Man handles the world's largest spider

[Sephiroth]

As magnificent as this creature is, there is not enough money in the entire freaking world to make me handle one

[Gravedigger's Biscuits]

I think I'd die. Literally die if I were even in the same room as a spider that big.

[triplethreatmark]

The psychopath in me wonders what would happen if you threw a live grenade at one of these spiders and it exploded into a million pieces. I obviously know the end result, but I'd be fascinated on how exactly it would explode.

[The Shareholder is nude]

I got only one thing to say to this!!!!!!!!!!

[543Y2J]

Nightmare Fuel!!

[Deleted]

When I saw one of these I got shivers, and I'm not even afraid of spiders and it was behind glass.

[Gecko]

I'm kind of weird in that while I don't exactly like them, tarantulas and similar don't bother me and I've held them before, while normal house spiders actually bother me more.
Maybe it's because I've never woken up with a tarantula looking like it's going to jump on my face.

[Mighty Attack Tribble]

[Amazing Kitsune]

They're creepier when they're a bit smaller than that. At that size, it just looks adorable.

[Sephiroth]

And when he mentions the part about how he's been catching tarantulas for a decade, I can't help but say to myself "What kind of wrong turn do you take in life to end up a professional tarantula catcher?"

[Mozenrath]

I am fine with them, though the hairs would worry me.

I am kind of surprised this icks you, given you love scorpions and they're brothers from another mother. Or sisters from another mister, if you will.

Smaller spiders and scorpions worry me more. Generally speaking, if an arachnid's big, it's usually got weaker poison, since you just don't need much poison to take prey at this size. Emperor Scorpion, same deal, it just tears prey apart, instead of spending valuable nutrients to concoct powerful venom. See a tiny scorpion with thin pincers? Then you have a problem. If it doesn't need strong arms to grip prey, it's because they're dead almost instantly.

['Foretold' Joker]

That's really cool and I would have no problem holding her, always loved Spiders and this is just really awesome.

[Deleted]

[Eunös ✈]

I've held a tarantula in the palm of my hand before and was completely relaxed about it.

Yet wouldn't go near the average one you might find in your house.. Certainly wouldn't go out and pick one up in the wild 0.o

[Rubix Cube Johnny]

Meh. Hold a wild honey badger then I'll be impressed.

[The Unconquered Sun]

looks delicious

[ededdneddy]

Jan 4, 2015 8:56:58 GMT -5 Mozenrath said:

Smaller spiders and scorpions worry me more. Generally speaking, if an arachnid's big, it's usually got weaker poison, since you just don't need much poison to take prey at this size. Emperor Scorpion, same deal, it just tears prey apart, instead of spending valuable nutrients to concoct powerful venom. See a tiny scorpion with thin pincers? Then you have a problem. If it doesn't need strong arms to grip prey, it's because they're dead almost instantly.

I always wondered if that was true. Meaning smaller scorpions and spiders being more deadly then the bigger ones. I always thought bigger scorpions were worse.

[Mozenrath]

Jan 4, 2015 10:25:03 GMT -5 ededdneddy said:

Jan 4, 2015 8:56:58 GMT -5 Mozenrath said:

Smaller spiders and scorpions worry me more. Generally speaking, if an arachnid's big, it's usually got weaker poison, since you just don't need much poison to take prey at this size. Emperor Scorpion, same deal, it just tears prey apart, instead of spending valuable nutrients to concoct powerful venom. See a tiny scorpion with thin pincers? Then you have a problem. If it doesn't need strong arms to grip prey, it's because they're dead almost instantly.

I always wondered if that was true. Meaning smaller scorpions and spiders being more deadly then the bigger ones. I always thought bigger scorpions were worse.

It's not a perfect rule, but generally speaking, don't mess with thin pincered scorpions. As for spiders, it's a little more complicated, I guess.

Fun spider I recently heard about.

Typostola barbata, the Green-Bellied Hunstman Spider. But those aren't exactly green, its gut and joints. Actually, those are CLEAR. The spider's hemolyph(basically blood) is green, though, and you're looking right at it.

[Deleted]

Jan 4, 2015 8:56:58 GMT -5 Mozenrath said:

I am fine with them, though the hairs would worry me.

That's what would worry me about being near a tarantula. If it flicks those hairs and one gets in your eyes, you're going to have a bad time.


I like when we get nature videos on here. I think showing people interesting/unique fauna and flora is a refreshing change of pace from "FLOLida," "Social interaction blues" and "This thing sucks."

[Sephiroth]

Jan 4, 2015 10:25:03 GMT -5 ededdneddy said:

Jan 4, 2015 8:56:58 GMT -5 Mozenrath said:

Smaller spiders and scorpions worry me more. Generally speaking, if an arachnid's big, it's usually got weaker poison, since you just don't need much poison to take prey at this size. Emperor Scorpion, same deal, it just tears prey apart, instead of spending valuable nutrients to concoct powerful venom. See a tiny scorpion with thin pincers? Then you have a problem. If it doesn't need strong arms to grip prey, it's because they're dead almost instantly.

I always wondered if that was true. Meaning smaller scorpions and spiders being more deadly then the bigger ones. I always thought bigger scorpions were worse.

The bigger ones also tend to be the least aggressive. Smaller spiders and scorpions will bite or sting at the smallest threat or provocation-its their main line of defense. Big suckers like the goliath tarantula actually tend to be pretty skittish of human beings.