Tarantulas happy in captivity?

[chris collins]

I keep four, the oldest is about three years old which I've had the longest time (more than a year). People who visit, who don't know about tarantula keeping, frown on the small tank. One person 'decided' (ignorantly) my lasiodora parahybana was 'arboreal' and needed something to climb (not true). Lately, another person made a veiled judgment saying, sarcastically, 'all animals like living in boxes'. As we know on this forum, tarantulas supposedly prefer a tank only three lengths of their body long and wide, so they can 'keep track of it', being such sensitive, sensual creatures.

Anyhow, I keep my L. Parahybana well, I think. Mist the tank each morning a bit. It has thick spagnum. Gets a cricket every three days. Water dish always full.

It has a habit of, sometimes, trying to escape its tank. As time goes by it tries this less, seeming to realize that it's impossible, so why bother? Who knows what it 'thinks'. Does it try to get out because it is 'unhappy in a box', feeling confined, limited in its experience? Does this three year old L Parahybana think at all? I just wonder what you experienced tarantula keepers think of this. 'This' being the question, 'are tarantulas happy in captivity?'.

And, 'what is the mentality of a tarantula?'. Does it appreciate its life in the tank? Is it miserable? (remember I provide a standard accomodation for it, humidity, food allowance that is all 'by the book').

Sounds like a slightly barmy question, I know. Likely you've all thought about this yourselves.

[Colin D Wilson]

The tarantula brain (or ganglion i.e. a collection of nerve cells)) is a very simple organism and works on impulse alone, they have no reasoning apart from the spiders "common sense" or more correctly "instinct" (i.e. that's hot,.. i'll move away !! or "that things food sized...i'm hungry...i'll eat it!!)
impulse dictates hunger, thirst, moulting, tactile contact with it's environment etc so "happy" is not really in the tarantula vocabulary, content would be a better word.
Spiders can "exist" in very sparse enclosures, they "survive" in ones better suited to their lifestyles (terrestrial, fossorial, arboreal) where they can go about their natural way of life.
as far as enclosure size, some say small some say big, i think as long as your spiders fairly active, eating and/or drinking well and moults easily you have got a content spider on you hands.
This question has been posed as long as i have kept reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates, many's the time i've been asked "is that cage too small for it?" and i've had to bore the poor person with all the neccessary info to make them aware and knowledgeable of the world around them.
Sometimes spiders are seemingly trying to escape, from what i ascertain from studying mine over the years, this is the spider guaging the confinds of it's surroundings and establishing the perimiter.

i think there will always be this question floating about and each and every one of us will have our own theory.

just as an extra, i have a L para juvi which is housed in a 2ft x 1ft x 1ft enclosure (again some say too big), there's a branch running diagonally across it and i've seen the spider climbing this to reach a locust on many occasion.
also you say you have spagnum in the tank, do you use it for your Geniculata?
I use spagnum and my Geni wouldn't walk on it, she'd prefer to walk round it even on a hunting spree, wierd animal. took most of it out and now she's all over the place again.

[chris collins]

i have a L para juvi which is housed in a 2ft x 1ft x 1ft enclosure (again some say too big), there's a branch running diagonally across it and i've seen the spider climbing this to reach a locust on many occasion.
also you say you have spagnum in the tank, do you use it for your Geniculata?
I use spagnum and my Geni wouldn't walk on it, she'd prefer to walk round it even on a hunting spree, wierd animal. took most of it out and now she's all over the place again.

The 3yr old L.Parahybana is in a tank the same size as yours. The top is covered with wire mesh which is weighted down. It's 'attempts at escape' or, as you see it, 'establishing the parameters of its territory' are a trip up the glass to pull at the wire mesh with its fangs. Trying to cut it? Its trips are less determined and frequent. Maybe it's checking for gaps and testing the strength of its defence, turning the escape theory around. I look at it with a human's perspective, which isn't a 'spider view/take on things', of course. So, from what you say, I guess it's content, which is a relief I guess. Seems a strange way to live, but it's not us/human.

Laying a branch down diagonally across the bed of spagnum sounds like a good idea, bit of variety. The only variety amidst the spagnum is the water dish in the corner.

The A.G is a spiderling about three months old, about an inch and a half long. It seems to not mind the spagnum. Beautiful colouring on that species. As it gets larger it'll become more and more of a stunner.

[Colin D Wilson]

Okay then, ripping at the mesh eh! forget what i said, that sounds like "i want out of here" doesn't it? my advice.....keep that weight on !!!
I've read of spiders biting their way out of the plastic transport containers before, which is worrying to say the least!

the branch scenario is quite comical at some times when you see the spider edgeing it's way up.

My Geni is a sub adult, and to give you an idea what she's like on moss....have you ever seen the funny video of the cat walking on snow for the first time shaking it's paws in turn etc? it's just like that only with twice the amount of legs.

[joost]

I've read of spiders biting their way out of the plastic transport containers before, which is worrying to say the least!

Yeah i had one nearly escape like that on the way back from an exhibition.

[chris collins]

Re; A. geniculata not wanting to touch spagnum, Colin Wilson, yes, since you mentioned it the A.G. spiderling (2") tends to hang out in its water dish when that's almost dried out. Apparently to avoid the spagnum (or it just likes skateboarding the waterdish).

Re; a log set diagonally on the spagnum carpet for the Lasiodora I almost put one in. But this Lassie (3 years old) tends to sometimes hang upside down on the roof mesh. Don't want it to break its rump should it fall.

[Colin D Wilson]

Yeah i had one nearly escape like that on the way back from an exhibition.

That's the thread i read about it, nice one joost.

Chris, wierd about the moss isn't it?, and the Genis are supposed to like a bit more humidity too !!

the diagonal branch at the highest in my Para's tank is about 6 inches, there's soft moss and lightweight peat / vermic / webbing under this area so at the mo i consider it safe enough as the para is only a juvi. i think after next moult i'll have a refit and remove it (better safe eh?)