Top Ten Most Aggressive Tarantulas

[Fran]

By definition, the fact that tarantulas can ,wether is as s defensive behavior, strike at you bite you, they are being agressive.

I dont get how can people DONT GET THIS.

 

[Zoltan]

By definition, the fact that tarantulas can ,wether is as s defensive behavior, strike at you bite you, they are being agressive.

I dont get how can people DONT GET THIS.

Which definition are you referring to, Fran?

 

[Scorpionking20]

Great Example!

No. Defensive is still the correct term. Defensive is them defending their home. If you were to bring your H. lividum out of its cage, place it on the ground. If it charges at you and attacks you. That is aggressive.

If your home was broken into, as a human you would want to defend it right? But if you were to just go out and shoot someone randomly that is aggressive/psychotic.

Wrong. LOL...you crack me up. This is exactly what I'm talking about. This is one of the reasons the internet can be frustrating...people really have a need to feel like they are worth something (that person being you) and seek somewhere to try and act in such a way they feel proud of themselves. Good job...I hope you feel better.

Neuroscience defines aggression as behavior directed at an object or animal which results in damage or harm to that object or animal. Period. It's a defensive action to run, to defend oneself from harm. So if my A metallica ran away after I breath on her, she is acting defensively. If I breath on my OBT and it throws up a threat display, that's defensive as well, right? If I breath on it with my face close enough, I get bit. That's defensive.

So...semantically in this case, defensive doesn't give us the definition we are looking at in this instance (A willingness to bite/hair). So, in cases where potential harm comes along I will differentiate that from defensiveness by calling it aggression.

Get over it...don't come to the internet and argue semantics which you don't understand. The purpose for a forum is to communicate, and calling aggressive spiders (those which would potentially harm you) aggressive to separate them from non-aggressive yet defensive spiders (those that want to protect themselves, yet they don't have a tendency to cause harm, such as runners, hiders) helps hobbyists understand their respective species better.

Anyways, Sleazoid, thanks for sharing your' own made up definition of what aggression is (Your' H lividum example). Now I know what you think of as aggression! However, since I prefer objective definitions that lack vagueness or relativity, I'll continue to try and help members of this forum by using correct definitions and linguistics that actually communicate/convey useful and accurate information rather than trying to assert my own definition so that I may call people wrong on the internet and feel good about it.

In closing, no, this is not a personal attack on Sleazoid. I just wanted to clarify because his was a great example of what is wrong with the whole "aggressive" vs "defensive" debate. If it's useful in conveying information, then awesome. Any newcomer to the hobby that is told both Avics and Stromatopelmas are both defensive may hold those Ts as similar in character...thus we need better use of definitions to distinguish truly "defensive" Ts from the more typically "aggressive" (behaviors that are more likely to cause harm) Ts.

I hope we all learned something this morning!

---------- Post added at 09:38 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:35 AM ----------

By definition, the fact that tarantulas can ,wether is as s defensive behavior, strike at you bite you, they are being agressive.

I dont get how can people DONT GET THIS.

Welcome back Fran! We've missed you!

 

[Stewjoe]

I still think that they aggressively defend.

 

[Fran]

Hey man!

Zoltan, by definition of agression.

The action of biting you is an aggressive action. Thats agressivity.

 

[Singapore_Blue1]

Hey man!

Zoltan, by definition of agression.

The action of biting you is an aggressive action. Thats agressivity.

I totally agree with Fran on this subject....Is that a first lol

 

[Fran]

I totally agree with Fran on this subject....Is that a first lol

Is it?

 

[Zoltan]

Hey Fran, perhaps I wasn't clear enough, I was curious which specific definition of the word "aggression" or "aggressive" are you referring to, because you said "by definition" and it would have been helpful to me if you have had actually spelled out that definition.

I used to side with the "defensive" camp until I did a little research. Sources indicate that the word "aggression" originates from the Latin aggressus = attacked, or the Latin aggredi = to attack.

