So I was trying to find some kind of tarantula expo in my area..

[moshpitpanda]

Needless to say, this isnt exactly what I had in mind...

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news...r-garnished-chargrilled-tarantuala/527328002/

 

[Paul1126]

Looks gross

 

[weibkreux]

Nope. Nope. Nope.

 

[moshpitpanda]

I dont really get the appeal of eating one? Poor guys :[

 

[Rigor Mortis]

That looks awful. I can hardly imagine a desiccated tarantula tasting of anything, so what's the point?

 

[moshpitpanda]

That looks awful. I can hardly imagine a desiccated tarantula tasting of anything, so what's the point?

So people will eat it and feel cool and exotic

 

[Rigor Mortis]

So people will eat it and feel cool and exotic

Knowing how arachnopobic most of the world is I can hear the horror-induced responses already.
"You ATE a spider!? Are you INSANE?" "That's disgusting, why did you do that!" "Who would want to EAT a spider?!"

 

[MintyWood826]

They do a lottery thing for it? Wow. At the end it says something about getting a t-shirt if you finish eating the burger which makes me think it tastes bad or has a bad texture.

 

[lostbrane]

Ah yes. If I recall correctly the species used for this burger and over in Cambodia is C. albostriatus.

Which is a shame. From what I’ve read the wild population has been decimated as tourism has increased. There seems to be a slight push for more CB tarantulas to eat but they’re being gathered faster than they can be bred...

As to taste, it’s supposed to taste a bit like crab.

Edit: I’m going to try to find the article stating they’re in trouble.

 

[The Seraph]

Grilled tarantula apparently taste like crab. There are tribes in Venezuela that eat tarantulas as part of their diet. Grilled tarantula is very common in Thailand. Many peoples across the world war tarantulas, so it is not unusual. Still, tarantulas are mostly hard, dry legs and that can't taste good. Thailand unique offers Haplopelma Albostriatum, alongside many other insects, if anyone wants to try it.

 

[The Seraph]

Ah yes. If I recall correctly the species used for this burger and over in Cambodia is C. albostriatum.

Which is a shame. From what I’ve read the wild population has been decimated as tourism has increased. There seems to be a slight push for more CB tarantulas to eat but they’re being gathered faster than they can be bred...

What a shame. It would not be hard to breed them for food I assume. The time from sling to adult would be the only problem.

 

[lostbrane]

I know that these sources aren't the best but here we go:

https://www.businessinsider.com/fried-tarantula-cambodia-season-spider-food-street-market-2017-6
https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/sout...ia-tarantulas-may-not-be-menu-much-longer-due

So, it would appear deforestation is the main culprit but the hunting isn't helping them out either.

 

[antinous]

I know that these sources aren't the best but here we go:

https://www.businessinsider.com/fried-tarantula-cambodia-season-spider-food-street-market-2017-6
https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/sout...ia-tarantulas-may-not-be-menu-much-longer-due

So, it would appear deforestation is the main culprit but the hunting isn't helping them out either.

The locals there, and in South America, have been eating them for hundreds of years. It's the tourist market that's causing them to be over-hunted now. Having a tarantula on the menu attracts people from all over and it's just a money making scheme now. Visited a village in South America that still sometimes does, but thankfully they said they don't need to as much due to farming practices.

 

[EulersK]

As to taste, it’s supposed to taste a bit like crab.

Tarantula tastes like crab in the way duck tastes like chicken. Faintly similar, but hardly worth the comparison. Taste actually isn't bad, but the texture is god awful.

 

[Bierschneeman]

I think tourism is going to be a hot button to come as tourists slowly ruin everything for everyone. Every year there are more tourists than before and from more places and watching them destroy arches in the desert, get kicked off everest because they dont want all the corpses up there, watching them destory hot springs in yosemite, bridges around the world, and eat exotic animals with shrinking habitats.

But, dont underestimate the power of the local population to extinct a tasty animal. The Auroch has been shown to have been hunted to extinction, and both the possum and armadillo northward immigration were halted for centuries by Mayan and Aztec populations who would hunt them too extinction in their areas because they were delicacies. (they are not native, only started north when panama connected the continents. suggestions say that New York is a natural northern range as they come from the same forests and the possom is already in New York.)

 

[The Seraph]

I think tourism is going to be a hot button to come as tourists slowly ruin everything for everyone. Every year there are more tourists than before and from more places and watching them destroy arches in the desert, get kicked off everest because they dont want all the corpses up there, watching them destory hot springs in yosemite, bridges around the world, and eat exotic animals with shrinking habitats.

But, dont underestimate the power of the local population to extinct a tasty animal. The Auroch has been shown to have been hunted to extinction, and both the possum and armadillo northward immigration were halted for centuries by Mayan and Aztec populations who would hunt them too extinction in their areas because they were delicacies. (they are not native, only started north when panama connected the continents. suggestions say that New York is a natural northern range as they come from the same forests and the possom is already in New York.)

True, just look at the Rapa Nui. They deforested Easter Island, killed off all the sea birds, and nearly wiped themselves out before the conquistadors came. Also, most tourist are the scum of the world. I honestly cannot stand to talk or think about them.

 

[weibkreux]

And all those tourists who leave they're trash behind. Ugh.

 

[Mychajlo]

I hope no one give me crap for this, but I would actually try this, out of curiosity, I mean it’s dead, not much you can do, so hey, might as well

 

[viper69]

Needless to say, this isnt exactly what I had in mind...

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news...r-garnished-chargrilled-tarantuala/527328002/

You will not find one. The market isn't large enough to support it in the USA. However you can find them at herp shows, and at insect shows.

 

[moshpitpanda]

You will not find one. The market isn't large enough to support it in the USA. However you can find them at herp shows, and at insect shows.

Thanks for the info I also saw some reptile expos that had them