My male spider hatchling wants to eat me!

[UpInTheAir]

My male 95 gram hatchling is super aggressive and wants to eat me!
Temps, humidity, etc. are perfect. He eats a f/t rat fuzzy every 5th day.
I handle him every other day for about 5min. Upon opening his tub, he immediately comes out of his hide head coiled and looks like he is defending his turf. I just reach in and grab him and hold him. He had been tagging me and immediately letting go . . . a little blood no big deal.
Last night I pick him up and he doesn't strike. I hold him for awhile and things are going good. Then I notice his head start to shake a little and he nails the base of my thumb and constricts. He starts chewing on my thumb which is now bleeding on top and bottom. It still wasn't painful, just uncomfortable. He wouldn't let go for about 5 min. I just continued to clean the bin as my daughter watched in horror. Finally he let go and I put him back in his bin. I washed my thumb and you could hardly see any marks.
Why is he so aggressive? Why did he bite and constrict?. . . I didn't have any rat scent on my hand. I really want to work with him and get him calmed down before he gets big. Suggestions?
Thanks in advance.

[tiny_tiger60978]

Some BP's are just like that...I think if you continue to handle him (not too long to stress him out) and let him know you aren't afraid of him taging you (like you seem to be doing), he'll eventually calm down more

[tiny_tiger60978]

My male spider hatchling (smaller than yours) does kinda the same thing, but I haven't handled him too much yet simply b/c he's not eating for me yet and I just got him a week ago. I only really take him out to clean his cage...Anyway, just wanted to remind you not to handle him too much cuz he'll get stressed. Maybe that's why he tags and coils(?)...I'd say maybe just handle him 10 mins a day and see if he calms down.

[J.Vandegrift]

It will calm down as it grows. I get quite a few hatchlings that are snippy every year and they always calm down. My pin x sable clutch is like that this year. The good news is that the mean hatchlings seem to always be great eaters.

[WingedWolfPsion]

I would honestly just stop handling him for about a month, and then go and see if his temperament's improved. At the moment, you're just reinforcing his behavior--the same trigger every day is getting the same responses from him--he's 'practicing' aggression. It's becoming a habit. You need to avoid riling him up at all for a while.
Hatchlings normally calm down around 2 or 3 months of age. Your guy is still very young, and it's not uncommon for young hatchlings to be snappy and defensive.