From hots to tarantulas, please !

[Darlene]

Think I need some help here. If you've followed the "hots" discussion you'll know I turned down getting a tarantula when I was told it was lethal to my kids. The same person said that if my heart was set on an arachnid to get an emperor scorpion. I was told their venom was milder then a bee. I did research the scorp & believe it to be true. Now I'm being told the tarantula is OK , too. I'm fairly new here but value your opinions & read almost every thread. I would love any tarantula help you all can give me. If you can get web site addresses or care sheets to me that would be great. I am interested in the Zebra & Rosehair ones (& in the scorp now , too !!). It would be wonderful to learn that I can get both. TKS , everyone !! Dar

[snakelover111]

rose haired r good. they do not have lethal venom and there venom can stop heartattack! emporos r cool to they tame and not lethal

[Zoe]

Red-kneed are supposed to be fairly placid, and dont have potent venom.

Zoe

[Pixie]

As far as I know, no tarantula venom is lethal to humans. Most are the equivalent of a bee or wasp sting with some species having a bit more potent venom. A taranluta bite will usually cause some swelling, redness and pain in the area.

As a risk to your children, it is very low. The only danger being they get bitten in a very sensitive area (i.e. in the face near eyes: very rare) or if they are allergic to the venom as some are allergic to bee and wasp stings. Another more common risk: most tarantulas flick urticating hairs as a defense, which can be very irritating to the skin and troublesome if gotten in the eyes.

These are the worse case scenarios you can encounter with a tarantula. Up to you to choose if you want one in your household. I for one very much enjoy them as pets and would recommend them to anyone. In a household with young children I would caution to keep the tarantula out of reach or in a setup that children can't open by themselves.

Pixie

[Darlene]

Thank guys. I have one tank available that I can lock. It's only 5 gallon tho. Would that be big enough ? Now to track down some good care sheets........

[nouserpif]

No tarantula has ever caused a recorded human death. They are gennerally beautiful, viewing pets.

Try a Chilean Rose Hair trantula, one of the easiest, docile, perfect begginer species out there. A 5 gallon (with lid) is fine. They are cheap (from $10-$40) and neat tarantulas. They are good with an unheated source, from 68F-83F is their required temps, and from 72-78 is preferred.

If you keep them resposibly (I.E. not leaving lids off, supervising when children around) you have virtually no need to worry. Even if you handle them while children are around, as long as they are not by faces (because of the urticating hairs) they are ok, and depending on your kids ages, I wouldn't consider surpervised handling a risk, as long as it is relatively tame.

Dan Conner

[nouserpif]

No tarantula has ever caused a recorded human death. They are gennerally beautiful, viewing pets.

As your first tarantula, over almsot any species, including Rose Hairs ( which are very similar, only tend to be more expensive, but mroe beautiful) try a Chilean Rose Hair trantula, one of the easiest, docile, perfect begginer species out there. From everyone I know who has them, says they are as easy (if not easier) than goldfish. A 5 gallon (with lid) is fine. They are cheap (from $10-$40) and neat tarantulas. They are good with an unheated source, from 68F-83F is their required temps, and from 72-78 is preferred.

If you keep them resposibly (I.E. not leaving lids off, supervising when children around) you have virtually no need to worry. Even if you handle them while children are around, as long as they are not by faces (because of the urticating hairs) they are ok, and depending on your kids ages, I wouldn't consider surpervised handling a risk, as long as it is relatively tame.

Dan Conner

[reverendsterlin]

Glade herp does a decent job of giving basic danger levels of aggression and venom levels of the various species that they sell

[snakelover111]

the funnel web and the black widow have killed people nouserpif and pixie

[Hamster of Borg]

Black widows and funnel webs are not tarantulas.

About the only tarantula species you would really have to worry about venom-wise are African and Asian (Ornamentals and Baboons especially). Though, there still have been no fatalities associated with their venoms, they have been known to be excrutiatingly painful. You may not die, but you may -wish- you were dead for a few days. :) Most North American and South American ones are not considered to be especially dangerous. Doesn't mean you can't potentially have an allergic reaction to the venom still. When dealing with anything venomous, allergy is really something that many people take far too lightly, imo.

One thing I would be concerned with is the urticating hairs. Some species are much worse than others, and children being children - having the habit of touching things and then sticking their fingers in their mouth or rubbing their eyes, definitely something to keep in mind. Some species are much worse than others. Having a child damaging his/her eyesight because of a pet tarantula's stinging hairs would not be a good thing.

Pick a few species that appeal to you and then do your research is all I can recommend. Hopefully one will fit your needs/interests.

Ham

[nouserpif]

Yeah, forgot to mention that... Allergies is a problem (My hand swelled up like a blown up rubber glove last time I was stung by a bee). Also, for starter species (and docile species, etc.) try "new world" tarantulas, they are MUCH calmer, and nicer than "old world" Tarantulas 95% of the time.

Black widows and funnelwebs (like HoB mentioned) are resposible for occasional deaths, and we had a lady die from a widow bite who lived about 2 km from my house... Needless to say, they are probably not going to become very popular pets anytime soon :D

Dan Conner

[snakelover111]

the black widow is not a trantula but the funnel web is a trantula

[Gregg M]

Funnel webs are not turatulas...... They are true spiders......

[ReneeB]

Darlene,

I have Rose Hairs, and Pink Toes and my 5 yr old has held them twice and will never again as he doesn't like the "ticklies" of them walking on him..

The Pink Toes are really fast though.. personally I'd go with the Rose Hairs, mine are more docile, and slower! and terestrial compared to arborial.

There are pics in my gallery of both species.

Enjoy!