# how to know if you are allergic to tarantula bite?



## jom123 (Apr 19, 2010)

they say the bite of new world tarantula has low venom?  and if you are allergic on tarantula bite it can be fatal?


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## Skullptor (Apr 19, 2010)

jom123 said:


> they say the bite of new world tarantula has low venom?  and if you are allergic on tarantula bite it can be fatal?


"They" are idiots!


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## nhdjoseywales (Apr 19, 2010)

Skullptor said:


> "They" are idiots!


are you saying that allergic reactions to something cant be fatal or that people cant be allergic to tarantula venom? just wondering. either way id wonder about teh science behind the statement.


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## jom123 (Apr 19, 2010)

Skullptor said:


> "They" are idiots!


ahaha! i just read it from net...


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## Skullptor (Apr 19, 2010)

nhdjoseywales said:


> are you saying that allergic reactions to something cant be fatal or that people cant be allergic to tarantula venom? just wondering. either way id wonder about teh science behind the statement.


You can have an allergic reaction to "something" and it be fatal, I'm saying the latter isn't something to be concerned about especially new world T's. I would think that allergic reactions would count as a death from a new world T? And there doesn't seem to be any hard evidence to support the theory of new world T deaths. To be fair, there is little clinical evidence out there with regards to the effects of venom in these spiders. Hopefully someone out there who studies spiders could chime in.


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## Moltar (Apr 19, 2010)

New World tarantulas tend to have less potent venom than their Old World counterparts. There are some exceptions though, the Psalmopoeus genus being one in particular. Generally though the reaction to the venom is similar to a nasty bee sting except with more physical damage from the fangs.

It is still debated among experts but the prevailing opinion is that most, if not all tarantula venom doesn't have the chemical makeup to cause an _anaphylactic_ allergic reaction; the fatal kind. Something to do with peptide based venom instead of protein based...? As far as I know, there is no record anywhere of any person ever having suffered a life threatening reaction from a tarantula bite, allergic or otherwise.


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## nhdjoseywales (Apr 19, 2010)

And there we have the science, thanks guys


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## jom123 (Apr 19, 2010)

thanks guys! im not scared now to be bitten by my rosea but im scared of how painful it will be... hehehe...


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## Merfolk (Apr 19, 2010)

In clear, adverse effects from being bitten have nothing to do with allergic reaction. The venom acts first on the nervous system and since it helps with the T digestion, it might break some tissue matter as well. But it's not over reaction from the body's immune system.


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## Fran (Apr 19, 2010)

We neevr consider pre existing conditions-medication.
Dont mess with them and you "wont" get bit.


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## codykrr (Apr 19, 2010)

i was told(not sure how true it is) that tarantula venom lacks certain peptides(spelling?) to have an allergic reaction from....


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## Sukai94 (May 15, 2011)

Moltar said:


> New World tarantulas tend to have less potent venom than their Old World counterparts. There are some exceptions though, the Psalmopoeus genus being one in particular. Generally though the reaction to the venom is similar to a nasty bee sting except with more physical damage from the fangs.
> 
> It is still debated among experts but the prevailing opinion is that most, if not all tarantula venom doesn't have the chemical makeup to cause an _anaphylactic_ allergic reaction; the fatal kind. Something to do with peptide based venom instead of protein based...? As far as I know, there is no record anywhere of any person ever having suffered a life threatening reaction from a tarantula bite, allergic or otherwise.


Good information! Thanks for posting! Does anyone else have more information to back this up? Extra points if you cite your source.

-Jamie


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## Formerphobe (May 15, 2011)

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19955179

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/11/061108-tarantula-venom_2.html

http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/dl/free/0071437630/358186/goldfrank_toxicology_chap115.pdf

http://www.afpmb.org/sites/default/files/pubs/guides/field_guide.pdf

http://www.scribd.com/doc/41242993/Tarantula-Bites

My dogs and I will pass on any of the Australian species...


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## ShadowBlade (May 15, 2011)

Moltar said:


> Something to do with peptide based venom instead of protein based...?


mm..no, right answer, but wrong reasons. Protein is only longer than peptides, they're still made of the same stuff. Its not about the size, (though that could be an argument..just not likely). But its more the TYPE of peptides in the venom. The venom has caused no documented allergic reaction, which is actually good evidence that it won't. 

Though theoretically, repeated exposure could invoke one if anything.. Just like urticating hairs.

Formerphobe: what was the point of those linked sites? None seemed to provide any compelling evidence of the danger of T bites... They just use alot of big words and chemicals.

-Sean


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## Formerphobe (May 15, 2011)

> Formerphobe: what was the point of those linked sites? None seemed to provide any compelling evidence of the danger of T bites... They just use alot of big words and chemicals.


They're basically saying there is *no* evidence that there is any significant danger to humans from tarantula bites.  The bites of some Australian species have been shown to be fatal to dogs, but not humans.  Most of the articles inferred that urticating hairs are of more concern to humans than the venom in the bite of a tarantula.  Sorry if the big words threw you...


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## ShadowBlade (May 15, 2011)

Formerphobe said:


> They're basically saying there is *no* evidence that there is any significant danger to humans from tarantula bites.. Sorry if the big words threw you...





ShadowBlade said:


> None seemed to provide any compelling evidence of the danger of T bites...


Yes.. clearly threw me for a loop.



Formerphobe said:


> My dogs and* I *will pass on any of the Australian species...


Is the point I am asking about. