So I got attacked for the first time today.

GG80

Arachnoknight
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I went to remove a bolus from my 2" A. genic's enclosure today and BAM!! The second I touched the substrate it was across the enclosure and almost half way up the tweezers. I stayed calm and all was well. Good thing I always use tweezers to do maintainance. :)
 

Tim Benzedrine

Prankster Possum
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My juvie tried to get me through the wall of its enclosure last night. All I had done was push the enclosure back farther from the edge of the chest of drawers using one finger. It may be a bit of a hadnful. Or it may have been a little cranky still from its rehousing earlier that day. But I figure that it just wanted to eat me.
Their feeding response is why I don't consider them a base beginner New World spider. A second or third, maybe.
 

pyro fiend

Arachnoprince
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haha i was swatted by mine a time or two at that size.. we was playing keep away i think.. i wanted the bolus and she wanted me not to have it lmao it was a smack fest.. never had mine rear on me or run up my tongs, tho XD its kinda cute when it happens.. my buddie has a 8" female who wont let you take out the water dish.. you can put a new one over the old one [soufle cups] but not take the old one.. if you want it you MUST preoccupy her.. and i dont mean with a dubis she needs a hisser.. a big honkin roach to keep her mind off her water.. then you must quickly do it before she drops it and smacks at your tongs [sometimes bites] and when you do successfully get her water dish changed... she will look at you as hatefull as a T can, for the rest of the day LMAO [like eyes locked on you, her heat seakers turn on lmaoo]
 

GG80

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It may be a bit of a hadnful. Or it may have been a little cranky still from its rehousing earlier that day.
I'm hoping it's just in a mood. It had been docile all along, not at all skittish but it would just plod along into its hide when I'd do maintainance. It molted last week and seems to be a bit braver now that it has gained some size :).

---------- Post added 03-29-2015 at 12:22 PM ----------

never had mine rear on me or run up my tongs, tho XD its kinda cute when it happens
I wouldn't call it cute the first time it happens and you're not expecting it :). It's good to know that I can keep calm in that situation though. My only fear in these events is that any harm might come to the T.
 

pyro fiend

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I'm hoping it's just in a mood. It had been docile all along, not at all skittish but it would just plod along into its hide when I'd do maintainance. It molted last week and seems to be a bit braver now that it has gained some size :).
lol my second genics a bit skittish [then again i woould be too if mealworms heads was as big as mine lol] however my fem she never cared much.. i scared her when dropping roaches a few times and got a rear.. i never seen an attitude but others claim they get more of one as they grow lmao
 

Hydrazine

Arachnobaron
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I think it might be just a feeding response. Genics have always been known as vigorous eaters and they attack their prey with great ferocity. They can leap to catch the live food and they do so. I've seen a video of an adult leaping quite a distance, and my own little something over 2" Ozzy leapt up at least as high as his/her legspan to snatch a falling cricket from the air.
 

LythSalicaria

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I went to remove a bolus from my 2" A. genic's enclosure today and BAM!! The second I touched the substrate it was across the enclosure and almost half way up the tweezers. I stayed calm and all was well. Good thing I always use tweezers to do maintainance. :)
My A. genics are just a bit smaller than yours and behaving similarly. I'm thinking that I'm going to have to move them into bigger, or at the very least deeper enclosures to make feeding and cleaning a little easier. One of them runs laps around its enclosure and tries to escape every time I try to do much of anything with it. Love that genic feeding response though - someone else mentioned how they will jump to catch their prey. Mine leaps from one end of its enclosure to the other for its crickets just about every time I feed it. It's awesome. :D

Also nearly had an escape from one of them recently - it got one leg out, which I accidentally pinched with the lid of its enclosure. Thankfully I noticed my blunder before I screwed the lid tightly enough to cause damage, or for the sling to go into full panic-mode and detach the leg.
 

GG80

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I think it might be just a feeding response. Genics have always been known as vigorous eaters and they attack their prey with great ferocity. They can leap to catch the live food and they do so. I've seen a video of an adult leaping quite a distance, and my own little something over 2" Ozzy leapt up at least as high as his/her legspan to snatch a falling cricket from the air.
Ah yeah, it was definately a feeding response. I'm not taking it personally, I'm sure s/he really loves me :). It's quiet impressive how fast they can cover a distance and strike in the blink of an eye. A finger wouldn't stand a chance.
 

Hydrazine

Arachnobaron
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I heartily recommend the species to anyone who doesn't just want a pet rock. Hell, I'd recommend it to newbies as well - as a tiny sling.

It's so fascinating to observe the transformation from the tiny butt with legs that is spooked by severed cricket limbs and fits onto the nail of your pinky finger to black, white and red maniac that is apparently hiding a miniature black hole in its abdomen, capable of flash steps and soaring through air whenever there's a remote chance that the vibration it just felt is FOOD.

