Cant quite believe.....

[lynn mawdesley]

.....how shy my new addition is!
So i finally took the plunge and bought my first 'pokie' ..a 3cm P ornata sling from Pete Lacey
Id always had the impression that this genus would attack just for the sake of it dont know why i think because its labelled as fast and aggressive.
Yet with my baby it runs and hides everytime i pick up the tub to get a pic of it
Im assuming now that the only reason they are more aggressive is the fact they are more scared than spiders such as Brachy's and Grammostola etc etc.
Not that i would ever let my guard down with this genus but im so glad i bought it

Lynn

[Phil Rea]

Pretty much every single pokie I've ever kept has been like that. Far rather run and hide than bite. Even the subadult (P. miranda I seem to remember) that ran out of her pot when I was trying to feed her and ended up stopping in my armpit (which was fun) was easily caught, and didn't show any trace of defensiveness at all, thankfully

There are people who have kept thousands of pokies over many years, and everyone I have spoken to about it have all said pretty much the same

[lynn mawdesley]

[quote=Phil Rea;38653]Pretty much every single pokie I've ever kept has been like that. Far rather run and hide than bite. Even the subadult (P. miranda I seem to remember) that ran out of her pot when I was trying to feed her and ended up stopping in my armpit (which was fun) was easily caught, and didn't show any trace of defensiveness at all, thankfully

Might have been the Lynx effect Phil lmao

I do think i will have to try and get few more ...would love a metallica

[Lisa Baines]

metallica's are beautiful. I have 3 pokies now, rufilata, regalis and a striata and all of them would rather shoot off than fight.

Closest I came to a bite was last year when i took a picture of the little rufilata, i think it didn't like the camera, run onto my hand and gave me a dry scratch with it's fangs, then scooted off.

But in general they are quite a shy, yet very beautiful species.

[Peter Lacey]

I'm definitely one of those who have tried to instill caution but I believe its similar to teaching kids to cross the road - it doesnt naturally follow that you'll get run over each time!, perhaps a strange analogy but I'm known for them.
I remember visiting Mary Walters for the first time and the visit helped allay my fears of not only pokies but Psalmos & Africans too. Calm but purposeful seems the order of the day, try not to spook them (by breathing on them), be prepared for a runner (cricket tub or half of a fizzy drinks bottle) and watch for any signs of aggression.
I recently spent half an hour trying to coerce one P. regalis out of a small enclosure, not once did I seen anything but a desire to retreat (and stay in the small enclosure).
At Kempton last year I asked our good Mr Gabriel to sex a 6" P. striata, to say he was hands on was no exageration. He opened the tub proded the male out of the tube, put his hand over it on the substrate, and dragged it up onto the side of the tub to get a ventral view. Now there's experience for ya!
When I packed these ornata off I had lots running over my arms and pouring out of the tub. They reminded me of little michievious Avics but its not something I'll be repeating when they get older
Enjoy!

[lynn mawdesley]

Bring on the BTS in May hehe .....have i got much chance of picking up a metallica sling from the exhibition and roughly how much to they tend to go for?

Lynn

[James Box]

that's been my experience with every "aggressive" spider i've had, though i've had no where near as much experience as some on this forum. but what little i have has agreed with just about everyone else's.
"aggressive" T's are labelled wrongly, they are far more defensive than aggressive. highly strung might be another way to describe it.
i always cringe when i see people describe their spiders as "evil" or "nasty", though i must admit i've done it before, purely out of being lazy lol, which is a bad excuse!

[Emily Nicholls]

All of my ornata slings are like that too, I think it's cute haha. Quite funny watching them panic running in circles trying to find their burrow whenever I pick up or touch their tub. They were an absolute nightmare to try and pack though, so quick and just legging it everywhere, across my fingers and everything!

[James Box]

i've noticed that too! my ornata are ridiculously skittish!

[lynn mawdesley]

its a case of which way do i run ...ooo no not that way this way....hang on a minute no we'll go this way instead haha bless em

[James Box]

hehe, you gotta admire the speed of their indecision!!!!