Observing Athena(g. rosea), is she displaying typical behavior?

Mcskillz

Arachnopeon
Joined
Nov 9, 2007
Messages
38
So Athena is my first T. and I'm just making sure she's doing alright. It's interesting to observe her behavior and I'm wondering if the following are characteristics of Tarantulas in general or just her own personality.

Generally speaking, she just got her new home on saturday because that's when I purchased her from the reptile store. Basically all she or he does is remain in one location(in particular on top of the hiding pot) for long periods of time then occasionally will go to the other side of the enclosure and remain there for long periods of time, then returns to the same spot on top of the pot. Now what's interesting is that I've never seen Athena enter the hiding place and I don't know if its because Athena doesn't know it exists or doesn't really want to go inside. I don't know how good the eye sight is because I notice Athena uses its legs to touch the side of the enclosure as it walks almost as a guide..... it never really walks in the center of the enclosure usually just walks along the sides only. I saw it drink from the water dish once but I haven't seen it return to the water dish and it seems to avoid it at times when walking past it(it makes sure its legs never touch the water)

I haven't seen it digging or anything like that just yet. What's interesting is sometimes I notice it moving its palps and I see its fangs moving like it's eating something, but its not, its just sitting there moving its palps back and forth. It hasn't flicked any hairs at me though I noticed ONE dark hair sticking in my finger but I'm not sure if it was from the spider or from something else.

Ever so occasionally especially between 11PM-12AM I notice it extra active and climbing the side of the cage almost reaching the ceiling however it retreats back to the ground again as if it's afraid to climb the ceiling. I also notice whenever it starts walking to the other side or attempting to do ANY sort of action..... it moves for 5 seconds then pauses for 3 minutes, moves for 5 seconds then pauses for 3 minutes..... so it moves very slowly and pauses in the middle of its actions and I really don't know why it does that but it does LOL... so I hope you guys don't think I'm crazy for spending my Veterans Day observing my first Tarantula but I was wondering if Rose Hairs commonly do this behavior or if mine has some odd personality..... LOL

And also I know this sounds funny but it's so still and mellow all the time that it almost freaks me out like at any one time if I opened the cage it would suddenly go psycho and try and bite me. But so far I haven't handled the spider yet. I'm almost curious to handle it since its been so mellow the past couple of days and it just seems like it would be fine on my hand of course as long as my hand lowered close on a bed or pillow or something. It's just Athena is so calm and mellow it almost freaks me out LOL
 

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jen650s

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
May 29, 2007
Messages
333
Sounds pretty normal for a G. rosea to me. I have never had an adult who was a very active digger, but all of my slings have been. Some are always calm, some are psychotic at random and unpredictable intervals, a few are always psychotic. I actually a had a male that I only saw move less than half a dozen times in a whole year and I have a female that attacks the water every time I fill her water dish{D . As for handling, rosies are usually pretty nonchalant about--meaning they neither object to or seek to be handled. Put your hand down in front of her and use a small paint brush or (my favorite) an unused big fluffy blush brush to encourage her to climb on your hand.

As for whether or not you are nuts...if you are so are the rest of us;P .

---Jen
 

GOMER113

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Oct 18, 2007
Messages
336
If I've learned anything on these boards about roseas is that anything that may seem weird to you is perfectly normal.

My rosea's terrarium just got a cleaning and substrate replacement about two weeks ago and it took Tari (my T) a little over a week to use her hiding place again.

As for eyesight, Ts don't have very good vision. My T uses her legs to feel around before walking forward a good distance, as well. She actually did something really weird (at least to me) yesterday. She walked almost completely out of her hiding place, leaving her rear left leg about halfway in. Then she made a 180 degree turn and felt her half-log with her front legs and walked in. Then she walked back out, this time backwards, and left her front right leg in her half-log. She dropped a turd, then walked back into her half-log and hasn't really done much since.
 

Drachenjager

Arachnoemperor
Old Timer
Joined
Jan 23, 2006
Messages
3,509
Normal and G. rosea, two things that never should be used in the same sentence.
 

_Lange

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Nov 6, 2007
Messages
180
Yea. That's really normal for Rosea. Mine is fasting and won't let me handle her. Freaks out!
 
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