HELP!! New big B.Smithi! Tips please!

[SpiderMochi]

Hi guys!! Soooo I have seriously lucked out and found a 4" B.Smithi for $50 with the cage and everything in it, HAD to get her. I am fairly new to the T trade. my first tarantula is a G.pulchripes, but I got it when the lil guy was the size of a dime. My question is: has anybody had any reports of the B.Smithis being super skittish at this size?? I want to take her out to clean her nasty cage (previous owner never cleaned it) but she will flit from one end of the cage to the other like super crazy!! Is this normal? This is my first time having a T this size...i heard they were docile. Any opinions or experiences would help!

 

[HungryGhost]

Congrats on the new T, you got a great deal on it. They are all different in their temperaments. I had a B. Smithii years ago that I raised from a sling and she would never let you handle her. Her first reaction was to run, then she would flick hairs like crazy. Even doing cage maintenance would cause her to flick clouds of hairs.

 

[SpiderMochi]

I see. Yea I grabbed a super soft paintbrush and gently nudged her abdomen and for some odd reason, she calmed down. She felt around my hand with her front two legs and she let me hold her. GASP. So rewarding. At first she flicked a bit of hair but I just decided to b patient and work with her with the paintbrush. I think making her aware and doing slow movements calmed her down.

 

[SpiderMochi]

Honestly I was sweatin bullets hahaha earlier today she was pressed up against the glass and I could see those fangs. I feel a bit itchy now (( hvnt rubbed my eyes or nothin but can I just scrub my body in the shower and it will b ok??

 

[Tongue Flicker]

Yes my 5" female B.smithi bullets thru to attack anything and is angry at the wind. During summer, i would place a fan towards my enclosures so i won't get sweaty and she's goes charging up front like, 'Hell, where is that wind coming? Show yourself i'll bite you' attitude. Same goes if i blow air or use a card as a manual fan lol. Really psycho smithi

 

[Sabeth]

As a species, the B. smithi is characteristically docile, but there are definitely crazy individuals! They can also change in personality from molt to molt, an interesting fact.

 

[katiekatelyn]

My b.smithi is quite possibly the laziest in the world. She will not move a leg if it isn't necessary. She's also one of my only T's I feel comfortable handling because I know she isn't going to zip up my arm and dive into my shirt before I've had a chance to blink.