Newbie pair

[Bubbles]

Welcome!

Ar harr

 

[Whitelightning777]

Tarantulas are not related to wasps, totally different underlying genetics. Any venom similarity is purely due to convergent evolution.

 

[MassExodus]

This misconception just doesn't want to go away. I've seen articles where doctors talk about anaphylaxis when asked about tarantulas. Doctors!! The website crystalfreak linked is a good example, too.

 

[WolfSpider]

Just as a side note, someone mentioned allergic reactions to tarantula venom. There has never been a documented allergic reaction to T venom in a human being. The big brains say there aren't enough peptides in it to cause anaphylaxis. Also, bee venom has nothing at all to do with tarantula venom. I'll refer you to thereapersride on youtube, check out the video where his friend, who's badly allergic to bees, gets tagged by a G pulchripes. I don't mean to shoot anyone down, I just don't want newer hobbyists to be misinformed.

Concur with @MassExodus. I am a physician. There has NEVER been a documented case of anaphylaxis from a T bite. The venom is made of short chain polypeptides. The molecules in a venom bolus cannot form an epitope with mast cells or eosinophils (The cells that guide an anaphylactic reaction). If bitten, you might be in so much pain and anguish that it might seem like anaphylaxis, but be rest assured, you will never need your Epipen.

 

[Whitelightning777]

There are some cases of severe muscle spasms and heart palpitations or blood pressure changes that require hospitalization. Pain management and muscle relaxers might also be required. Generally this applies to OW species.

Psalmopeous bites are also reported to not be much fun either.

Basically, don't cuddle up with your pokies or any OW regardless of how well behaved it might appear to be. Most aren't.

I haven't ever been bit because I minimize handling. Only my C versicolor has walked on me & that was the tarantula's decision.

 

[Dave Jay]

@WolfSpider , that's good to know ,do you know if that is also the case with scorpion venom? The one break we get here in Australia is that our scorpions aren't highly venomous!

 

[WolfSpider]

@Dave Jay : Although rare, scorpion venom can elicit an IgE reaction and anaphylaxis in some species. Apparently scorpion venom is more complex than tarantulas.
http://adc.bmj.com/content/101/Suppl_1/A44.1

 

[Dave Jay]

Good to know, I assumed that anaphylaxis was mentioned as a disclaimer of sorts as there are no known cases of Australian scorps causing extreme reactions.

 

[MassExodus]

@Dave Jay I'd be careful with scorps. It's rare but you can definitely have a bad reaction to their venom. The scary thing, to me, is the radical differences in reactions among various animals, especially humans, to ANY kind of venom.

 

[Dave Jay]

@Dave Jay I'd be careful with scorps. It's rare but you can definitely have a bad reaction to their venom. The scary thing, to me, is the radical differences in reactions among various animals, especially humans, to ANY kind of venom.

Oh yeah, I'm careful with them, almost 5 years and I haven't been stung, but I was stung numerous times when I was a gardener/landscaper, like a bull ant bite but only1 puncture wound. You're right about different reactions though.You just never know, reactions to venom can change with age and exposure.

 

[LC72uk]

Welcome to the Group..................

 

[crystalfreakkk]

This misconception just doesn't want to go away. I've seen articles where doctors talk about anaphylaxis when asked about tarantulas. Doctors!! The website crystalfreak linked is a good example, too.

I also recently watched a video on YouTube by Nat Geo WILD where they said the exact same thing! Like I swear they’re supposed to know their stuff but I guess not.

 

[MassExodus]

I also recently watched a video on YouTube by Nat Geo WILD where they said the exact same thing! Like I swear they’re supposed to know their stuff but I guess not.

They want drama to draw people, the "facts" are twisted to suit their needs. Its not just spiders, if you fact check all these animal documentaries you'll find some glaring misinformation in almost all of them. How bout the popular frog and Aphonapelma relationship, there's folks been in the hobby for years that believe it. I'm fairly certain it's horsepoop. It goes against everything we know about tarantulas. Yet someone found frogs underground in a T burrow(go figure, spiders and frogs underground..smh..), and now they have a symbiotic relationship, where the frog guards the T babies (not eating them..lol) and the spider plays cards with the frog and everyone lives happily ever after. I call bull****. Makes for a good tale though..