Wild tarantula

[Randy Bauer]

We live in a rural area of California and recently found we have a new neighbor, a wild tarantula has a burrow next to our garage. We've been watching it for about three weeks now and wondered if we can determine anything about it by it's behavior. It usually is out of it's burrow in the early morning and climbs up on the garage wall. Later in the day, I see it partially in it's burrow or 'standing guard' right outside. We only occasionally see it at night, probably out hunting from what I've read. Can anyone tell me anything about the behavior that might inform me of gender, reproduction, existence of egg sac? Any comments would be appreciated..

 

[Abyss]

Veey cool, but i have no valuable imput to add other then VERY cool

 

[BorisTheSpider]

Gender is determined by examining a molt or the underside of the abdomen although the later isn't very reliable IMO . Go to YouTube and watch a mating video or two and that will more or less show you everything you need to know . If it's a female and she has an egg sack she would be hanging onto it .

 

[Randy Bauer]

Gender is determined by examining a molt or the underside of the abdomen although the later isn't very reliable IMO . Go to YouTube and watch a mating video or two and that will more or less show you everything you need to know . If it's a female and she has an egg sack she would be hanging onto it .

Thanks for that. The tarantula has burrowed at the base of a solar garden light. I'm wondering if the heat from the light is confusing it and it thinks it's night when the light goes off and the burrow cools. Are tarantulas sensitive to heat like that?

 

[Walker253]

I'd like to say Aphonopelma eutylenum, a California Ebony. Not 100% sure. Could be A. iodous. Looking for ranges, not having a ton of luck atm

 

[BorisTheSpider]

Thanks for that. The tarantula has burrowed at the base of a solar garden light. I'm wondering if the heat from the light is confusing it and it thinks it's night when the light goes off and the burrow cools. Are tarantulas sensitive to heat like that?

One thing to keep in mind is that they don't think nor do they get confused . They simply respond to the stimuli based purely on instinct . There is no thought in a tarantula , they do things because that's what nature tells them to do .

 

[Randy Bauer]

I'd like to say Aphonopelma eutylenum, a California Ebony. Not 100% sure. Could be A. iodous. Looking for ranges, not having a ton of luck atm

That was my thinking. We are in SoCal.. about 20 miles north of LA.. in a remote canyon just south of Simi Valley..

The tarantuala has dug it's burrow at the base of a garden solar light. I wonder if the heat from the light is confusing it.. when the light goes out, it leaves the burrow and goes to the garage wall. Are tarantulas sensitive to heat as such?

 

[Randy Bauer]

One thing to keep in mind is that they don't think nor do they get confused . They simply respond to the stimuli based purely on instinct . There is no thought in a tarantula , they do things because that's what nature tells them to do .

Sorry, maybe I misspoke.. I wondered if their natural instinct could be altered by temperature changes?

 

[Randy Bauer]

One thing to keep in mind is that they don't think nor do they get confused . They simply respond to the stimuli based purely on instinct . There is no thought in a tarantula , they do things because that's what nature tells them to do .

The reason I wonder is that this spider is exhibiting unusual behavior for our area. We never see tarantuals climbing during the day. As a matter of fact, we have never seen tarantulas during the day here. This one is out in the open most mornings and it's not passing thru, it's living here. It seems unusual behavior for us. Maybe it's normal for them, but I've been living here for 25years and I don't recall a tarantula being so consistently visible during the day. I'm very curious about this one!

 

[BorisTheSpider]

Sorry, maybe I misspoke.. I wondered if their natural instinct could be altered by temperature changes?

Is the garden light an LED solar light ? Does it get really hot or is the light strong enough to warm the ground below it ? If heat is an issue then I would suspect that the T would pack up and move on . It could possible that the light is attracting bugs at night and the steady supply of food is just to good too pass up . Maybe that's why she picked that spot . Since it's a garden light is it for a flower bed that regularly receives water ? Food , water and a hole in the ground are more or less the three things on a Ts must have list . Her behavior could be because that is a place she would be driven to protect . Any would-be competitors would quickly steered away because that is her spot and she wants it to stay that way . It's a safe spot that meets her needs . Why wonder away from the burrow looking for food when in her situation it walks right up to the door . Going off to forage is a damn good way to become food for something else . I say continue to watch her from a distance and enjoy . You are the only person I know that has an outdoor tarantula . That's cool .

 

[Exoskeleton Invertebrates]

View attachment 226329 We live in a rural area of California and recently found we have a new neighbor, a wild tarantula has a burrow next to our garage. We've been watching it for about three weeks now and wondered if we can determine anything about it by it's behavior. It usually is out of it's burrow in the early morning and climbs up on the garage wall. Later in the day, I see it partially in it's burrow or 'standing guard' right outside. We only occasionally see it at night, probably out hunting from what I've read. Can anyone tell me anything about the behavior that might inform me of gender, reproduction, existence of egg sac? Any comments would be appreciated..

You should email Dr. Brent Hendrixon of what species it is.

 

[AphonopelmaTX]

The species here is Aphonopelma steindachneri. A. steindachneri is the only black tarantula in California. Aphonopelma eutylenum is a blonde colored tarantula. I can only speculate that A. eutylenum got it's common name of California Ebony by being confused with A. steindachneri since both species have an overlapping range in Los Angeles.

The reason I wonder is that this spider is exhibiting unusual behavior for our area. We never see tarantuals climbing during the day. As a matter of fact, we have never seen tarantulas during the day here. This one is out in the open most mornings and it's not passing thru, it's living here. It seems unusual behavior for us. Maybe it's normal for them, but I've been living here for 25years and I don't recall a tarantula being so consistently visible during the day. I'm very curious about this one!

Tarantulas have a funny way of exhibiting behavior that contradicts what we accept as normal. I have seen tarantulas, A. hentzi, here in my city in Texas out in various times of the day and night. Seeing them active during the day is much rarer though. Generally they are nocturnal animals, but I would personally consider them diurnal since not all individuals follow a strict inactive period during they day.

Like other cold blooded animals, tarantulas and other arachnids are drawn to heat and when they get too hot, seek out cooler temperatures. If you could describe a tarantula's natural instinct as it relates to heat and regulating body temperature, they will naturally gravitate toward the warmth in order to raise their body temperature to a comfortable level when the temperature drops. Given that this particular tarantula is inactive at night and becomes active during the morning, I will speculate that is what is going on here. It's just regulating its body temperature.

 

[Chris LXXIX]

You are the only person I know that has an outdoor tarantula . That's cool .

Yup, cool indeed. But @The Snark if I'm not wrong had an 'haplo' living in his property as well (well, since in Thailand that's not that much of a surprise) :-s

 

[Randy Bauer]

Is the garden light an LED solar light ? Does it get really hot or is the light strong enough to warm the ground below it ? If heat is an issue then I would suspect that the T would pack up and move on . It could possible that the light is attracting bugs at night and the steady supply of food is just to good too pass up . Maybe that's why she picked that spot . Since it's a garden light is it for a flower bed that regularly receives water ? Food , water and a hole in the ground are more or less the three things on a Ts must have list . Her behavior could be because that is a place she would be driven to protect . Any would-be competitors would quickly steered away because that is her spot and she wants it to stay that way . It's a safe spot that meets her needs . Why wonder away from the burrow looking for food when in her situation it walks right up to the door . Going off to forage is a damn good way to become food for something else . I say continue to watch her from a distance and enjoy . You are the only person I know that has an outdoor tarantula . That's cool .

You're probably right about the bug attraction! And it is an LED lamp, so probably doesn't generate much heat. Thanks for your insight. I'll keep everyone posted.