Show us your pet

[caseydog]

All tarantulas are venomous. Some old world species are quite potent as well.

Our Texas Brown Tarantulas are non-aggressive. It is rare that one will bite a person -- you can let them walk on your hands/arms (if you so choose). In the rare occasion one bites you, it's no more dangerous than a bee sting.

Here is one I caught in my garage, took to a nearby ranch, and released.

The dangerous spiders in Texas are the Brown Recluse. They can mess you up.

We have scorpions in Texas, too, but not as far North as where I live. There were lots of them at my parent's house when they lived in San Antonio. Their sting hurts, and can leave a nasty wound, but again, not likely to kill a person or even a pet.

CD

 

[caseydog]

Fascinating creatures.
I feel a light discomfort/fear level just by looking at the photos. But am ok now, even had a second look.
Never a pet option for me. But I do respect the effort and inclination it takes.

They may be a pet in the UK, but they are a pest in Texas.

They fall into swimming pools and drown (a lot) -- sink to the bottom, and get bleached by the chlorinated water. So, they are hard to see on the bottom of the pool.

CD

 

[Timenspace]

They fall into swimming pools and drown (a lot) -- sink to the bottom, and get bleached by the chlorinated water. So, they are hard to see on the bottom of the pool.

Oh no...that must be an unpleasant surprise in the pool. Poor things...and poor swimmers...cleaning that is not fun.

 

[Peloquin]

Our Texas Brown Tarantulas are non-aggressive. It is rare that one will bite a person -- you can let them walk on your hands/arms (if you so choose). In the rare occasion one bites you, it's no more dangerous than a bee sting.

Here is one I caught in my garage, took to a nearby ranch, and released.

View attachment 61615

The dangerous spiders in Texas are the Brown Recluse. They can mess you up.

We have scorpions in Texas, too, but not as far North as where I live. There were lots of them at my parent's house when they lived in San Antonio. Their sting hurts, and can leave a nasty wound, but again, not likely to kill a person or even a pet.

CD

Yeah, all the Aphonopelma family are docile, the pic is of one called A. hentzi... It's a male.
A different one , A. chalcodes, is so docile they have been filmed having a leg pulled off and still don't bite (leg grows back). They are still venomous though and if they bit someone with an allergy there could be big problems.
The biggest issue with all the American tarantulas however are the hairs on their abdomens. As the venom is well they use the hairs as their primary defence. They run their back legs over their abdomen and they come off in clouds. They are barbed and cause massive irritation.
A mate of mine have up spiders 15 years ago and still scratches his wrists that bad that they bleed.

 

[caseydog]

Yeah, all the Aphonopelma family are docile, the pic is of one called A. hentzi... It's a male.
A different one , A. chalcodes, is so docile they have been filmed having a leg pulled off and still don't bite (leg grows back). They are still venomous though and if they bit someone with an allergy there could be big problems.
The biggest issue with all the American tarantulas however are the hairs on their abdomens. As the venom is well they use the hairs as their primary defence. They run their back legs over their abdomen and they come off in clouds. They are barbed and cause massive irritation.
A mate of mine have up spiders 15 years ago and still scratches his wrists that bad that they bleed.

Yes, it is a male. The females are a very bland color, and I've never actually seen one. The males come out around August/September where I live. They are looking to mate. The rest of the year, you don't see them.

CD

 

[Peloquin]

Yes, it is a male. The females are a very bland color, and I've never actually seen one. The males come out around August/September where I live. They are looking to mate. The rest of the year, you don't see them.

CD

It's a species I bred a few times but tbh I couldn't be bothered with new world spiders. I much prefer the old world species.

 

[caseydog]

It's a species I bred a few times but tbh I couldn't be bothered with new world spiders. I much prefer the old world species.

Old world, new world... I don't breed them, they breed themselves here.

CD

 

[Peloquin]

Id love for there to be anything interesting over here in the UK. There is a tiny species of scorpions living in walls down at the docks in the South of the country but nothing else really.

 

[rascal]

I'm glad we don't have snakes and poisonous spiders.

Russ

 

[Timenspace]

I'm glad we don't have snakes and poisonous spiders.

Russ

Really you don't? At all?

 

[Peloquin]

Really you don't? At all?

In N.Z They have no venomous snake but they have a VERY venomous native spider.
Iirc it's a Latrodectus katipo.
Latrodectus are the Black Widow family.
Only the females bite really, the males are too small.
I've never bred or even seen L.katipo but bred L. mactans once or twice (mate works in Bristol Zoo and wanted a hand).
Lovely animals.

 

[Timenspace]

In N.Z They have no venomous snake but they have a VERY venomous native spider.
Iirc it's a Latrodectus katipo.
Latrodectus are the Black Widow family.
Only the females bite really, the makes are to small.
I've never bred or even seen L.katipo but bred L. mactans once or twice (mate works in Bristol Zoo and wanted a hand).
Lovely animals.

How fascinating!
I think we have Black Widow along the coast...or the islands...
As for snakes, think some, yes.

 

[Peloquin]

How fascinating!
I think we have Black Widow along the coast...or the islands...
As for snakes, think some, yes.

Yes, one of the Widow species is common to Croatia and it's one of the worst for venom. I can't remember the correct name of it but they call it the Steppe Widow.

 

[Timenspace]

In N.Z They have no venomous snake but they have a VERY venomous native spider.
Iirc it's a Latrodectus katipo.
Latrodectus are the Black Widow family.
Only the females bite really, the males are too small.
I've never bred or even seen L.katipo but bred L. mactans once or twice (mate works in Bristol Zoo and wanted a hand).
Lovely animals.

Oh yeah, here they are, brief research. 3 venomous in Croatia, vipera...latin names are in so you will now...the Croatian names are descriptive...

16 snake sorts in general here...

The third one is endangered species...

 

[Timenspace]

Yes, one of the Widow species is common to Croatia and it's one of the worst for venom. I can't remember the correct name of it but they call it the Steppe Widow.

Goodness me!!