My male B. smithi hates me!

[rknralf]

I have a 4" male B. smithi that rivals my baboons for pure attitude. He is a true attitude case to say the least. Every time I try and get near him, he makes a sound similiar to my Usambara and quickly throws hairs to the air. His temperment is such that I truley fear he would bite given the opportunity.
Is this normal for a B. smithi? I had always heard of them being docile, and I know all tarantulas have a personality, but this is ridiculas. I pity the person I send him to when he matures (This is assuming I can get him in the container to send when ready).
Ralph

 

[Gail]

I have found out the hard way that T's which are supposed to be docile can have the occassional individual that isn't. Sounds like you have one of that variety.
Your comment about being able to get him into the container brings up a question I've had bumping around in my noggin for a while - just how DO people get adult spiders wrapped up and shoved into those vials? When I recieved my adult PZB's they had been wrapped in damp papertowels and shoved into vials that were just big enough to take them so they didn't bump around. Now how the heck are you supposed to do that with, say, a T. blondi or one of the orange bitey things? Just curious.

Gail

 

[atavuss]

I have 11 b. smithis of various sizes and sex.....only one is not a rabid hair kicker and I can pretty much do whatever I need to do within her enclosure without getting hairs kicked all over me. most of the other smithis will tolerate a little disturbance/cleaning and then kick hairs.
Ed

 

[JacenBeers]

My old red knee was the same way before her untimely passing. She was very docile for a while but then when disturbed fore more than a few minutes she got a bad attitude. She is the only spider in my collection over the years that has ever haired me.

 

[Botar]

I'm with Gail... could a breeder or someone with experience shipping T's explain how it's done? I got a couple of T. blondis about a year ago and they were packed in there pretty tight.

 

[skinheaddave]

Since getting some slings recently, I've also been wondering the same thing. I guess it is just one of those things that you either know or want to know.

Cheers,
Dave

 

[Immortal_sin]

well, I am certainly not experienced in shipping, but I have an adult male P cambridgei that is going into the fridge for a few minutes before packing.
He is super fast, and I can't imagine getting almost 7" of crazy fast male into a deli cup without some help!
I am also packing him in the bathtub, in case he still decides to run.
So far, the other spiders I've shipped were fairly cooperative. How cooperative they can be anyhow, being forced into a very small space, that they don't want to go into

 

[Wade]

I don't know fow the pro's do it, but I've shipped a few off for breeding, including a latge male T. blondi. I set the cage on the floor, just in case of an escape so the spider won't fall. I wad up some paper towels and stuffed them in the bottom of the cup, then I wad some more which I keep onhand. I then trap the spider in the cup by quickly placing it over the spider, (be fast, but gentle!). The towels already in the cup should be stuffed tight enough not to fall out. The spider will usually start climbing the interior of the cup. I then carefully tip the cup enough to get the other wad of paper towels in, which I use to push the spider against the first wad. Usually, they seem to cooperate, and huddle up, briging their legs in tight. I then keep stuffing in towels until the spider is immobilized. I then SLIGHTLY moisten the towels at the opening to prevent dessication in transit, and then put the top on.

Some prefer to pack with sphagnum moss, because it doesn't disolve when moist the way towels can. I use sphagnum with critters like millipedes that may eat the towels.

On the fiesty B. smithi topic, I have 6...2 adult females and 4 immatures. The adults are quite docile, although they might flick a little when initially disturbed. The young 'uns, however, are all flicking, spastic maniacs. I suspect docility often comes with age.

Wade

 

[atavuss]

Originally posted by Immortal_sin
well, I am certainly not experienced in shipping, but I have an adult male P cambridgei that is going into the fridge for a few minutes before packing.
He is super fast, and I can't imagine getting almost 7" of crazy fast male into a deli cup without some help!

ok.....I will let Scott open his shipping container then! lol!
I found some plastic tubes with plastic caps on both ends and what I do is cap one end and stuff kleenex about halfway in the tube and then "cup" the t with the tube and get it to go inside up against the kleenex, then I loosely stuff kleenex in until the t is snug and cushioned. I slightly dampen the kleenex on either end and the plastic caps have vent holes punched in them. the plastic tube is then loosely wrapped in bubble wrap in a sturdy cardboard box which I ship unmarked.
how about everyone else? marked boxes or unmarked as to contents?
Ed

 

[Gail]

>how about everyone else? marked boxes or unmarked as to contents?

