Weird little dance after feeding

[Charlotte Tupman]

Hi guys,

My G. rosea has just taken a big juicy cricket and is now doing a funny little dance involving touching his spinnerets on the ground and moving them round and about on a patch of substrate, with pauses every now and then. Do you have any ideas as to what all this is about?! He hardly moves the rest of the time (yep, another pet rock). Oh, and I'm not certain that 'he' is a he. Could well be female; waiting for a moult to see what's what.

[Charlotte Tupman]

(It's just occurred to me that 'Hi guys' might have sounded a bit familiar, given that I've never posted here before - apologies - I've read so many of the BTS forum threads now that I feel like I know some of you (and your Ts) a bit!)

[Craig Mackay]

Welcome to the forum Charlotte
It's doing the happy dance
When they eat they sometimes lay down a thin layer of silk to eat upon. I'm not sure why they do it but tarantulas like to keep there living area clean so perhaps its a hygiene thing, preventing any manky cricket remains touching the substrate. Or maybe it is to put off any other creatures from approaching so that it can eat in piece.

[Charlotte Tupman]

Thanks very much Craig, and thank you for the welcome too! I'm really glad it's a normal feeding ritual and nothing to worry about (also that he hasn't been sneaking off in the middle of the night for dancing lessons)...

[Lee Furness]

Hi Charlotte

As Craig says, the 'Happy Dance' lol. It's quite fun to watch, I've noticed not all of my spiders do it, I think my B. albopilosum is the one who puts on the best dance though, bit like a small over-excited kid getting an ice-cream.

[M Zurowski]

Hello,

I have my own theory. Don't hate me or shoot me down too quickly.

I think the spider realises that it is in an area that produces food and therefore it lays a web to be super-sensitive to new food in the area; in the hope that the spider can get another free meal. A lot of people say that they lay the web to stop other prey items entering but I have witnessed many times spiders that are happy to eat more than one prey item in one sitting.

Right - now shoot me down

[Lee Furness]

No, they're auditioning for Tarantula's Got Talent, same as when they flip onto their backs break-dancing

[Mike_Strick]

I think the spider realises that it is in an area that produces food and therefore it lays a web to be super-sensitive to new food in the area; in the hope that the spider can get another free meal.

That's an interesting theory but they sometimes seem to 'tidy up' the web after they finish feeding.

[Craig Mackay]

Hello,

I have my own theory. Don't hate me or shoot me down too quickly.

I think the spider realises that it is in an area that produces food and therefore it lays a web to be super-sensitive to new food in the area; in the hope that the spider can get another free meal. A lot of people say that they lay the web to stop other prey items entering but I have witnessed many times spiders that are happy to eat more than one prey item in one sitting.

Right - now shoot me down

Hi, I should point out that I didn't mean other prey items as I know they can take many at once. I was more suggesting small irritating bugs such as ants or mites.

That's an interesting theory but they sometimes seem to 'tidy up' the web after they finish feeding.

I would agree with Mike here in that it is to make it easier to clean up remains once finished without fouling its burrow. Who's to say it can't have more than one purpose though.

[Charlotte Tupman]

Thanks very much for all the replies - it's great to hear everyone's opinions. He was going to get a cricket this evening but he threw up a threat posture at me (gasp!) so I might leave it for another few days before trying again - I don't think he'd be doing the happy dance tonight! More likely to kill the cricket just 'cause it's annoying him (he's certainly done that before)

[Ben Cook]

That's an interesting theory but they sometimes seem to 'tidy up' the web after they finish feeding.

Agreed, 2 of mine regulary ball up the webbed subtrate and move it to the "poo corner" after eating.