Immelmann & Beer's (1989) definition of aggression:
"Aggression. Aggressive behaviour. A general term for all elements of attacks, defense and threat behaviour. [...]"

...and "aggressiveness":
"Aggressiveness. A species' or individual's typical tendency to attack, or a tendency specific to an individual on a particular occasion or in a particular situation."

And then Maggenti's Online Dictionary of Invertebrate Zoology defines aggression as this:
"aggression n. [L. aggressus, attacked] The behavior of an organism involving threats or attack of another organism or object."

References:
Immelmann, K. & C. Beer. 1989. A dictionary of ethology. Harvard University Press, 336 pp.
Maggenti, A. R. Online Dictionary of Invertebrate Zoology. online @ http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/onlinedictinvertzoology/

 

[Fran]

Hey Fran, perhaps I wasn't clear enough, I was curious which specific definition of the word "aggression" or "aggressive" are you referring to, because you said "by definition" and it would have been helpful to me if you have had actually spelled out that definition.

I used to side with the "defensive" camp until I did a little research. Sources indicate that the word "aggression" originates from the Latin aggressus = attacked, or the Latin aggredi = to attack.

Immelmann & Beer's (1989) definition of aggression:
"Aggression. Aggressive behaviour. A general term for all elements of attacks, defense and threat behaviour. [...]"

...and "aggressiveness":
"Aggressiveness. A species' or individual's typical tendency to attack, or a tendency specific to an individual on a particular occasion or in a particular situation."

And then Maggenti's Online Dictionary of Invertebrate Zoology defines aggression as this:
"aggression n. [L. aggressus, attacked] The behavior of an organism involving threats or attack of another organism or object."

References:
Immelmann, K. & C. Beer. 1989. A dictionary of ethology. Harvard University Press, 336 pp.
Maggenti, A. R. Online Dictionary of Invertebrate Zoology. online @ http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/onlinedictinvertzoology/

But Zoltan, even with any of those definitons, it fits, right?

The action of a spider rearing up and attempting to bite, is aggresion. Theres agression involved.
Non aggressive? Running away.

 

[Scorpionking20]

Hey, how come I didn't get quoted!? I thought I put it quite nicely. Fran nailed it.

 

[josh_r]

Not the most aggressive, but definitely the biggest "ALL BARK, no bite"

aphonopelma mojave

aphonopelma paloma and the drunken walk

Calisoga theveneti is probably the most aggressive native spider i have seen. They rival OBT's and others in aggression very willingly flipping right onto their backs to show their fangs!

Male pretty upset!

I blew on him and he darn near back flipped and landed like this! so mean!

female equally as upset!

and on her back she goes!

 

[phily1579]

Lets just be distintive on how we describe them. There not aggressive, they r defensive just like u guys said. Asian species n african species tend to be the more defensive species. But thats not to say a surposedly docile species like a rose hair can become defensive n not want to be messed with. My rosea is moody as hell. Alot of times she dnt wNt to be messed with. Just have to respect them n enjoy them!! Good luck to u mckenzie. Any other questions just ask.

---------- Post added at 10:02 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:58 PM ----------

I love my obt. I got a 5" female. I call her the orange monster. Dnt c her for months on in though. but when i do get to c her, its a real treat. :clap:

 

[Fran]

For that matter, no animal is aggressive, then.
It is very simple, check out the definition and add 2+2

 

[josh_r]

Lets just be distintive on how we describe them. There not aggressive, they r defensive just like u guys said. Asian species n african species tend to be the more defensive species. But thats not to say a surposedly docile species like a rose hair can become defensive n not want to be messed with. My rosea is moody as hell. Alot of times she dnt wNt to be messed with. Just have to respect them n enjoy them!! Good luck to u mckenzie. Any other questions just ask.

