this post was submitted on 30 Jun 2025

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Do pet tarantulas grow to "love" or become "fond" of you? (lemmy.world)

submitted 1 day ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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[–] [email protected] 4 points 7 hours ago

Long anecdote short; no.

Short anecdote long; nooooo. I had a Selenocosmia Crassipes (from north-east QLD, Australia) for a year or so, and she never seemed to .. 'warm' to me.

I had to get her out in a cup regularly to change her substrate, and/or attempt to give 'pats' after a few beers, but she'd always rear-up to strike :/ But I was her cricket and pinky-mouse dealer!

I didn't research it. I don't have studies to cite. I didn't approach it constructively.

I just hoped one day we'd click, before going on adventures together.

I miss Fluffy.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 15 hours ago

shit I'm not even sure if the cat who's been living with me forever gives a shit about me, I bet a spider can't either

[–] [email protected] 14 points 21 hours ago

Probably no more than a goldfish I suspect.

[–] [email protected] 15 points 1 day ago (1 children)

No, but they're objectively the best pet. Basically a walking plant who's bffs with a hole in the ground and hunts crickets by staying absolutely still until it's not.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 14 hours ago (1 children)

...objectively...

[–] [email protected] 4 points 13 hours ago

An objectively peer-reviewed hyperbole.

[–] [email protected] 22 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I’m not an expert, so take my findings with a grain of salt, but the current scientific consensus seems to be:

We don’t know.

Recent studies suggest that the behavior of spiders is more complex than previously thought. They show behavior that can’t be explained by simple automatisms, such as the development of hunting strategies depending on their prey.

Keep in mind that these findings do not indicate any capability to love or to grow fond of someone. But there is an ongoing discussion about whether invertebrates should be considered sentient.

[–] [email protected] 15 points 1 day ago (1 children)

They show behavior that can’t be explained by simple automatisms

This has been long debunked and is also obvious to anyone that even dabbled in Entomology or adjacent fields. There are certainly very complex behaviors at work. But if it qualifies as sentient is a philosophical debate and not one of arachnology.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 14 hours ago

Only to people that think the mind is mystical and not biological in nature.

[–] [email protected] 118 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Tarantular keeper for over a decade here.

No.

[–] [email protected] 31 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Yeah, I had a friend who kept a tarantula. It was a dick.

[–] [email protected] 52 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (5 children)

It's really the other way around. You get to learn the personality of the spiders (and may become fond of them).

But yeah, some species are just like that. We had a bunch of Pterinochilus murinus or "OBTs" (orange bamboo tarantula ... but also orange bitey thing). They are nasty. Always on edge, no chill. Just feeding them was a pain because you had to open the enclosure and they would come at you.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 14 hours ago (1 children)

and they would come at you

And they survived that encounter? As did your home? I assume the resulting fire would have taken both.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 8 hours ago* (last edited 8 hours ago) (1 children)

Feeding those took some real preperation. We first had to seal the room (closing an gaps at the doors/windows) as well as blocking all corners and cranies where they could potentially hide.

Then we stripped. Not kidding.

The first time feeding them one of them ran up my brothers arm and straight into his shirt. It was an absolute pain to get it out of there (and he totally got bitten in the process). From then on we'd take off all loose clothing when opening their enclosures. So yeah, just socks and tight fitting boxer briefs.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 6 hours ago

Sounds like the enclosure needed an airlock or something

[–] [email protected] 9 points 17 hours ago

I love how these fuckers have a Wikipedia article that's like: "Yup. Their nickname sums it up. These are fucking motherfuckers that do nothing but look pretty. Do not touch them, do not keep them, they are just mean fuckers." And they stress that 'fucker' part like 4 times.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 23 hours ago

You can tell they are spicy just from their looks.

[–] [email protected] 23 points 23 hours ago* (last edited 23 hours ago) (1 children)

My orange biting teleporter escaped one night. She went back home quietly, but damn if I wasn't scared for the cat.

~~She wasn't too mean unless you opened her hut,~~ Ya she was a little shit.

[–] [email protected] 13 points 22 hours ago* (last edited 22 hours ago) (1 children)

Your what biting spider??

Spider: [Teleports behind your cat] Nothing personal, kitty.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 18 hours ago (2 children)

You see, she was orange, pissed at the world, fast, and some how opened the lid.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 15 hours ago (1 children)

I like how it says "defensive and will bite if provoked," and apparently, according to this thread, opening their cage is sufficient provocation.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 14 hours ago* (last edited 14 hours ago) (2 children)

Opening the terrarium was fine, lifting the little log hut thingy and messing up the web was a gamble.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 8 hours ago* (last edited 8 hours ago)

Opening the terrarium was fine, lifting the little log hut thingy and messing up the web was a gamble.

Mine just loved to extend their web to include the door.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 14 hours ago

[–] [email protected] 3 points 18 hours ago (2 children)

Why dont they give aggression displays? Normally it would make evolutionary sense to try and scare threats off before you attack them

[–] [email protected] 2 points 13 hours ago

You sure about that?

[–] [email protected] 4 points 14 hours ago* (last edited 14 hours ago)

50/50 from my experience. She would either ambush from her hiding spot, or stand on hind legs and show off fangs if enough room.

[–] [email protected] 45 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I knew it was a mistake to come in this thread.

You people are insane.

[–] [email protected] 14 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I don't know what you mean :)

[–] [email protected] 4 points 14 hours ago

Yes you do and you like it

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