What is A. avicularia doing in this video?

Jar

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This is my first attempt at posting something on a forum, I have no idea if you can actually view the video, but I really tried!

Anyway, I'm really new to tarantulas and am curious why the spider is "wagging" its abdomen back and forth after it catches the cricket. I see her doing this weird movement all the time, typically if I disturb her in some way (open her enclosure, etc.) she moves her abdomen back and forth and moves her spinnerettes around. Is this some normal behavior that I just don't understand?
 

sdsnybny

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Its normal behavior, the T is making a web mat to eat on. In the wild it would keep small insects from getting part of its meal. We call it the happy dance
 

Jar

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Yeah I just saw that I was supposed to upload it through facebook, vimeo, youtube, or some other sites that I hadn't heard of. I didn't have an account for any of the sites, so I randomly picked Vimeo and made an account for the sole purpose of trying to upload my video here. Were you guys able to view it?

Anyway, thanks for both your replies. I had initially assumed the movement had something to do with creating a web, but I wasn't sure because so far I have not seen my little guy make any sort of noticeable web.
 

Ungoliant

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Its normal behavior, the T is making a web mat to eat on. In the wild it would keep small insects from getting part of its meal. We call it the happy dance
At least with my Avics, they also seem to be wrapping the prey. (If the lighting is right, you can see the silk coming out of the spinnerets and wrapping around the prey as the tarantula rotates and steps over the silk.)
 

Belegnole

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Yay! The Happy Dance!

Yup silk mat to wrap the prey. It makes eating easier.
 

Anoplogaster

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Yup..... in this video, she's basically setting the table:D. If you get her to feed on glass or acrylic, you can shine a light on the area and see her little place mat.

When you disturb her and she does it (mine does too), I'm guessing it's just a stimulus response. Maybe a way to sense her surroundings?
 

Andrea82

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Yup..... in this video, she's basically setting the table:D. If you get her to feed on glass or acrylic, you can shine a light on the area and see her little place mat.

When you disturb her and she does it (mine does too), I'm guessing it's just a stimulus response. Maybe a way to sense her surroundings?
Yeah, i've seen mine do that as well without food. It looks like it is securing a lifeline in case of a need to disappear quickly, but that is just a thought, no evidence to prove it a fact ;)
 

CEC

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Yup..... in this video, she's basically setting the table:D. If you get her to feed on glass or acrylic, you can shine a light on the area and see her little place mat.

When you disturb her and she does it (mine does too), I'm guessing it's just a stimulus response. Maybe a way to sense her surroundings?
Yeah, i've seen mine do that as well without food. It looks like it is securing a lifeline in case of a need to disappear quickly, but that is just a thought, no evidence to prove it a fact ;)
An Avics first and main defense is to rub their abdominal urticating setae on you. Avics don't kick/flick hairs, they rub them off on you or whatever is touching their abdomen. Many new keeper mistake this behavior for "liking to be pet" but in reality it's terrified for it's life and shows it in an unique way. This behavior can look similar in movement to laying a food web mat but they are actually doing two different things. You could say ones a "happy dance" and the other's a "mad dance".
 

Anoplogaster

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An Avics first and main defense is to rub their abdominal urticating setae on you. Avics don't kick/flick hairs, they rub them off on you or whatever is touching their abdomen. Many new keeper mistake this behavior for "liking to be pet" but in reality it's terrified for it's life and shows it in an unique way. This behavior can look similar in movement to laying a food web mat but they are actually doing two different things. You could say ones a "happy dance" and the other's a "mad dance".
..... or a ":arghh:Holy crap! Something's touching me:arghh:" dance
 

CEC

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..... or a ":arghh:Holy crap! Something's touching me:arghh:" dance
That would be an appropriate name for it if they only did it with contact, but they also do it when they feel your presence. Some of mine will raise their abdomen for a good rub immediately after I open their enclosure for feeding and maintenance.
 

Andrea82

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An I dvics first and main defense is to rub their abdominal urticating setae on you. Avics don't kick/flick hairs, they rub them off on you or whatever is touching their abdomen. Many new keeper mistake this behavior for "liking to be pet" but in reality it's terrified for it's life and shows it in an unique way. This behavior can look similar in movement to laying a food web mat but they are actually doing two different things. You could say ones a "happy dance" and the other's a "mad dance".
I didn't mean Avic doing that while handling, i don't handle. It does this when opening the enclosure.
 

CEC

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I didn't mean Avic doing that while handling, i don't handle. It does this when opening the enclosure.
I don't handle either, but if you take them out for rehousing, pics or shipping you will get the same response. ;)
 

Andrea82

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I don't handle either, but if you take them out for rehousing, pics or shipping you will get the same response. ;)
So, it is basically feeling such a threat that it is pushing u-hairs in its own web?
 

CEC

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Not necessarily, more like ready for a battle... ready to rub if you get too close. No different than an old world's threat display, ready to strike if you get too close. ;) This Avic behavior isn't the most intimidating threat display but an attempt, nonetheless.
 

darkness975

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This is my first attempt at posting something on a forum, I have no idea if you can actually view the video, but I really tried!

Anyway, I'm really new to tarantulas and am curious why the spider is "wagging" its abdomen back and forth after it catches the cricket. I see her doing this weird movement all the time, typically if I disturb her in some way (open her enclosure, etc.) she moves her abdomen back and forth and moves her spinnerettes around. Is this some normal behavior that I just don't understand?
You should not feed your Avic by removing the lid from the enclosure. I was hoping to no end that it did not decide to bolt and fall off. In the future you need to feed it with it securely in its enclosure.

On another note, seeing the type of lid it is makes me think that you are keeping it in some kind of Kritter Keeper type enclosure. I have to wonder if it is oriented and set up the correct way.
Please post some images of the enclosure set up so that any necessary changes can be recommended to you before your spider dies.

At the risk of sounding overly-dramatic (Which I am not, I am being truthful) your spider's life is at risk with an improper set up.
 

Andrea82

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Not necessarily, more like ready for a battle... ready to rub if you get too close. No different than an old world's threat display, ready to strike if you get too close. ;) This Avic behavior isn't the most intimidating threat display but an attempt, nonetheless.
Not the most functional threat display either i imagine. But it must be working or else the genus wouldn't be as succesful in the wild. :D
 

CEC

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Not the most functional threat display either i imagine. But it must be working or else the genus wouldn't be as succesful in the wild. :D
It's functional when you go at it face first like most predators. ;) You don't want those hairs in your mouth, nose, or eyes.
 
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