Why is my baby T such a <edit> all of a sudden (lol)

[TheRealhumanheart]

I’ve had my tarantula Daria for about a year now and she is still a bit small and has only been guessed as a female btw from the seller, she is a Mexican red leg, I’d say she’s somewhere approaching juvenile size.

She’s always has been very timid and used to be pretty comfortable with handling (even seemed to enjoy it) and was almost sweet in a way and I never had fear of her biting me, she’s molted twice in captivity and by second molt she has completely switched moods.

I haven’t handled her for months now (yes I know you shouldn’t regularly handle them and I’ve never made it a habit) out of fear of her attacking me or anybody else and accidentally harming her because I would cry my eyes out.

I get if she’s pissed because if I’m in her space but I’ll simply touch her leg with a soft paintbrush after blowing softly at her a few times so I can move her away from the water dish and she’ll try to attack it without warning, no signs of stress like balding on her abdomen, she has a lot of space, I feed her on schedule, she’s supposedly one of the most docile tarantula breeds but I’ve seen old worlds nicer than her lmao.

 

[moricollins]

How would you feel is someone were to come over to your house, open the door and start poking you with a stick? Would you be all calm about it or would you freak out?

It's not surprising, at all, that a Tarantula doesn't want you poking at it with a paintbrush or blowing on it...

 

[vicareux]

comfortable with handling (even seemed to enjoy it)

No tarantulas enjoy being handled. How do you know it enjoys handling? Did it tell you or did it smile while walking on your hand?

(yes I know you shouldn’t regularly handle them)

Regularly? How about never

Leave the poor T alone and you wont have to worry about its defensiveness.
Tarantula is an animal like any other,and animals have a certain tolerance thresholds. Seems like your T is done being messed with.

 

[Poonjab]

Sounds normal for species

 

[DomGom TheFather]

Tarantulas often act differently as they grow. Their temperament can even change within a molt cycle. If her new attitude prevents handling, it's for the best. A short fall is all it takes. No one wants to be the guy asking about cornstarch.

 

[Edan bandoot]

personalities change between molts or even during different stages of the molt cycle, Stop handling.

 

[Craig73]

The paintbrush and blowing is not necessary. Try waiting for the tarantula to move away from where you’re trying to do maintenanc/watering; come back later. If you feel like it needs water right then and there maybe put in a secondary water bowl elsewhere in the enclosure until you can access the other without incident.

The act of trying to move the T could be the reason for the behavior, maybe not.

 

[Tarantuland]

No need to feed on a schedule, no need to handle. Your tarantula does not experience joy.

 

[viper69]

with handling (even seemed to enjoy it

There are NO breeds of tarantulas. Zip, nada, none, zero.

You clearly do not know too much about these animals’ behavior and neurological capabilities.

Strongly suggest you read a ton. Or you may kill your T.

All the things you do irritate Ts, all the things your T is doing is normal for Ts who belong to owners with your described behavior.

 

[The Grym Reaper]

She’s always has been very timid and used to be pretty comfortable with handling (even seemed to enjoy it)

No tarantula enjoys being handled. At best they tolerate it (right up until they don't).

she’s molted twice in captivity and by second molt she has completely switched moods.

Yep, this is a thing that happens, these are wild animals with their own dispositions which can change at any time (even from moult to moult). I have a B. hamorii female that was practically catatonic until her second moult with me, ever since then anything that isn't food gets threat postures/slapping/bites, also have a B. emilia that was pretty chill/slightly skittish for about 3 years and then moulted out into a cranky bitch.

yes I know you shouldn’t regularly handle them

You shouldn't handle them at all. They get nothing out of it, and you risk injuring/killing them every time you do it.

