's a feeding response, not defensiveness. He's just curious what happened when you opened the enclosure and goes to investigate, and suddenly here comes something that might be food. Who knows when the next meal will come, so better pounce it. My G. pulchra is the same, one of my T. albo's even worse.

Also, ALL tarantulas should be #1 on your never touch list.
Tell that to my t. Albo. When you try to rehouse her she doesn't respond to brushes or anything and the least stressful way to move her is to just gently pick her up, because everything else just makes her fear curl in place.

I don't touch my Ts otherwise but I keep my hands FAR from this little guy at all times.
 

TLSizzle

Arachnobaron
Joined
Apr 2, 2018
Messages
306
He's obviously starving. Feed the poor thing and I bet he calms down! 😉

Such a cutie and I love his stance.
 

SpookySpooder

"embiggened"
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Jun 21, 2023
Messages
1,086
Yeah that's normal feeding response. All my species display that behavior from time to time. Even the Avics.

At least your Pulchra has the courtesy to wait for you, my P. irminia, C. cyaneopubescens, H. pulchripes literally leap from the rim of their enclosures to hit the feeder before I drop it. Often they wrestle with the tongs and just dangle there for a second.

Gotten used to it but it used to give me quite a jump scare.

Before anybody says to drop from higher up, I tried that at first but crickets would jump and flip midair and often land outside the enclosure. Really annoying.

One time a cricket landed right on the outer wall of the enclosure and my P. irminia ran outside, grabbed it, and dragged it inside the enclosure lightning fast. That was pretty cool.
 

Mustafa67

Arachnobaron
Active Member
Joined
Jun 29, 2021
Messages
312
Like, idk why?

If I open his enclosure he starts climbing out and I have to gently coax him back in with a pipette or tweezers and he goes after them! He's grabbed them from me and bit them!

I have over a dozen Ts and none of them are anything like this. I have an OBT that's an absolute darling, I have theraphosas, irminia, etc.

My pulchra is #1 on my never touch list because he is the fastest to bite.

He also just sits out in the open most of the time on that piece of cork bark.

Did I get a misidentified species or is he just a little fire cracker!?

View attachment 456334
This sometimes happens, my T Albo is the most defensive of mine :rofl: MUCH worse than my A Genic or B Bohemi lol
 

gabrieldezzi

Arachnosquire
Joined
Sep 21, 2023
Messages
114
It's a feeding response, not defensiveness. He's just curious what happened when you opened the enclosure and goes to investigate, and suddenly here comes something that might be food. Who knows when the next meal will come, so better pounce it. My G. pulchra is the same, one of my T. albo's even worse.

Also, ALL tarantulas should be #1 on your never touch list.
For the first part I absolutely agree unless theres a threat pose involved.

As for the tarantulas not being on the touch list, although its heavily debated I think it's fine to take advantage of an opportunity if one of your more docile T's gets a little curious and wanders onto your hand or arm. It's completely unacceptable for to say for instance no matter how "docile" the species may be to say, rip it out of its burrow in an attempt to handle.
 

Ultum4Spiderz

ArachnoGod
Old Timer
Joined
Oct 13, 2011
Messages
6,099
Like, idk why?

If I open his enclosure he starts climbing out and I have to gently coax him back in with a pipette or tweezers and he goes after them! He's grabbed them from me and bit them!

I have over a dozen Ts and none of them are anything like this. I have an OBT that's an absolute darling, I have theraphosas, irminia, etc.

My pulchra is #1 on my never touch list because he is the fastest to bite.

He also just sits out in the open most of the time on that piece of cork bark.

Did I get a misidentified species or is he just a little fire cracker!?

View attachment 456334
Maybe a stand your ground tarantulas?? Looks ready to pounce !! Some of
My Ts won’t hesitate to kick hairs .like my old phampho..
 
Last edited:

Arachnophobphile

Arachnoprince
Active Member
Joined
Dec 24, 2018
Messages
1,024
Like, idk why?

If I open his enclosure he starts climbing out and I have to gently coax him back in with a pipette or tweezers and he goes after them! He's grabbed them from me and bit them!

I have over a dozen Ts and none of them are anything like this. I have an OBT that's an absolute darling, I have theraphosas, irminia, etc.

My pulchra is #1 on my never touch list because he is the fastest to bite.

He also just sits out in the open most of the time on that piece of cork bark.

Did I get a misidentified species or is he just a little fire cracker!?

View attachment 456334
G. pulchra are usually very curious T's. I have read from other keepers that their G. pulchra can be very defensive.

However out of all my T's it's my T. vagans that is not just defensive but psycho too. From what you described is child's play compared to her.

One thing to understand that every tarantula has their own disposition. Whether defensive, docile, (means more tolerant not friendly towards humans) each can sometimes be unique.

Another thing is these animals should only be disturbed for enclosure maintenance, water dish refill and feeding. Some T's don't even want you close to their enclosure or they start slapping the ground. You just don't know what you get to you have it.
 

lilivili

Arachnopeon
Joined
Mar 19, 2021
Messages
37
you sure that's a pulchra?
Pretty sure, bought from a breeder who had a bunch in sling vials. Also bought my OBT and irminia from him.

Maybe a stand your ground tarantulas?? Looks ready to pounce !! Some of
My Ts won’t hesitate to kick hairs .like my old phampho..
Definitely a pampho thing. My pink bloom's #1 move is to run into his hide with his butt out and kick hairs. Feeding, giving water, whatever.
 

spideyspinneret78

Arachnoprince
Active Member
Joined
Jul 19, 2019
Messages
1,377
In his mind, everything is food until proven otherwise!!! When crickets magically fall from the sky every week or so, who knows what could happen? Better go check it out in case it's edible.
 

mack1855

Arachnoangel
Arachnosupporter +
Joined
Sep 5, 2016
Messages
829
@cold blood ,I was thinking the same thing.
Looks awfully leggy to be a pulchra.

Just because someone says “I’m sending you this”,doesn’t mean that’s what you get.

JMO.
 

Wolfram1

Arachnoprince
Active Member
Joined
Jul 1, 2018
Messages
1,488
might be because i never had one, but it does look like one to me.....
 
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