Biggest Spider

[HeatherRose]

Hey guys! Just finished watching 8 Legged Freaks lol.....my little sister asked me what the biggest spider in the world is and how big it got.....so I told her I'd find out :)

Can anyone answer this?

Thanks :)

[Zoe]

Well, the largest EVER spider-like creature was the Megarachne servinei. It lived 300 million years ago and the fossils show them to reach half a meter in length.

The biggest spider on earth currently existing right now is Goliath Birdeater (Theraphosa leblondi), a tarantula.
They are from South America and can reach 12 inches (30 cms) in leg span. It's one of the few spiders that can catch, kill and eat an adult mouse.

[Zoe]

http://www.wcsscience.com/biggest/actualsize.JPG

That is a life size (apprx) image of an adult specimen.

[AnOle]

That is one BIG SPIDER!!

[garterguy]

gollee i hate spiders

[JeffT]

The man I bought my tarantula from had a birdeater....man that is one thing I will deffinately NOT hold. Fangs were over an inch long!

[eViL_KaRoT]

Dang, that's a huge T. I can't wait to get mine!!!! Now I heard not to feed them adult mice, primarily just pinkies and Pinky fuzzies. Will they eat F/T or does it have to be live?


PuNkuPoNAsTAR: 8 Legged Freaks is a halarious movie. I love all the little noises the spiders are making all over the place!!! Too bad, in real life all the T's would be eating each other. But a great movie all the same. It gave a friend of mine nightmares for weeks!!! She had bad case of Arachnophobia, and that just made it worse!!! I still give her crap about it. LOL!!!:eb: :rsmile: :medtoothy

[Blackwidow69]

:cool: I had several goliaths and the biggest female i had was well over 11"++ befour she passed away.. I miss her...:(

[Tim and Julie B]

I just watched that movie very funny(5 mins ago)! The noises they made were hilarious. Stupid but intertaining! I still haven't seen one that big yet! Hopefully someday! A ft long spider sounds good to me.

[OttawaChris]

For size there is a lot of debate between tarantula experts as to which is actually the largest. The big 3 are the T. Blondi, T. Apophysis and the L. Parahybana.

If you are talking legspan, the largest is considered to be Theraphosa Blondi (goliath birdeater) but I heard rumours to the effect that they have found a Theraphosa Apophysis (goliath pinkfoot) that was larger. Both species have hit 13 inch legspans and a quarter pound in wieght... now THAT is a big badass spider ;)

[OttawaChris]

Oh by the way Punkuponastar... I notice you are from Ottawa... if you ever want to come and see a Goliath Birdeater in person feel free to swing by my place... I have 2 :)

[daver676]

That IS huge!

I don't know about spiders. I think it would be kind of cool to have at least one in my lifetime, but theres no way my gf would go for it. I'd be too nervous to handle it, and frankly, wheres the fun in having a pet that your consantly nervous around?

Just my $.02

Dave

[marisa]

It isn't the way you think Dave :)

I HATE spiders but currently I own a Lasiodora parahybana which is one of the ones Chris mentioned. As well as a Bolivian Salmon Pink which can also be somewhat large...but nothing near the parahybana....

Anyways I am so afriad of spiders but it doesn't matter with these guys. For one, they don't come out of the enclosures. For two handling for maintanence purposes is minimal. It's not like a snake or lizard cage that must be fully cleaned every 7 or so days. When they do need to be taken out my boyfriend does it but even HE has not had to handle them directly. We simply use a large bowl and a piece of paper and when need be he handles them briefly to move into a new cage. I am not saying you will never have to handle it, but sometimes people get the impression they are really hard to deal with, and its not like that at all. They are great great pets to have around. We are never nerouvs around them at all. And there is GREAT enjoyment to be had coming in one morning to see a huge web has been built, or some other construction that obviously took all night. :)

:)
Marisa
P.S. Oh yeah and speaking of large spiders everyone, my parahybana just molted two days ago! I can't WAIT to see how large he is, and his nice new look.....I will get pics as soon as he is ready to show himself!!!!

[HeatherRose]

Hey thanks guys :D

Karot: It WAS a great movie...I'll probably watch it again lol...it only made me want a T more...:P

Chris: LOL sounds cool Chris! Maybe someday :) :D

[Edwin]

Originally posted by OttawaChris
For size there is a lot of debate between tarantula experts as to which is actually the largest. The big 3 are the T. Blondi, T. Apophysis and the L. Parahybana.



Chris, of the big 3, which has the least demanding husbandry requirements? I have long been considering a T, but have yet to make the plunge.

[eViL_KaRoT]

OK, I did some looking around and found the largest T's I could find. Which of these are THE LARGEST?

Hysterocrates gigas: Cameroon Red
Phormictopus cancerides: Haitian Brown Birdeater
Phormictopus atrichromatus:Red Island Birdeater
Pamphobeteus platyomma: Brazilian Pink Birdeater
Pamphobeteus vespertinus: Red Bloom Birdeater
Theraposa blondi: Goliath Birdeater
Theraphosa apophysis: Goliath pink foot
Avicularia braunshauseni: GIANT Pinktoe
Theraphosa apophysis: Goliath pink foot

Is there any super huge T's that I'm missing?

[OttawaChris]

Originally posted by Edwin
Chris, of the big 3, which has the least demanding husbandry requirements? I have long been considering a T, but have yet to make the plunge.

Of the big 3, I say the L. Pahahybana is the easiest to keep and is also a fraction of the price. I wouldnt recommend any of those as a starter spider though... not until you are a little more accustomed to tarantulas.

If you want a large spider that is very easy to care for and quite docile, I would recommend a chaco golden knee (Grammastola Aureostriata) I have seen them in petstores sold as Paraguay Birdeaters too. They are real sweeties to deal with and are hard to kill. They are said to reach 9 inches... but I have trouble believing that (my large female is about 7)

[Thomas]

In the movie I liked that massive one that flipped the caravan and smashed the mall gate!

[Edwin]

Chris,

Thanks for the information. I am going to look up the chaco golden knee. Planning to pick up a T. sometime soon, if the right one comes along. I have empty tank syndrome ;)