I have known and been good friends with UPS drivers / loaders, USPS workers (including a head postmaster) and FedEx drivers. They all have said the same thing - don't mark packages as FRAGILE or PERISABLE unless absolutely necessary and unless you pay for a lot of insurance. The reason is that they have a fair number of employees who will PURPOSELY smash, toss, freeze or cook such packages just to be a-holes. The USPS fella told me that the only ones they even think about being careful with are the ones that have the USPS mark of "Insured" on it because they can get in deep doo do if they are caught messing with one of those. The FedEx man and woman I know say that it doesn't happen a lot with FedEx but that they have a few idiots. The absolute worse by far is UPS. I've known 7 people who were either delivery or sorter/packer personell (and still am friends with 2) and every single one of them said NEVER NEVER NEVER mark anything as Fragile or Perisable or Glass. The horror stories that they have told me are so enrageing that I told my two current friends that I didn't want to hear any more stories. Things they have seen first hand:
Package marked Fragile - Glass which was obviously picture frames was tossed like a frisbee from one sorter to another until it hit the floor and the person picking it up purposely stepped on it and they all laughed as the sound of broken glass rattled.
Package marked Perisable - Keep from Heat and Freezing - was set out in the sun on the dock all morning and was the last package they sorted.
I could tell you all more but I think you get the idea - NEVER let them know what's inside.

Gail

 

[BertWright]

On the Red Knee

My Red Knee (Brachypelma smithi) is afraid of a cricket. Her rump stays bare from kicking hair. But, just like anything else - for being docile, there are exceptions to every rule. In my limited experience, my general feeling is that Males tend to be more temperamental regardless of species. And as one keeper once told me,"somedays even the most docile don't want to be bothered." Then again, he might be trying to tell you you're not spending enough time with him. Who knows with these fascinating beings?

Bert
Fellow tarantula keeper/enthusiast

 

[Wade]

Originally posted by atavuss

how about everyone else? marked boxes or unmarked as to contents?
Ed

Unmarked. All marking does is make them ask questions. I just pack as if I know it's going to be abused!


Wade

 

[rknralf]

Wade,
Seeing as your location is Richmond VA, do you know of any good Arachnid clubs/groups in the area? I am in Newport News VA, right down 64.
I figure someone else besides me buys tarantulas, but I only know one other local keeper.
Ralph

 

[Immortal_sin]

on the B smithi topic, I have one 10 year old female. She never moves, except to flick hair
On the packing subject, I have an Airborne account. They allow live animals (depending on what kind). However...that being said, I still do not mark my packages. I put a bit of damp substrate in a deli cup, with a damp paper towel draped over it, and over the edge. I put the spider in, and pack paper toweling over till snug, but not too tight. I dampen that too. Once the lid is on, and taped, I put into a box with styrofoam insulation. Then, I put the deli cups in, and surround them with styrofoam peanuts till they do not move.
I tape the box up, and voila'!! You can throw it around and they are safe and snug.
Hopefully anyway...ED, did you receive them yet?!!!

 

[atavuss]

Hopefully anyway...ED, did you receive them yet?!!! [/B][/QUOTE]

Hi Holley, got them this afternoon, both look fine. thanks for sending them and wish Scott and I luck!
Ed

 

[Ropes4u]

First hello I am new to the list ;o)

Now about my My Male B. Smithi he will rush anything that enters his large petpal I am at this point faster than him so I am not sure if he will bite or not. He will also kick hair just for the fun of it if I bumb his cage.

Blue Skies, John

 

[Wade]

Originally posted by rknralf
Wade,
Seeing as your location is Richmond VA, do you know of any good Arachnid clubs/groups in the area? I am in Newport News VA, right down 64.
I figure someone else besides me buys tarantulas, but I only know one other local keeper.
Ralph

Ralph,

We have a club here, the Richmond Herp and Bug Society, for both reptile and invertebrate enthusiests. The word "bug" is used in the loosest possible sense, meaning pretty much all arthropods. As far as I know, it's the only hobbyist-friendly group in VA. It might be kind of far from you (probably an hour and a half), but you'd be welcome if you were interested. If you e-mail me your mailing address, I could send you some info.

Wade

 

[Mister Internet]

Re: On the Red Knee

Originally posted by BertWright
Then again, he might be trying to tell you you're not spending enough time with him. Who knows with these fascinating beings?

Do you really think tarantulas are deserving of that level of anthropomorphic personification? I mean, dogs get lonely, birds get lonely.... but tarantulas?

 

[Solar Dart]

I would think so, Mister, lol. But who knows?

My young B. smithi is also a cronic hair-flicker. Kind of odd how they are described as such a docile species, what with all these people making statements to the contrary.