I like the idea of my b.albopilosum lying on my lap, reading the newspaper with me in front of the fire during long winter nights while I gently ruffle it's bumfluff, but I'm not going to try and make it real because I like the thought (I have a cat).
I am interested in other forum members' observations and experiences of their t's that illustrate behaviours that resemble memmory, adaption, familiarness, etc..

Can a spider's (tarantula's) eyesight be considered as good? How much brains has it got to remember or recognize its owner voice? That throws the TAME issue out the back door!

I dont know!
Apparently their eysight is bad. Perhaps their brains render something akin to a radar scale map of the ocean floor through what they remember from walking on the surface of their cage. The setae is a powerful sensing organ.
The star nosed mole knows exactly what the surface that it touches looks like, in spite of being blind.

With all these explanations and experiences being shared.It's good to see what peoples opinions are.

But I'd dare the sucker to try and pick up my Phormictopus atrichomatus male.Everyone can ask Dave aswell as RockSpider.That is one ''EVIL'' Tarantula I would never dare to hold in my hands!He's always in a defensive mood,and prey item's....well lets not go there.It's a massacre,to say at the least.

I think Phormictopus species has a well deserved reputation of probably beiing ''The Bad Ass'' Tarantula of the New-World.

Swifty wrote: Stanley, can you provide us with the correct way of handling a T?

At the moment I cannot because we are traveling (we live in a motorhome, travel extensively, and Internet connections are unpredictable) and will not be in a stable situation for several days. If my rapidly failing memory works well enough, I will try to get back to you when we finally land someplace that's semi-permanent. Ore, if I forget, get back to me in a few days or a week.

Clinton, British Columbia, Canada. The Canadian Rockies at their finest.
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Basically, you pick them up the same way that you pick up an egg or a tennis ball.

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Both the second and third editions of The Tarantula Keeper's Guide have extensive treatments of this subject, although the third edition perhaps covers the subject a little better. I suggest you read either one for specific directions.

Complete references for these books may be found at Stan's Rant

Note that I didn't say you should go out and buy them! (Although you certainly can if you wish.) Get to know your friendly, neighborhood, public library instead. The chances are good that they have one or both editions on their shelves even as you read this. (If they don't, tell them they should! :laugh: ) They can always get any of them you need through the Interlibrary Loan System, as well.

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Hope this helps. Best of luck.

I really don't agree with the word tamed, but would rather go with the word "trained". I read a book about training and experimenting with T behaviors and T's can definitely become accustomed to their surroundings in different ways.

I can't be the only one that has experienced many of my T's coming out of their hides when I start the feeding session on the other end of the shelf. Just as they know to recognize vibrations in their web of passing prey, they are able to pick up the frequencies and vibrations that are a precursor to a juicy tidbit being dropped into the enclosure, or in some cases delivered straight to their chelicerae via forceps.

In particular I had a P.Cambridgei who's tank I would open up before feeding, and by the time I got back to his tank with a cricket or roach, it would be waiting for me, perched on the edge of the glass tank with pedipalps and first legs up in the air in anticipation of the food, which would be quickly snatched and then it would disappear back into it's hide.

Just love these critters.

HS

I cannot wait for my minions to start showing these discussed behaviours (if they do that is, if not, still love em!!)
My question, do juvies ever show these anticipating food behaviours? All of mine bolt to the hideout, or at least in the direction of it...

@ Stanley - You are living the dream! I pretty sure that all the members on this forum would love to be doing what you and Marguerite are doing. Saying that I'm convinced that we can all wait until the two of you are confortable enough to reply.

As for the topic. I don't have my T's long enough to have an opinion on how tame or conditioned they can get. And unfortunatly I am one of the unlucky ones that cann't really handel my new world T's regularly to really form an opinion. But as for conditioning my other excotic pets goes, I think it does happen to a point. Most animals function mainly on instinct but some can be trained. Domesticated animals can be trained and conditioned like the famous Pavlov provoved. As for excotic (mainly pets taken out of the wild recently) pets I think that conditioning or taming them takes a lot more work but in some instances can be done. I know of a Cobra that can be handled by his owner, I know of a Beerded Dragon that is potty trained, I have conditioned my Malawi fish. And its been believed until recently that fish has no memory what so ever. The T hobby is relatively new and as we all know, very little research has been done on them in the wild. The most stuff known about them is most probably due to the hobby and people like us keeping them as pets. And that is still a far cry from really knowing these wonderful T's. And without forums like this one and books like Stanley's we will most probably all be lost in the dark.