Psalmopoeus cambridgei sling... drumming?

6StringSamurai

Arachnosquire
Old Timer
Joined
Apr 24, 2006
Messages
134
I have three Psalmopoeus cambridgei, I just caught one of them doing something odd. It was walking slowly up and down the side of it's vial. Every few seconds, it would stop and begin "drumming" with it's front two sets of legs (not the pedipalps). It wasn't as fast as videos of mating behavior drumming I've seen.

I got my camera to try and get a movie but I must have made a noise that spooked it, it's hiding now.

Has anyone ever seen a Psalmopoeus cambridgei sling do this before? Other species? I have about 23 tarantulas currently, I've lost count of how many I've had that I traded or that matured into males. I've raised these three Psalmopoeus cambridgei from second instar to roughly 1 1/2 inch slings.

So, I have a fair amount of experience in the hobby and I have never seen that before.

Thanks!
 

Talkenlate04

ArachnoGod
Old Timer
Joined
Feb 13, 2006
Messages
8,656
Check really close for mites moving on the sides of the container as well as the substrate. Slings and juvies even adults do what you are describing sometimes when they are being bothered by things trying to crawl on them.
 

moose35

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
May 14, 2005
Messages
1,351
i think sometimes some aboreals also do that to get a feel for whats around them.

don't know if thats what you saw. but it kinda looks like they are trying to touch something that is not there.


moose
 

6StringSamurai

Arachnosquire
Old Timer
Joined
Apr 24, 2006
Messages
134
Check really close for mites moving on the sides of the container as well as the substrate. Slings and juvies even adults do what you are describing sometimes when they are being bothered by things trying to crawl on them.
I never even thought of that, thank you for that suggestion. I did an extremely thorough check and I didn't see anything, but I'll look with a magnifying glass later. If I notice any signs of mites I'll change cages immediately. I'm not messing around with that stuff.
 

6StringSamurai

Arachnosquire
Old Timer
Joined
Apr 24, 2006
Messages
134
i think sometimes some aboreals also do that to get a feel for whats around them.

don't know if thats what you saw. but it kinda looks like they are trying to touch something that is not there.


moose
Could be, I'm really not sure. It was much slower than mating drumming. It seemed pretty calm and deliberate, this might be what I saw.



If I see that happening again, I'll try and get a movie of it to post. Hopefully it's not mites.
 
Top