I’ll simply touch her leg with a soft paintbrush after blowing softly at her a few times so I can move her away from the water dish and she’ll try to attack it without warning

That's a feeding response. If you were a practically blind animal that hunted by vibration/touch and something brushed up against your leg you'd probably try to snag it first and ask questions later.

no signs of stress like balding on her abdomen

A balding abdomen is not a sign of stress, all it indicates is that the tarantula has kicked hairs. Tarantulas don't just kick hairs at attackers, they also kick them off around the entrances of their hides/burrows/webbing in order to deter potential intruders.

she’s supposedly one of the most docile tarantula breeds species* but I’ve seen old worlds nicer than her lmao.

The temperaments listed for species on websites are generalisations, individual temperaments can vary wildly.

* Species, not breeds. A Great Dane and a Jack Russel Terrier are both Canis lupus familiaris, they've just been bred for different attributes. A Mexican Red Leg and a Mexican Red Rump are completely different species.

 

[Neonblizzard]

You know blowing on them is one of the most distressing things you can do to a tarantula? It's like screaming in a person's face while shaking them, then calling them a b*tch when they don't want to interact with you.

I think you might need to learn a bit more about T's.

 

[LucN]

As everybody else mentioned, no good reason to handle Ts. EVER. It's just an accident waiting to happen. If it bites you on your hand while handling, what will you do ? You're pretty likely to flinch and either toss it in the air or drop it. It either splats at a nearby wall or on the floor. Great way to waste a good looking T like B. emilia. Like people, Ts can have good days and bad days. Why take the risk ? Despite that I do use a paintbrush occasionally, it's more to corral prey items than the spider itself. Most of the time, usual maintenance can wait. Now there has been a few times where I needed to nudge my Ts away because their water dish was really, really dirty. More often that not, they'll strike at the brush, which is generally a misplaced feeding response, not defensive behaviour. Blowing at a T is a big no no. I learned that very early on. Nothing sets them off more than a sudden breeze.

For your sake and your spider's, stop handling it completely. If you need to take it out for any reason, practice hands-off handling. Put the cage on the floor and use a catch up to take it out. Do not let it walk out, just a fall of several inches is enough to cause internal damage. If it's indeed female, you better write it in your will. B. emilia are amongst the longest living Ts, going over 30 years or near 40 wouldn't be surprising.

 

[TheRealhumanheart]

No tarantulas enjoy being handled. How do you know it enjoys handling? Did it tell you or did it smile while walking on your hand?


Regularly? How about never

Leave the poor T alone and you wont have to worry about its defensiveness.
Tarantula is an animal like any other,and animals have a certain tolerance thresholds. Seems like your T is done being messed with.

You know I kinda have to water my tarantula and when she’s in the way of the water dish 24 7 it’s kind of becomes an issue if she doesn’t move do I can take it out and clean it

 

[MrGhostMantis]

You know I kinda have to water my tarantula and when she’s in the way of the water dish 24 7 it’s kind of becomes an issue if she doesn’t move do I can take it out and clean it

You don’t need to take it out unless she fills it with dirt and you really don’t need to refill it unless it is empty. Can we see the enclosure just in case?

 

[TheRealhumanheart]

I’ve had my tarantula Daria for about a year now and she is still a bit small and has only been guessed as a female btw from the seller, she is a Mexican red leg, I’d say she’s somewhere approaching juvenile size.

She’s always has been very timid and used to be pretty comfortable with handling (even seemed to enjoy it) and was almost sweet in a way and I never had fear of her biting me, she’s molted twice in captivity and by second molt she has completely switched moods.

I haven’t handled her for months now (yes I know you shouldn’t regularly handle them and I’ve never made it a habit) out of fear of her attacking me or anybody else and accidentally harming her because I would cry my eyes out.

I get if she’s pissed because if I’m in her space but I’ll simply touch her leg with a soft paintbrush after blowing softly at her a few times so I can move her away from the water dish and she’ll try to attack it without warning, no signs of stress like balding on her abdomen, she has a lot of space, I feed her on schedule, she’s supposedly one of the most docile tarantula breeds but I’ve seen old worlds nicer than her lmao.