It grows up while you grow as a keeper, and when the temper starts to show, you can already handle it. (not handle as in take in hands, but as in manage)
 

Hydrazine

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Given the tendency of some members to foam at the mouth at the very mentioning of handling of the other kind, I felt that the clarification was necessary.
 

Tim Benzedrine

Prankster Possum
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They have a lot going for them. Such as the feeding response, which could be a little daunting for somebody not accustomed to it, (which is why I think they are better as a second or third spider) their appetite, their appearance and potential size and their rapid growth rate. That growth rate is good for those that wish to see the development from s'ling to a sizable spider, but do not wish to wait five or six years. About the only real downside might be their readiness to flick hair, but that isn't a trait that they alone possess. Mine hasn't done too much of that yet, but I've had it do it a few times. I would not necessarily recommend against them as a first timer, but I think the new keeper should be familiar with their traits. For example those spiders can turn on a dime to nail prey when it is behind them, so thinking that you are safe as long as you keep away from the business end could be a grave mistake. Other T's have the same ability, of course. All are quick on the attack, but my genic os of the "blink and you missed it" variety.
 

pyro fiend

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I think it might be just a feeding response. Genics have always been known as vigorous eaters and they attack their prey with great ferocity. They can leap to catch the live food and they do so. I've seen a video of an adult leaping quite a distance, and my own little something over 2" Ozzy leapt up at least as high as his/her legspan to snatch a falling cricket from the air.
I can fully admit iv seen this my girl has lept up and wraped a dubia befor it hit the ground and i drop from 5"+ ot was bearly outa tongs lmao xD
 

GG80

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So many good points I'm not gonna quote them all.

@Tim, spot on. There is so much to love about this species, mine is by far my favorite spider at the moment. 4 months ago it was 1" DLS, had that generic small sling bland colour and was just being a sling, not doing an awful lot. In the space of 4 months and 2 molts it is a 2" DLS black and white beauty with an attitude.
I also agree that it could be quiet daunting if it was a first T but experience can teach a keeper to be calm with such a specimen.

@ Lyth, I was thinking the same about rehousing into a larger enclosure now because I get the feeling h/she is gonna be a handfull when bigger :).

Oh, and I never new they could leap. That should be interesting.
 

pyro fiend

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Oh, and I never new they could leap. That should be interesting.
They may he a big long legged South American terestrial.. But they dont leap..nor hop.. They can fly...such a better power then teleporting LMAO
 
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Ghost Dragon

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Jan 8, 2014
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I got my first dry bite a few months ago, from my G. pulchripes, trying to coax her back down the side of her enclosure, so I could open it.

Been slapped a fair number of times, by quite a few species. Gotta be careful. :bruised:
 

ManlyMan7

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So I haven't read the entire thread here, but thought I would pipe in.

Acanthos do have a wild feeding response, perhaps one of the funnest to watch.

That said, I reached in a tub once on a 5" genic/brock that was scrunched up, hiding her legs. I was showing her to a friend and wanted to get her to open her legs and show herself. As I lowered my thumb in to nudge her, the alarms were going off in my head. "WAIT! What are you doing?! STOP! She will bite first ask questions later.. NNOOO!!!"

The instant I touched back leg, she whirled around grabbed my thumb...... and let go. It was every bit of a "ARR!!! OH! It's you!"


Quite relieved was I. Close call it was.


That girl passed away. :(


So now I have this girl. 8".


IMG_1527a Quagga at 8 inches wtmk.jpg

I agree with others. One of my very favorites in my collection. And she is SUCH a chill girl now. NEVER flicks, and so calm. But then, I spend time with all my Ts (I am a NW T person for this reason), and find they have all calmed down.
 

raggamuffin415

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Nov 12, 2014
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My 4" female can be feisty too...Hates the tongs with a passion. I gotta be quick when grabbing her water bowl or she starts slapping at at me and won't let me close lol.
 

gobey

Arachnoknight
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Jun 20, 2014
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My G. porteri is a GBT.


Grey bitey thing.

She is by far my most defensive tarantula and my greediest. Matched only by an LP I had that sadly died after a molt. And even he just used to run at what he thought was food... And then high tail it back to his hide when he realized it wasn't.

My porteri will change from feeding response to death match when she realizes it's not food. And she is just as piggy as an LP.

My other LP will stuff her face... But doesn't run towards disturbance. She waits for food.

None of my other Ts have been defensive. Not even the OBT.

My porteri has bit the tongs many times. I don't tong feed. But she doesn't like maintenance. I have to catch cup her now to clean.

She doesn't like that either.
 

GG80

Arachnoknight
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Yeah s/he's a fiesty one. S/he used to run straight into the hide when I'd take the top of the enclosure, now that s/he's bigger s/he just stands there seemingly looking at me as if to say, "Come on, I dare you."
 
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