• Are you a Tarantula hobbyist? If so, we invite you to join our community! Once you join you'll be able to post messages, upload pictures of your pets and enclosures and chat with other Tarantula enthusiasts. Sign up today!

Do Avicularias become more calm when they grow up?!

Agno

Active Member
3 Year Member
Messages
50
As my first T I got an Avicularia Versicolor considering that I have no prior experience with Ts and many suggested that (and also because I like her very much). Unlike all I've seen and read, that Avics are generally very calm, mine doesn't seem to be. She's skittish a lot (I reckon that everyone of them must have their personalities). I got her when she was L1 and now she's around L7 I think. Everytime I move her enclosure a bit, she goes rampant and runs around, enters her web that after few minutes gets out again. I haven't held her in my hand ever because she's been so small and I was afraid of her falling or hurting herself. Now that she has grown a bit bigger, I'd like to take her on my hand occasionally but I'm suspicious! I slightly touched one of her hind legs with my tweezers. She pulled her leg slowly and turned around 360 degrees to face the spot where she was touched. Than I touched her again and she rotated quickly and attacked the tweezer -.-'
So....was wondering (I'm not even sure if she's a female), is there a difference between male/female temperament? And, do they become calmer when they grow up? Should I interact with her more in order for her to get used?
Her enclosure is a bit boring. Lots of empty space apart from some twigs and her web-home. Does this affect her?

Looking forward to your response guys! Thanks
 

Attachments

  • IMG_9179.JPG
    IMG_9179.JPG
    591.3 KB · Views: 47

Fleas

Active Member
3 Year Member
Messages
278
Most likely she skittish because she's stress out from handling and no were to build her home. She's needs way more then just sticks in her enclosure give her a good piece of cork bark standing vertical with plastic plants for she can make her home and feel secure. Add lots of cross ventilation keep a water dish full at all times feed once a week and she'll be happy with that
 

Agno

Active Member
3 Year Member
Messages
50
I've never handled her (I mentioned that)! Anyway, I need to enrich her enclosure! Thank you!
 

Fleas

Active Member
3 Year Member
Messages
278
Sorry I thought I read that in there to answer some of your??? Yes male's tend to be more docile /skittish/ less aggressive then female when reach their final molt and yes having a empty enclosure affect them they tend to be more out in the open when there lot of spaces to hide/ web to. I beleave Handling her will not get her use to you there are primitive animals that works off of Basic Instinct.
 

kormath

Well-Known Member
1,000+ Post Club
3 Year Member
Messages
3,565
Location
Idaho
my versi does this. She's about 1.5" now, I don't know sizes by instars. She'll attack brushes and tweezers when you prod her a few times, she doesn't like being moved. She'll attack the air coming in her vent holes on hte walls if you breath near where she is.

However, when she does get out during maintenance she's calm and rarely runs. Usually will crawl across your hand and up your arm to get to higher points.
 

Fuzzball79

Well-Known Member
1,000+ Post Club
3 Year Member
Messages
1,092
Mine was as described above. Since her latest moult (well, I haven't seen any exo yet, but I assume she moulted) she's become a right recluse. Only ventures out occasionally to eat, drink and poop, but seals up the exit straight away again. Usually when I put the prey in she would come dashing out hunting straight away. Now she waits until everything is quiet and secretly sneaks out.
I want my feisty madam back :(
 

MassExodus

Well-Known Member
1,000+ Post Club
3 Year Member
Messages
5,547
Location
Outside San Antonio, TX
My two have always been skittish. The calmer ones are A avics and A Metallica. Handling, unless its done in a safe manner by someone willing to take a bite without freaking out and harming the spider, is usually not recommended. Just my opinion;) If you feel comfortable trying it, do it over a bed, and remember that no avic is going to do you serious harm..well, I mean unless it bites you right in the eyeball. But I don't recommend holding them with your face.
 

Venom2090

Active Member
3 Year Member
Messages
85
Location
Ontario CA
As my first T I got an Avicularia Versicolor considering that I have no prior experience with Ts and many suggested that (and also because I like her very much). Unlike all I've seen and read, that Avics are generally very calm, mine doesn't seem to be. She's skittish a lot (I reckon that everyone of them must have their personalities). I got her when she was L1 and now she's around L7 I think. Everytime I move her enclosure a bit, she goes rampant and runs around, enters her web that after few minutes gets out again. I haven't held her in my hand ever because she's been so small and I was afraid of her falling or hurting herself. Now that she has grown a bit bigger, I'd like to take her on my hand occasionally but I'm suspicious! I slightly touched one of her hind legs with my tweezers. She pulled her leg slowly and turned around 360 degrees to face the spot where she was touched. Than I touched her again and she rotated quickly and attacked the tweezer -.-'
So....was wondering (I'm not even sure if she's a female), is there a difference between male/female temperament? And, do they become calmer when they grow up? Should I interact with her more in order for her to get used?
Her enclosure is a bit boring. Lots of empty space apart from some twigs and her web-home. Does this affect her?

Looking forward to your response guys! Thanks
probably not, if anything they will become more defensive as they grow, as the big tweezers they used to fear, arent so big anymore and they can defend themselves. very possible she will become calm, but not likely. also, that really doesnt look like a versi to me, avics love cages with lots of spots to web, dry substrate, high ventilation, and a full water bowl. id recommend adding some more decor for sure. she may be stressed without cover.
 

Kymura

Well-Known Member
1,000+ Post Club
3 Year Member
Messages
3,315
Location
Alabama
Have 3, my versi is a sling and a spaz monster. A skittish little beauty. (Still very small) but extremely curious and it settles quickly.
My two A avics are angelic little girls. I could honestly have a dozen of them except for space constraints. One very calm adult and a nearly adult juvenile that webs EVERYTHING, looks like a giant spiral water slide in there. The only bad thing about the adult is she will try to slip onto your arm and go for a stroll when your doing maintenance. Only time she is ever quick is when she's trying to make that leap to your arm. She now has me well trained as to her sneaky ways so I just stroke her bottom with the paintbrush till she's on the other side of her cork and problem solved. She is also my only tong feeder, slightly spoiled. But I like her that way.
 

Chubbs

Well-Known Member
1,000+ Post Club
3 Year Member
Messages
1,679
Avicularia versicolor is quite a bit more skittish than your average Avic. Most Avics are not defensive, but they can be skittish at times. A.diversipes and A.latea are the two that are known for being much more on the defensive side, while versicolor I would personally put somewhere inbetween. They're not exactly the calmest tarantulas IMO, they're sort of comparable to GBBs being pretty skittish and quick-moving in short bursts of speed, but not defensive.

Sent from my LG-K428 using Tapatalk
 

Latest posts

Top