K so y’all are pretty nice reminds me of the usual Reddit <edit>,

1 I have handled my tarantula twice for a picture, expressing my concern with handling was a form of symbolism.

2 whilst handling my tarantula would just chill on my arm without issue and the (enjoyed handling) thing was kind of a joke I know spiders don’t possess emotion,

3 I posted this because of the multiple times where I would need to take and clean my tarantulas water dish and she would be in the way, of course I could wait for her to move on her own but she would stay there for hours on end cause she loves to be out and about and I don’t want her to not have access to clean water for that long of a period, some days I knew I wouldn’t be home from school for a long time and would need (right now) to get her water done so I would have no other choice but to gently try to guide her away.

I am a very cautious owner for my T and am scared of every little thing that could hurt her for example how cold the house gets in upper Michigan and not having enough heat, and the fact my mother sometimes has to do the watering because I am in custody of my father and she tried to attack her one time.

I’m not stupid I know my spider is not going to love me it’s a spider, and I also get that she doesn’t want me in her space you know I’m fine with that, if anything I don’t have any reasons to handle her ever again I got my pictures last year and I’d be too scared of accidentally hurting her, but if my spider is going to bite me without warning because I need to water her/clean her terrarium every 6 months then thats ass.

 

[Neonblizzard]

You know I kinda have to water my tarantula and when she’s in the way of the water dish 24 7 it’s kind of becomes an issue if she doesn’t move do I can take it out and clean it

If they have a strong feeding response, try dripping water with a pipette to lead them away from the water dish. Works great with my T. Albopilosus

K so y’all are pretty nice reminds me of the usual Reddit <edit>

Maybe don't join a tarantula forum then ask for help with the thread "why is my T a <edit> all of a sudden lol" you're going to get peoples backs up immediately.

That being said, you've still got a bunch of free helpful advice, so...

 

[MrGhostMantis]

K so y’all are pretty nice reminds me of the usual Reddit <edit>,

1 I have handled my tarantula twice for a picture, expressing my concern with handling was a form of symbolism.

2 whilst handling my tarantula would just chill on my arm without issue and the (enjoyed handling) thing was kind of a joke I know spiders don’t possess emotion,

3 I posted this because of the multiple times where I would need to take and clean my tarantulas water dish and she would be in the way, of course I could wait for her to move on her own but she would stay there for hours on end cause she loves to be out and about and I don’t want her to not have access to clean water for that long of a period, some days I knew I wouldn’t be home from school for a long time and would need (right now) to get her water done so I would have no other choice but to gently try to guide her away.

I am a very cautious owner for my T and am scared of every little thing that could hurt her for example how cold the house gets in upper Michigan and not having enough heat, and the fact my mother sometimes has to do the watering because I am in custody of my father and she tried to attack her one time.

I’m not stupid I know my spider is not going to love me it’s a spider, and I also get that she doesn’t want me in her space you know I’m fine with that, if anything I don’t have any reasons to handle her ever again I got my pictures last year and I’d be too scared of accidentally hurting her, but if my spider is going to bite me without warning because I need to water her/clean her terrarium every 6 months then thats ass.

Just an extra FYI, keep it clean on here language and reference wise. Kids (not usually people below 13) and young teens use this site, one being myself so we try to keep the language on the milder side.

Just felt I should mention this…

 

[MrTwister]

Get tongs.
Reach in and grab water dish with tongs.

 

[Skullion]

I think you should read up a little more on tarantulas. It seems like you don't know a lot for someone who owns one. Next time, I strongly suggest heavily researching the animal and asking questions before you buy it. Otherwise, you could risk stressing it out or potentially hurting it. We've all been ignorant about Ts at some point, so I understand where you're at, but please be careful and do more research. I suggest asking questions on here and watching Tom Moran's YouTube channel or listening to his podcast. He's one of the best and can teach you a lot.