Xan got his babies today, he ordered a Green Bottle Blue, and got a Costa Rican Tiger Rump as a freebie (omg! Best deal EVER) As well as a bunch of pinhead crickets. I'm all excited about them, and I haven't even seen what they look like yet. But, this is a bad thing, because I have The Itch. I just spent more than an hour window shopping for...you guessed it...more spiders. Now, I already know I want an Usambar Baboon (Orange Bitey Thing) and probably about 9 more species...I also want the satisfaction of raising a spiderling to full maturity.
I'm all twitchy over at Swift's Inverts adding this and that to my cart. The OBT, for starters, but since the order is minimal $20, and the OBT is a whopping $7, I'm already shopping for another one to buy with it...then there's the freebie...omg, I'd then have four tarantulas. I'd be happy, of course, but...FOUR. I had to leave the site. I already had my cart full, and was *this* close to hitting BUY.
Next month. When I have a little more money.
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Explain this for us. Are these breeds of tarantulas like breeds of dogs, or are these different species? What makes 'em different other than color. Why is the orange one more bitey than the others? Are some of them more dangerous to handle? Is DCFS going to come and haul your kid away because mommy has metal in her head and poisonous spiders in the house?
Ok, first, all spiders are venomous. That's one of the components that makes up a true spider. The strength and the amount of venom vary widely though, across the genuses (is that even a word?).
I'm very new at the whole species/genus thing, but I'll try to break it down... There's arachnids, see. Tarantulas are one order of the arachnids. There are different genuses within the order of tarantula. For instance, there's the avicularia genus which all exhibit certain traits (arboreal, not too agressive, mildish venom), and the species within, which are kinds like the avic. versicolor, the avic. avicularia, etc.
Some genuses are more agressive, some species within the genuses are more agressive. Some agressive ones have medically significant venom (meaning, if you get bitten, you might wanna see a doctor), some don't (like, as bad as a bee sting). Some don't even bite, unless it's a last resort. New World kinds have urticating hairs, that they will literally kick, or flick at you. They're irritating, and can cause a rash, or itchy stingy eyes. Don't rub a fuzzy tarantuala on your face, no matter how cute they are... Old world types (from Asia, and Africa) are more inclined to bite, which is one reason they're more dangerous.
So, yes, they're venomous. No, I don't think they're actually mortally dangerous. No one has been bitten to death by their spider, as far as I know (unlike snakes, say, or pit bulls).
The bitey one that I want is amusing, in that it's a bright happy color (seriously, it looks like it was carved from cheetoes) and not terribly big. The venom is milder, but they're SO angry. They show threat poses if you just walk by the tank. They're very territorial, and agressive. Sort of like a pekingnese.
Did that help?
Orange spiders are like little yappy dogs. Got it.
Hehe OBTs actually have fairly strong venom. And while not particularly large, they are more like the Doberman of the spider world.
And these things come in the mail? Doesn't John Ashcroft have something to say about that?
Do you get to see a picture of your actual spider before you buy it? What if it shows up with seven legs or its head taped on backwards?
I read a news story about a guy who had lots of dangerous pets. They found him dead in his apartment. Apparently the black widow had bitten him and it and the other dangerous animals he kept started chowing down on the corpse.
The only thing that can possibly go wrong, is that the little guys'll be dead, in which case, I'll be dissapointed, and Swifty will take the corpses back at full refund.
Apparently the OBT venom is a little more than I thought, but no matter, it, a Giant White Knee, and some random freebie spiderling are winging their way here. Tuesday, before three p.m. I will be the proud mama of three new baby spiders :)
I heard something similar about the dead guy with lots of dangerous pets, only he died from a venomous snake bite.
Either way, if I stop updating, don't rule out that Priscilla ate my face, she's a viscious evil little brute. (I'm lying through my teeth)
Oh, and we don't get to see a pic of the actual spiderling, it wouldn't be much to look at. There is a picture of a full grown one, though.
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