Giant Angry Tarantulas Need Love Too
August 18th, 2007at 03:23pm Posted by Eli
I don’t see what the problem is. I mean, it’s furry, right?
SMITHTOWN, N.Y. – An orange tarantula with venomous fangs was rescued by animal cruelty officials today from an owner who said he could not longer care for the spider.
“This is the kind of spider that nightmares are made of,” said Roy Gross, chief of the Suffolk County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. He said the spider is moody and aggressive, and when it rears up on its hind legs, it can jump three feet and will bite with its large fangs. The venomous bites are dangerous to humans, Gross said.
The spider, known as an ornate golden baboon, has a fat body that is covered in orange hair, along with the legs. Male baboon spiders have a leg span of about 8 inches, females slightly larger, and their bodies can be 6 inches wide.
Baboon spiders have a life span of up to 25 years, while most other spiders live only a year or so. The spiders, native to southern Africa, spend most time near their nests, which are usually silk lined holes in the ground.
That sounds awesome! It’s just too bad that my lease doesn’t allow me to keep giant poisonous leaping spiders.
Also, I give the owner credit for calling the SPCA to come and get it, rather than just killing the wee fuzzy beastie. Then again, maybe he was afraid to try…
(Photo by David Barkasy of Silver City Serpentarium… obviously.)
Entry Filed under: Weirdness
