Hi There everyone!

I found a book the other day by one Karen Peebles called Training and experimenting with Tarantulas. I for one don't really know what to think of this concept just yet, but I do think that if the things this lady has done can be researched and the results improve the chances of breeding attempts with T's it could be very crucial when working with the more difficult species.

She takes 3 T's for example, and exposes each one to a different scenario over 6 months, and during this time sees clear and visible reactions from the T's. She then swaps the T's all around so for example T1 is now experiencing what T3 was experiencing, and they immediately start changing their behaviours in order to suit the new scenarios, meaning T3 starts doing the same things T1 was doing the first time around.

I believe there a lot in this, there are things that we may be able to do (without trying to play god) that can seriously influence the attitude, habits and behaviours of our T's. Some people might be playing loud music in their houses on weekends and without realizing it could be having an effect on your T. When others that listen to Classical might have sac after sac, get what I'm saying?

Have any of you heard of or read this book? I bought it from Amazon for like $7.00 which is a rip off coz i got it for my Kindle app and the info in this book is not even enough to fill a small brochure. However the info is quite astounding.

But what do you all think of this?


HS

Haven't read the book, but I can tell you that I play classical music in the mornings, and our T's are much calmer all the time then what I have heard from others with the same T's(including cobalt's, pokies, avic's, etc.). I don't know if the music really affects them, but I personally believe they do.

It would be a good thing if we can create an atmosphere where T's are more likely to drop sacs and be calm..


I think it is a wonderful idea HS... Hope some how we all can make it work...

very interesting.

ps - whassa 'kindle app' ?

...

@Angel - Well, like I said the research is minimal but this lady definitely saw results. Weird results sometimes, and one that even led to the death of her T's.

She had trained them to respond to a bell when it was time for feeding, and every time she rang the bell, the T's would come out and get ready to feed. She noticed after a few months that if she fed the T's without ringing the bell they would not eat. So she chose two test T's and put them in a room where they could not hear the bell when the others were fed. She would feed these two test subjects to the point that crickets were running over them but they would not eat. Eventually the T's died of starvation, all she had to do was ring the bell.

A cruel test she did not enjoy, but she followed through with it to test how far the T's would go and hoped they would eventually eat, and although sad that the T's died, it shows the tenacity of a Tarantula, as well as it's ability to learn something.

@ Avion2007 - The Kindle is a device you can buy from Amazon.com - but if you don't want to buy the device you can now download the application for your PC or Mac. It's basically and E-Book reader BUT, that's a bit BUT... you can go online and buy a book with the device within seconds, and where a normal book would cost you $30.00, the kindle version is like $5.00 coz it's digital and the best part is you can start reading in seconds. No waiting for deliveries and no paying UPS/DHL/FEDEX a fortune for bringing you your book. I suppose you can order the real book too and start reading in the meanwhile...

HS

HeteroScuderia wrote:

She had trained them to respond to a bell when it was time for feeding, and every time she rang the bell, the T's would come out and get ready to feed. She noticed after a few months that if she fed the T's without ringing the bell they would not eat. So she chose two test T's and put them in a room where they could not hear the bell when the others were fed. She would feed these two test subjects to the point that crickets were running over them but they would not eat. Eventually the T's died of starvation, all she had to do was ring the bell.

A cruel test she did not enjoy, but she followed through with it to test how far the T's would go and hoped they would eventually eat, and although sad that the T's died, it shows the tenacity of a Tarantula, as well as it's ability to learn something.

Even in the name of science, that is cruel... But impressive on the idea of traning T's though..

:huh: wait so they learn't that the bell meant food???

ring bell, reward food.... ring bell, reward food... ring be...etc...

then all o a sudden i throw in tons of food and the T goes "oh no cant eat cos i haven't listened to the bell"??? :huh:

its like getting free cash and refusing to use it cos you haven't worked for it yet!

wow!!! that proves yet again that animals have a better work ethic then most humans! :silly:

as a point of interest finding a duffel bag stuffed with cash in a dark ally on your way home should be treated with much the same suspicion as that responsible T treated the bell-less crickets! :lol: