They can grow larger than your head.
Some are covered with barbed hairs
they can throw at your eyes
to blind you.
Their fangs can be as long
as the width of your thumbs.
And if they bite you,
they’ll inject venom into your skin.
Their mouths secrete digestive enzymes
to liquefy their victims.
Then, these terrifying predators
can start to eat you
while you’re still alive and watching it.
There are more than 800
known species of tarantulas.
They live in every continent
except for Antarctica,
in tropical,
subtropical,
and arid areas.
Unlike other species of spiders,
they live in burrows,
which can be underground,
under rocks and logs,
in caves, and in trees.
Some species can live up to 40 years.
And other species,
like the Goliath Birdeater,
can be huge.
This giant lives in
South America's rainforest
and grows up to 30 cm (1 ft) long.
It can hunt birds,
frogs, lizards, and mice,
So you don’t want them
lurking around you.
Although they're popular pets,
if a tarantula feels threatened
it can attack you.
Some tarantulas can cause pain
and medical problems
that last for weeks.
Normally,
tarantulas are mild-mannered,
slow-moving creatures.
But when they feel threatened,
they’ll let you know.
First, a tarantula will lift
one or two of its front legs,
warning you that it’s in defensive mode
and you’d better get back.
If you persist,
it will raise its front legs
to let you see its agitated thorax,
so you know it’s not joking.
It might show you its fangs,
and even show you a drop of venom.
That means you've gone beyond
the first warning,
so you need to step back
and get some distance from the spider.
Yes, many people
keep tarantulas as pets.
But even if you have a pet tarantula,
and you think it's a great companion,
it's important to respect your pet.
Dr. Joan Fuchs,
of the Swiss Toxicological
Information Center,
reported that a 45-year-old man
was bitten on his finger
by his Regal Parachute Tarantula.
At first,
the wound was red and swelled.
Two hours later,
the man began sweating,
and hot flushing started.
15 hours later,
he had to rush to the emergency room
with severe muscle cramps
and tightness in his chest.
He survived,
but the muscle cramps continued
for three weeks after treatment.
So, don’t get too confident
and handle your pet with your hands.
Instead, use a long stick
and proper containers.
In the western hemisphere,
the urticating hairs
covering the tarantula’s body
are even more dangerous
than their venomous fangs.
When a predator attacks them,
these tarantulas release
a cloud of little barbed hairs
to irritate the attacker's skin,
and even blind people temporarily.
Dr. Zia Carrim
of St. James University
Hospital in Leeds, U.K.,
remembers a case in which
his patient was cleaning up his
Chilean Rose tarantula's cage.
The tarantula felt threatened
and released a mist of hairs at him.
The hairs found their way
to the back of the patient's eyeball.
They were so small
even surgical methods
could not remove them.
So, the hospital treated him with steroids
to flush the hairs away.
To be safe,
you’d better cover your eyes
before petting a tarantula.
If a tarantula bites you,
clean the wound with soap and water
and then seek medical attention.
Even though the bite itself
isn't likely to kill you,
complications can.
Two people in India died
from complications after being bitten
by a giant Chilobrachys tarantula.
One person died
due to gangrene in the foot.
The other person was killed by hives.
So, don’t take any chances,
and get to the hospital right away.
The illegal tarantula market
can be lucrative.
In 2018,
many species were stolen
from the Philadelphia Insectarium
and Butterfly Pavilion.
The species taken were worth $40,000,
and they included the rare and beautiful
Mexican Fireleg Tarantula.
No one was killed due to the theft,
but living the thug life is hard.
So buy your pets
in certified pet stores.
Phew.
You survived a tarantula bite,
and maybe you even have a new pet.
But if you're afraid of tarantulas
and other spiders,
you may want to know
how to survive arachnophobia.
We can help you with that.