All species of tarantula can and will be defensive in some way or another, but there come a line that is crossed when calling it defensive is not enough. Many species show defensiveness by running away and kicking urticating hairs, others show it by going completely crazy and trying to kill you if they can. Others do both. I feel that when a species goes beligerent as most of your old worlds do, you can go ahead and say its aggressive..... or aggressively defending itself. either way, its aggression.

 

[Fran]

I would have to say +1 to the defensive side. All my OBT's & Haplopelmas are dolls when not being messed with. The aggressor in the situation is the one who wants to get closer and admire it or mess with it. I think if a T could talk it would reply "If you don't start nothing, there would be nothing". The only part of them that could be considered aggressive is the feeding ritual of a T but that is not in debate. Only the crickets/roaches/pinkies would be able to rate that one.

If Im walking on the street with a baseball bat swinging at heads would you call me aggressive? What if I told you that I felt the need of defense because they were the intruders?

The ACTION,no matter the cause, is aggressive in nature.

 

[Fran]

I would def call that aggressive. You are the one with the baseball bat? In order for you to justify that statement and respond to what I said they actually would have to be "intruders" into your domain. Then even by our own laws your reaction is called 'self defense'. Maybe off topic but my T can not even lift a baseball bat so how is this relevant? :?

Just to make you understand, and it seems im failling, that wether is a defensive mechanism or not the action of striking and biting is an AGRESSIVE action.

 

[Fran]

1a : tending toward or exhibiting aggression: b marked by combative readiness.
2a : marked by obtrusive energy b : marked by driving forceful energy or initiative.

If those 2 acceptions arent suitable to the teeth foer you...Then yeah, Im done too. :?

Actually, Defensiveness doesnt exclude agressivity. With your reasoning nothing can be agressive. Since theres a reason behind the aggression, then im not aggressive, Right?

 

[Fran]

This argument is one of symantics and is situational more then a generalization of all actions. Everything displays aggression when feeding or trying to survive. Only the human race displays it for amusement. It does our hobby good to label them as defensive and let people know they will not bite your face off for owning it. Just let them be prepared that it will defend itself if provoked and to treat them with respect. I figured you as another enthusiast of the hobby would realize that.

But I cant misscall something or be irrational just because the outsiders might not understand it. Im sorry, but if they have a couple of braincells they would realize that any animal have no capability of being evil for amusement.

It might sound mean but I really dont waste my time explaining anything to someone who thinks that way. It is a matter of pure lack of capacity to reason . To not be able to comprehend basic behavior of wild animals is not simple ignorance, is actually lack of inteligence.

My mother, as an example, doesnt like them neither have interest on them yet she fully understand that they wont come after you or try to bite you for no reason.

 

[GartenSpinnen]

Here I covered them all..

1. Haplopelma sp. (Any of them)
2. Pterinochilus murinus
3. S. calceatum
4. H. maculata
5. Whatever the King Baboon is called now.
6. Anything from Australia.
7. Everything else from Asia not listed.
8. Everything else from Africa not listed.
9. Poecilotheria sp. (When you try to put them in a deli.)
10. Every other tarantula that occasionally gets in a pissy mood for whatever reasons (Close to molt, Bad stimuli, Hungry, etc reasons mistaken for defensiveness).

 

[malevolentrobot]

Here I covered them all..

1. Haplopelma sp. (Any of them)
2. Pterinochilus murinus
3. S. calceatum
4. H. maculata
5. Whatever the King Baboon is called now.
6. Anything from Australia.
7. Everything else from Asia not listed.
8. Everything else from Africa not listed.
9. Poecilotheria sp. (When you try to put them in a deli.)
10. Every other tarantula that occasionally gets in a pissy mood for whatever reasons (Close to molt, Bad stimuli, Hungry, etc reasons mistaken for defensiveness).

i am disappointed to not see "the 50/50 coin toss chance with B. vagans" actually on the list. for every docile one i hear about, there are two insane ones that will rival a pokie hands down