Orange Bitey Thing??

[JBoyer]

WHEN PEOPLE REFER TO THEIR ORANGE BITEY THING ARE THEY REFERING TO THE Usumbara? AND IF SO IS IT EXTREMELY COMMON FOR THIS SPECIES TO BE VERY BITEY?! OR IS THIS A GENERALIZATION?
JENNIFER

 

[Code Monkey]

First, fix your caps-lock key, my eyes and ears hurt

Yes, they are referring to P. murinus RCF "Usambara" with the OBT name.

Yes, they can be very bitey within their tanks. They will come out and attack things they perceive as being on their turf no matter what the size or odds against them. Some are not this psycho, but at about 2-2.5" in size, most develop quite the attitude problem.

 

[Buspirone]

There is a very informative caresheet on Exopet's site in the CARESHEET SECTION . Look for "Pterinochilus murinus, written by Luc Ross" . Its my favorite caresheet for this tarantula and I wish more sheets were written in this format and contained similar information.

 

[chuck]

some also call them OCTs for Orange Chicken Things. a few, like mine will rather run than bite.

 

[mebebraz]

mine are all pretty much on the bitey side, terrible dispositions, kinda like the town bullies in my house.

 

[MrFeexit]

So far mine is an Orange Hidey Thing. Just sits on her front porch until I open up the lid or come too close with a camera then wooosh it's back into her webby log home. She is about the size for her attitiude to kick in ....the smaller one I have is a hider also. I will not tempt fate by being over confident or complacent I know she will come out charging at some point so my hands stay out of her turf. Tweezers Only zone

 

[conipto]

I hate the whole OBT thing. What in the hell are we, the population who is trying to keep the rest of the world from hating spiders, doing putting BITEY in the name of one of our most commonly kept pets? Where exactly does that get us?

I call mine Dr. Who.

My cat's breath smells like cat food.

Bill

 

[HD1]

Conipto, I agree. I don't have a Usambura but a Lugardi, close enough. I don't call my rosea brown bitey thing. My lugardi at least stays still when I'm near it. The brown bitey thing attacks all and everything that goes near it. (not just feeding response)
I could have a versicolor bitey thing. Just depends on the spider.

 

[Pixie]

What is wrong with nicknaming a T for their behavior? It's not it's common or latin name, so what is the fuss! I rather have a tarantula nicknamed after a very common behavior for that species than it be called the "Cute orange thingy"!

My usumbara is an OBT totally! She will not hesitate at all to come out and bite my thongs when I clean up her tank. I think it's an endearing quality of the species and in fact, the biggest reason why I got my usumbara. I just had to have a T that threw temper tantrums! A couple of times, my "O.J." has flipped herself on her back in a biting tantrum and she still tries to bite when on her back! Too cute!

Pixie

 

[Mendi]

Yeah, OBT isn't helping their reputation any... but I prefer thinking of them as "pTerrors" myself. Kinda like the state they cause me at times when they are so mad they flip onto their back in that over done threat posture. I'm much more comforted that mine are in homes where their care givers have more iron in their blood than I have =D




I'm an arachnophobic arachnoholic...

 

[HD1]

You know, I think that OBT is cool. I was just duped into thinking my rosea would be a kind, gentle T, and now I'm skeptical of nametags. But now I know, rosea's are satans spawn. At least mine is.;P

 

[deifiler]

Here's a picture of mine. Nope, it isn't on it's back for moulting purposes, it kind of 'fell' backwards whilst striking the air from the 'threat posture'. Anyway it remained on it's back flipping around a bit biting at the air and other stuff.

But yeah... My "OBT's" moods vary from extreme to extreme, it'll either run, or it'll stay and fight.

Pretty nifty spider

 

[deifiler]

Originally posted by HD1
Conipto, I agree. I don't have a Usambura but a Lugardi, close enough. I don't call my rosea brown bitey thing. My lugardi at least stays still when I'm near it. The brown bitey thing attacks all and everything that goes near it. (not just feeding response)
I could have a versicolor bitey thing. Just depends on the spider.

Stereotypically, the Lugardi is far from the 'Usambara' in behaviour. I have both and can verify this from my specimens too. I've never seen the LUgardi rear up, though it does run a lot and scuttle about. Lugardi is often regarded as the better natured Pterinochilus, perhaps yours is just a worse example of this. I've had what are percieved as nasty aggressive spiders that have been rather pleasant, as far as spiders go anyway.


Lugardi:

 

[sunnymarcie]

So far mine is an Orange Hidey Thing. Just sits on her front porch until I open up the lid or come too close with a camera then wooosh it's back into her webby log home.

=D

Well, I have 2 of these T's and that statement describes one of them The other one will jump out at the slightest movement! She bursts out of the ground like a zombie in one
of those grave yard movies! Both of them are @2 inches and have been the same way since I recieved them.

 

[dennis]

Originally posted by Pixie
My usumbara is an OBT totally! She will not hesitate at all to come out and bite my thongs when I clean up her tank.
Pixie

=D

 

[AudreyElizabeth]

Well, P. murinus was my very *first* tarantula. I never heard the term OBT until quite some time of owning mine.

He is a little orange demon, but there is a 50/50 chance he'd rather run away. Even as a newb I wouldn't have wanted him any other way. I think that while OBT might hurt a newcomer's point of view about tarantulas in general, to those that have one its just a cute nickname; just being affectionate. But the fact of the matter is, all tarantulas are capable of biting, even that super-cute pinktoe that's hanging out on the side of the cage. The first thing a new keeper should learn is to respect and be careful no matter what the species, cause these are not domestic animals by any means.

As has been stated, there are plenty of psycho Rose hair out there, and they are supposed to be a beginner T!

 

[Joanie]

Orange hidey thing

I did all my research and was totally geared up for an aggressive, old world T when I got my Usambara. Mine, though, has turned out to be 100% orange chicken thing, as even the flicker of a flashlight causes him to dive for cover.

My P. ornata, another T I was expecting to be aggressive, runs and hides from the giant tweezers, and scrunches up and looks as small as possible every time I open the lid. For some reason, I seem to own easily intimidated tarantulas.

Joanie

 

[Spike]

Okay that settles it once my knowledge of OWers has gotton better this is the next T I get.

 

[skinheaddave]

I object to the use of OBT, OCT, pTerror etc. etc. etc. for one simple reason -- it makes communication less effective. If you use P.murinus, Pterinochilus sp. or even "Usumbara" then a vast majority of the people here will have a good idea of what you mean. Those that don't will be able to do a simple web search and clear it all up. The use of OBT, OCT, PTerror etc. only serves to further confuse newbies.

Cheers,
Dave

 

[JBoyer]

I had never heard the term OBT until I started reading this forum.
I have to agree with skinheaddave. It is confusing to read OBT
and not know what that means. (well I do now that I asked! )

However, I wouldn't say it is only a newbie thing. I have been keeping T's for quite awhile and have gathered a large knowledge base, just not in all areas! I would rather see T's refered to at least by common name!
Jennifer