Tarantula Venom...

[Boanerges]

A question about tarantula venom was brought up in another thread and I did not want to keep hijacking the other persons thread so I started this one
This was the conversation:

this is a ignorant question but are tarantulas you can own as pets venomous and if so how strong is the venom?

It is not an ignorant question at all. Yes, all tarantulas are venomous. Some tarantula's have a more potent venom then other's. Old world tarantula's have a more potent venom then new world tarantula's. Poecilotheria tarantula's for example have REALLY potent venom.

but i guess the venom isn't strong enough to do much? like if it bit you while you were handling it?

Some are no worse then a bee sting unless you are allergic to it. Some tarantula's can put you in the hospital and in serious trouble. Here are some bite reports: http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/forumdisplay.php?f=16

Here is a video of Rob after he got bit by his Poecilotheria ornata:


Please feel free to add anything anyone wants to this thread or ask any questions at all you might have

[sarahlovesmiike]

WOW it's a good thing I'm terrified of spiders cause tarantulas are gorgeous and I always thought that maybe one day I would get over and get one...



Not so much anymore considering I didn't know they were venomous!

[Boanerges]

WOW it's a good thing I'm terrified of spiders cause tarantulas are gorgeous and I always thought that maybe one day I would get over and get one...



Not so much anymore considering I didn't know they were venomous!

Some are not that big of a deal to get bit by. They can even give you a dry bite and not inject any venom. If your allergic to bee stings though it is said there is a good chance you will be allergic to a tarantula bite. You could always get a T that is slow moving and not so venomous and just not handle it. I love tarantula's and I can honestly say 95% of the time I do not handle any of mine. There is no real benefit to handling except to the person doing it. You don't even have to reach in the cage for anything. Just get some 12" feeder tongs and use that to feed, remove food bolus', change the water etc. When doing a substarte change or rehousing you can just get a deli cup and nudge them gently on the butt to get them to go in the deli cup with a soft bristle paint brush and do the same to get them out to put in their new house. Piece of cake Usually

[sarahlovesmiike]

Hmmm are they easy to keep?

[Boanerges]

Hmmm are they easy to keep?

Most are VERY easy to keep. They do not take up much space. They do not stink. And they do not require additional heat unless the room they are in falls under 65 degrees. They will grow faster if kept warmer though. Adults get fed once a week and slings 2-3 times a week (I usually do 2x's a week for slings personally). Use bed-a-beast (the coconut fiber) as substrate, a hide and a water dish and that's it unless you want to add other decorations A 5 gallon tank, or medium to large kritter keepers house most adult tarantula's. Depending on which T you got depends on if the substrate is damp or dry but it should be kept on the dryer side if you get a grammostola or Brachy, damper if you go with an avic (like a pink toe).And if you went with an avic height is more important then floor space. I generalized all this. If there was something you were ever really interested in and you wanted to talk about it you could always PM me

[jfreels]

I don't have any content to add to the discussion, but I wanted to say Rob is AWESOME!

His videos are very entertaining, I'd suggest going through his YouTube channel to watch some videos that appeal to you. He may be 'turantulaguy' but he has videos for almost anyone. His feeder videos are just great as well as his viv modification vids.

[dembonez]

omg thanks so much for this thread! its so intresting! and that video is really scary



once again tho thanks so much!!!

[mattblake]

Do the mexican red rump's have a high dose of venom?

[Boanerges]

Do the mexican red rump's have a high dose of venom?

No. If your allergic to bee stings though I would still be very careful. Here are some bite reports for the Brachypelma vagans: http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?t=156475

[Michelle.C]

I've never actually been tagged by a Tarantula, but if proper precautions are taken, there isn't a reason for you to ever be bitten.

I'd like to add something to what Boanerges said though. When transferring the Tarantulas, have them and their new and old enclosure in your bathtub or a vaseline/olive oil slicked tub. It will make it escape proof and you will have to handle them less. That's really only highly recommended when working with Old World Arboreals though. Those suckers are fast and they get angry when you try to remove them from their homes. But it can be applied to any faster, more aggressive species.