CAUTION! - Spider Pics Inside

[SpiderThug]

This is my 4 year old Bird Eating Spider. Her name is, 'Spidie'. She would take up most or all of the an adult's hand and is shy enough to be scared of cockroaches. Maybe when she's older she'll eat em instead.

She is a Trapdoor species of Tarantula also known by names as; Barking Spider and Whistling Spider.

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b275/SpiderProwler/spiritual/th_26-02-08_2054edit.jpg (http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b275/SpiderProwler/spiritual/26-02-08_2054edit.jpg)
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b275/SpiderProwler/spiritual/th_26-02-08_2053edit.jpg (http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b275/SpiderProwler/spiritual/26-02-08_2053edit.jpg)
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b275/SpiderProwler/spiritual/th_26-02-08_2050edit.jpg (http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b275/SpiderProwler/spiritual/26-02-08_2050edit.jpg)
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b275/SpiderProwler/spiritual/th_26-02-08_2025edit.jpg (http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b275/SpiderProwler/spiritual/26-02-08_2025edit.jpg)

[usmc1]

Hah, one of the things about Australia is that it has some quite interesting creatures. The bird spider is one, with cousin species found throughout tropical Asia and South America. The Brazilian bird-spider is HUGE!

Australia also has the red back spider, similar to the Black Widow, but more lethal and the very dangerous Funnel Web spider which is very venemous and can be aggressive when crossed. I read of story of one, that was below water in a swimming pool for hours that bit a child that jumped in.

My first encounter with bird-spiders was in an (undisclosed location) southeast Asian county where I, and my compadres, had done a bit of work in a certain unfriendly "ville" and were booking it out of town before sunup and our work was discovered. We, I was in the lead, were hauling down a woodman's path, our alternate route out to get back to our base camp. I ran into a web at face level and felt that bugger's stringy, itchy, scratchy legs run over my face, across my shoulder top and around to the back of my neck.

I couldn't scream--that would have gotten us located and dead, I couldn't reach it. But, I could feel it covering up almost the whole of my neck's nape. Then it bailed, and my soul flew to heaven in relief.

Not being able to yell or scream or fight it off was the worse part, I had to just keep running, fast and silent.

Mrs. USMC tells me that I make up for it some nights in my dreams--all the screams that were held that pre-dawn night come out.

Bird-spiders are essentially harmless to humans--I didn't know that then. Plus, while I admire them in their place and in the scheme of things, I have a very, very low regard for them on my person.

[G I Joe]

This is my 4 year old Bird Eating Spider. Her name is, 'Spidie'. She would take up most or all of the an adult's hand and is shy enough to be scared of cockroaches. Maybe when she's older she'll eat em instead.

She is a Trapdoor species of Tarantula also known by names as; Barking Spider and Whistling Spider.

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b275/SpiderProwler/spiritual/th_26-02-08_2054edit.jpg (http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b275/SpiderProwler/spiritual/26-02-08_2054edit.jpg)
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b275/SpiderProwler/spiritual/th_26-02-08_2053edit.jpg (http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b275/SpiderProwler/spiritual/26-02-08_2053edit.jpg)
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b275/SpiderProwler/spiritual/th_26-02-08_2050edit.jpg (http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b275/SpiderProwler/spiritual/26-02-08_2050edit.jpg)
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b275/SpiderProwler/spiritual/th_26-02-08_2025edit.jpg (http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b275/SpiderProwler/spiritual/26-02-08_2025edit.jpg)

Everybody needs someone or something to love, but the spider world is beyond my comprehension!

[SpiderThug]

Australia also has the red back spider, similar to the Black Widow, but more lethal and the very dangerous Funnel Web spider which is very venemous and can be aggressive when crossed. I read of story of one, that was below water in a swimming pool for hours that bit a child that jumped in.

When I was a kid, my garage was a good home for the Sydney Funnelweb Spider and I played with them. I was interested in how they raise and fight you so I used a long weed stem to touch their front legs. After a few months or so of doing this, a funnelweb spider stopped fighting me and actually walked up and sat on my hand for about a minute then walked off. She also had walked up to across the work bench to look at me a few times. I would lower my face down near to her and look at each other.

Our cat at the time though preferred to eat the Funnelweb species. I didn't know at the time but cats can eat them without getting sick or die.




Bird-spiders are essentially harmless to humans--I didn't know that then. Plus, while I admire them in their place and in the scheme of things, I have a very, very low regard for them on my person.

Harmless unless you are allergic to bees/wasps. From the information I have read on them so far, they recommend that those who are allergic to bees and wasps should be wary of the Bird Eater as the venom works the same or is somewhat the same.

[unitednudist]

I have seen those creatures in the zoo and I am alost certain that they have venom, is that true. Where would you buy a creature like that? Are They hard to maintain?

[SpiderThug]

I have seen those creatures in the zoo and I am alost certain that they have venom, is that true. Where would you buy a creature like that? Are They hard to maintain?

Easy peasy to look after. Whether you can get them in America I cannot say but I would assume you can.