Should it be (A. Chalcodes)?

[woodermeloon]

I have been keeping for years and I dont handle most of my collection but I've always had an albopilosum or vegans around to show off to non-spider people. This weekend I picked up a large A.chalcodes to fill the role of educational/hands on spider and I am amazed by this spider. It doesn't utilize anything in its enclosure, I've only seen it moved when I provoked it, and just the general lethargy is amazing. I honestly don't think I could get this spider to defend itself even if I really tried (never would).

I have the spider quarantined now but I just wanted to make sure this was normal chalcodes behavior because this thing is making my albopilosum look skitish and my G pulchripes look like a sprinter.

 

[Venom1080]

you'd be surprised at how tolerant some spiders are, makes me wonder how they survive in the wild. to rehouse my B albo, i practically have to pick her up and move her.

 

[woodermeloon]

you'd be surprised at how tolerant some spiders are, makes me wonder how they survive in the wild. to rehouse my B albo, i practically have to pick her up and move her.

That was my line of thought! Like how the heck can this thing make it in the wild? I guess when you only make a trip or two out of your burrow a year the odds of running across something are low? This is actually my first Aphonapelma but I have a feeling the metabolism on the Chalcodes is going to be especially slow.

 

[sdsnybny]

I have two females, don't' let one fool you into thinking all chalcodes or Aphonopelma for that matter are sweet little pet rocks. One of mine strikes the water stream every time and comes to investigate anything that's remotely close to her enclosure. she is very quick to open her chelicerae and show you whats what.

 

[Venom1080]

That was my line of thought! Like how the heck can this thing make it in the wild? I guess when you only make a trip or two out of your burrow a year the odds of running across something are low? This is actually my first Aphonapelma but I have a feeling the metabolism on the Chalcodes is going to be especially slow.

im pretty sure they grow slower than Grammostola.

 

[EulersK]

I have two females, don't' let one fool you into thinking all chalcodes or Aphonopelma for that matter are sweet little pet rocks. One of mine strikes the water stream every time and comes to investigate anything that's remotely close to her enclosure. she is very quick to open her chelicerae and show you whats what.

I hear that! I haven't come across a defensive A. chalcodes yet, but I've got one of those nasty G. porteri's on my hands. She was actually my first spider, and she's just about as aggressive as a Chilo. Nasty little girl.

 

[Walker253]

I have two female A chalcodes. One is pleasant about 50% of the time and the other about 80% of the time. They give me a good warning, but they're anything but a "go-to" T for handling.

 

[Ashley2070]

My female A. Chalcodes is extremely defensive. I would never hold her. She is an aggressive eater (which is awesome) and if I ever touch her with the tongs to test her temperament or move her she immediately strikes the tongs without hesitation. I know this isn't "typical" A. chalcodes behavior but this is just my personal experience.

 

[Ashley2070]

I have two females, don't' let one fool you into thinking all chalcodes or Aphonopelma for that matter are sweet little pet rocks. One of mine strikes the water stream every time and comes to investigate anything that's remotely close to her enclosure. she is very quick to open her chelicerae and show you whats what.

Mine also strikes at the water stream pretty hilarious actually.

 

[Haksilence]

Individuals may vary.

My pair of hentzi are pretty active and skittish. I have 5 G sp "northern gold" and they are a complete mixed bag of temperaments. The pen male is insanely skittish and panicky. 2 of the females are your typical grammostola where if disturbed they will just slowly lumber to their hides, the other female is miss cranky pants and will bite ( not strike) whatever she wants and airways turns to face whatever touches her. She's weird, she will turn towards anything that you touch her with and will just slowly extend her fangs and grab it, not an actual strike.

So yeah, again, individual temperaments side times make them seem like completely different species

 

[14pokies]

It could be acting lazy because it's in pre-molt..

 

[KezyGLA]

I have been keeping for years and I dont handle most of my collection but I've always had an albopilosum or vegans around to show off to non-spider people. This weekend I picked up a large A.chalcodes to fill the role of educational/hands on spider and I am amazed by this spider. It doesn't utilize anything in its enclosure, I've only seen it moved when I provoked it, and just the general lethargy is amazing. I honestly don't think I could get this spider to defend itself even if I really tried (never would).

I have the spider quarantined now but I just wanted to make sure this was normal chalcodes behavior because this thing is making my albopilosum look skitish and my G pulchripes look like a sprinter.

Ahaha it all depends on the individual. I had one the exact same as yours and the other flicks like mad and throws threats.

 

[Crone Returns]

I have two females, don't' let one fool you into thinking all chalcodes or Aphonopelma for that matter are sweet little pet rocks. One of mine strikes the water stream every time and comes to investigate anything that's remotely close to her enclosure. she is very quick to open her chelicerae and show you whats what.

Er...that's the one you're keeping, right?

 

[sdsnybny]

Er...that's the one you're keeping, right?

LOL maybe........

 

[Crone Returns]

LOL maybe........

Oooooh nooooo lol

 

[woodermeloon]

I have two females, don't' let one fool you into thinking all chalcodes or Aphonopelma for that matter are sweet little pet rocks. One of mine strikes the water stream every time and comes to investigate anything that's remotely close to her enclosure. she is very quick to open her chelicerae and show you whats what.

Im glad this one appears to be docile. Her attitude might totally change when she establishes home turf (almost all spiders seem to agree on stand your ground laws) really impressed by the size of her chelicerae and the interesting carapace shape.

I'm leaving her alone for atleast the next 4 weeks to settle in. But once she has taken a meal and I know she is comfortable in her enclosure I'll give you guys an update on her behavior!

 

[tetracerus]

Basically what everyone else said. Don't get complacent and assume your chalcodes will stay forever sweet and docile. Their temperaments may change. Mine used to flick hairs so easily when I first got her but she's now calmed down with that. However, in the past few months, she has become a much more aggressive eater and has started slapping the water stream, which she never did before.

 

[truecreature]

My female is super skittish; she'll run for her hide at even the slightest disturbance to the cage. I barely even see her out most of the time though because she prefers to stay in the hide. It's like having an aboveground pet hole.

It's funny how tarantulas can have such different temperaments considering how primitive and simple they are

 

[viper69]

you'd be surprised at how tolerant some spiders are, makes me wonder how they survive in the wild. to rehouse my B albo, i practically have to pick her up and move her.

Dude that's how I feel about E. sp Red and Yellow. I'm always surprised at how tolerant they are, and always think "you'd be lunch in the wild w/that disposition". I've only come across one E sp Red owner, this forum too, that actually had a female I believe that behaved more like an OW than anything else. I hope she didn't breed it and pass on those genes!

 

[viper69]

I have been keeping for years and I dont handle most of my collection but I've always had an albopilosum or vegans around to show off to non-spider people. This weekend I picked up a large A.chalcodes to fill the role of educational/hands on spider and I am amazed by this spider. It doesn't utilize anything in its enclosure, I've only seen it moved when I provoked it, and just the general lethargy is amazing. I honestly don't think I could get this spider to defend itself even if I really tried (never would).

I have the spider quarantined now but I just wanted to make sure this was normal chalcodes behavior because this thing is making my albopilosum look skitish and my G pulchripes look like a sprinter.

They typically tolerant, but don't get complacent. I saw one at a reptile show recently, it was ready to eat someone for lunch.