Handling Stamina + which spiders act weird?

abstract

Arachnodemon
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I was having a handling session with my L. Difficilis the other day, and it prompted me to ask this question after I noticed some "different" behavior.

After about ~10 minutes of handling, he started dragging his back legs, and was just acting a little different. Still somewhat spazzy, but almost looked "winded" between spurts. At first, he was predictably fast. I've noticed this leg dragging behaviour out of my A. Seemani in similar circumstances.

I just wondered if you all have noticed any stamina-related behaviors when having handling sessions with your spides....Here's some more info on mine that sticks out:

A. Aurantiaca (Yellow Banded pinktoe)- slow at first, but speeds up, slows down but keeps moving after 10-15 minutes

A. Seemani (Stripeknee) - easy to play with at first, but after ~10 minutes drags legs and (sorry to anthromorphize), seems freaked out

B. Albosilum (Curlyhair) - super slow and not very easy to get moving ever

E. Campestratus (PZB) - this chick is skittish, but was really active handling for about 20 minutes the other day, then pretty much just fell asleep and did the leg dragging thing all at once. Sat in the same place in it's enclosure for several hours after being put back.

Rosie - docile, doesn't tire easily

The rest I don't handle often enough to notice anything that stands out.

Thoughts?

:?
 

greensleeves

Arachnobaron
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Originally posted by abstract
I was having a handling session with my L. Difficilis the other day, and it prompted me to ask this question after I noticed some "different" behavior.

The rest I don't handle often enough to notice anything that stands out.

Thoughts?

:?
Bungee, Avicularia geroldi sling: Runs up left arm, crawls onto right hand. Runs up right arm, crawls onto left hand. Repeat for as long as I am holding him with an occasional jump from one hand to another thrown in for good measure. On rare occasions he chills on my thumb and I can type and everything without disturbing him.

Aggie, rosea: climbs out of container onto hand, walks steadily, sometimes sits in my lap or tries to climb my shirt.

None of my Ts seem tired out by me holding them - they seem to be curious enough to want to explore when they're out of their containers. Of course as people have said before, Ts have their own individual personalities.

Greensleeves
 

Botar

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Abstract,

You obviously need more T's... come see me.

Botar
 

abstract

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Charlie - you tempt me. I'm sure I'll be seeing you at the show this weekend :D
 

Charlie

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I wish I could man

I honestly wish I could man. A little far for a poor working man though.

Seriosly though, mt T's start to act that way when they are handled to much or put in a stressfull situation for too long.

Sorry if I was a little blunt but I was trying to answer your question and finish my work at the same time.

-Charlie
 

chuck

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anyone named "charlie" has to be right ;P
but yea, you arent "playing" with them, youre stressing them out. maybe the dragging of the legs is a process they do b4 they detach their limbs. they think theyre caught, youre probably proding them from touching their ab or back legs, so they detach and only need a little tug for the legs to be removed. that is all just speculation, i have no clue how a T goes about removing limbs.
 

Charlie

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removing limbs

First they dim the lights and then they start to remove their limbs one at a time, real slow.

I know that was stupid but to tell you the truth I have never heard of a T removing a limb. I know that they can lose them but I am not sure if they "remove" them on purpose.


There is a certain know it all bookworm on the forum that may be able to enlighten us.

Whadya say there Mr. Bookworm know it all? Do T's shed limbs on purpose?

-Charlie
 

abstract

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Sorry for the confusion Charlie - when I said "Charlie" before, I was actually talking to Botar (that's his real name). He has lots of spiders that he occasionally sells to me :)

I know the views of "stressing" them out, but I personally like to handle my T's. As their caregiver, I think I'm entitled to do so. If I could never get any of them out of their enclosures, there would be no fun in keeping them IMHO.

I figure, if they're stressed, they recover quickly. Can T's die of stress? After seeing many of the live T's in petstore-conditions out there, I would say my handling is nothing. In fact, during handling (once again anthromorphicizing) - they almost seem to enjoy it. Look at greensleeve's description of bungee for an example....

BTW - I take no offense to anything anyone says in here, so don't worry about offending me.
 

Malhavoc's

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Like most arachnids I think they would to serve as a distracting object for the predator where the T can safly get away. Just like a dandy long legs twitching lost limbs.. Hypothisis only.
 

chuck

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im using Schultz' book a lot today, page 32 he talks about autotomy. he said that they could remove them in order to save their life
 

Charlie

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cool

Ya learn something new every day.


Thanks Chuck, I guess your right. Anyone named Charlie has to be right!

-Charlie
 

abstract

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Originally posted by chuck
im using Schultz' book a lot today, page 32 he talks about autotomy. he said that they could remove them in order to save their life
In order to save their life..... I don't think getting brushed by my hand or a paintbrush would make them think that they must kick off a leg to survive - if that were the case, than I would think many of the WC specimens we saw would be pulling themselves around by their pedipalps.....

Now if I were to grab a leg as it was trying to run away, I can see that happening. That, however, is not the case.
 

Code Monkey

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I actually think you're just tiring them out. T respiration is not exactly efficient. That's why I work with them in the middle of my living room - if they bolt they'll slow down and be catchable long before they get under anything.

As for autotomy, I've read of spontaneous dropping of limbs but never just from handling. It's usually because the T is afflicted with something else (c.f. C. crawshayi is believed to drop their limbs in response to a fungal infection).
 

abstract

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Okay - for lack of effort to REALLY research, how does the T respiration work? Obviously passively, but I'd think getting them moving would pass more air over the booklungs - resulting in a better respirated spider. ;)

Do they need a constant supply of oxygen while exerting themselves, or do they store it for future use while resting? The concept of booklungs differs so differently from lungs to me, I can't really understand it.

If exhaustion is the case, has anyone noted species/genuses that get exhausted quicker? Do OW species tire less quickly then NW since they are otherwise tougher?

Now I haven't done it, but I would have thought someone out there might have done studys on stamina.....
 

Palespider

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Tarantulas have 4 book lungs as opposed to true spiders having 2 book lungs and 2 tracheal tubes. Tracheal tubes allow them to absorb moisture through breathing much better than book lungs do. One of the reasons tarantulas are considered primitive.

Thus tarantulas get dehydrated much easier. Tarantulas use blood pressure to extend their legs and when they get dehydrated it lowers their blood pressure. So they slow down a lot, sometimes to the point that they can't move.

Jim B.
 

abstract

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Pale - I didn't know that tracheal tube fact - thanks for the info! I'm not so sure my question is answered though...(if even clearly stated for that matter)

So is dehydration the cause of fatigue? Or is it oxygen?

I wouldn't think moisture would really be lost in a 15 minute handling session, but I can see oxygen levels depleting.
 

jesses

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Originally posted by abstract


So is dehydration the cause of fatigue? Or is it oxygen?

I wouldn't think moisture would really be lost in a 15 minute handling session, but I can see oxygen levels depleting.
They walk using hydrolic pressure and need to hold their breath, in a sense, while they're walking, so while they're walking or running they're not breathing.
 

Code Monkey

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I'm thinking Palespider had a brainfart there, the tracheae allow for greater absorbtion of oxygen. The only way moisture comes into play is that they can only breathe by diffusion over a moist membrane.

Jesses has the right idea. When they run, haemolymph flow is shut off between the abdomen, where the heart and booklungs are located, and the cephalothorax at the pedicel so the leg muscles are quickly deprived of oxygen and they must rest before taking off again.
 

noboyscout

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So I guess this means we won't be seeing a tarantula run a marathon huh? They will be restricted to the sprinting events.;P
 
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