Vinegaroons.?

pordiem

pordiem

Second Instar
Hi All,

I have an oppurtunity to get a vinegaroon. I was wondering if anyone ever owned one? I would like feedback on how they are with occasional handling? Do these guys tend to be skittish, pinching/squirting the vinegar all over you when being picked up or are they fairly calm & docile?

Thanks in advance for the advice/feedback,

pdm

 
pordiem said:
Hi All,I have an oppurtunity to get a vinegaroon. I was wondering if anyone ever owned one? I would like feedback on how they are with occasional handling? Do these guys tend to be skittish, pinching/squirting the vinegar all over you when being picked up or are they fairly calm & docile?

Thanks in advance for the advice/feedback,

pdm
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Hi,

I've had a number over the years, they're a great pet with a calm attitude like a hissing cockroach. They are likely to squirt vinegar and be a little skittish if they are never handled but they are otherwise docile and slow. The pinch doesn't hurt. It's an excellent animal to show at invert displays.

They can live ten years but usually live only one to three if they're purchased as adults.

 
I'll agree fully with Orin on this one. I have had many of them and even caught a few in the wild. They are AWESOME pets... although they may "look scary" to some people- they are just big kitty cats-lol... very easy to handle. They remind me of some alien life form... really cool.

Good Luck!

 
I have been surfing the web for pics of vinegaroons & I must say that some of them have some very intimidating pinchers/claws. I know you said that the pinch doesn't hurt but I was just wondering if pinching is something they do often or if its not something they will do all the time.?

Thanks,

pdm

 
Hello pdm...what does that mean, by the way...Pordiem?

I've had a few of them over the years. I was never pinched. I was very careful with them because I didn't want to frighten them or cause them to fall and hurt themselves. I smelled the vinegar odor a few times, but actually don't recall ever seeing any liquid. Their claws don't hardly seem large enough to get much of a grip on my hand, nor did they ever seem the least bit agressive towards me.

I totally agree with Graham's (Gsc) analogy of the teddy bear.

Peter

 
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anyone able to collect any? I'd be interested in a female.

I actually tried provoking mine to pinch by prodding it at the front, but it is obvious they depend on the vinegar for defense. They will usually fold their pedipalps and aim the tail whip towards you. The secretion is fired from the collar of the whip. I got a threat pose with pedipalps extended while I unpacked it...but I'm pretty sure that is all bluff.

Does anyone know who the vinegar is meant for? Do mice not like the taste or something?

 
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The vinegar stings if it gets in the predators eyes so it's a pretty good defense.

They are probably the coolest bug I've held. They're really calm, even with their prey. Mine would always just calmly walk over and pick up a cricket with his pinchers and munch on it. The smaller ones seem more feisty especially females. They do give you a threat pose before they spray (stick their tail up and shake it) so you have time to get your face out of the way. :)

 
My experience with this is that they are very prone to cannibalism they just eat their house mates. But they are cool looking critters I have been keeping and getting lot of this in the wild when I go for an hunting expedition(need to travel for 12hours!!! but worth).

 
crittergu said:
anyone able to collect any? I'd be interested in a female.
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I normally get them in a few times a year and ought to have some in the next month or so. It's not possible to tell a female from a male until they're a molt from adulthood. The segments on the underside look different at that time. Unlike many spiders, vinegaroon male and female live about the same amount of time.

 
I'd imagine the vinegar would burn if it gets into the critters eyes. They definetly seem to aim for the face of whatever it is when they spray. LOL on the prey. I always thought it looked like they were giving them a crushing hug.

Orin: I've got one I was told by the seller was a male. I'd like to try to breed them.

 
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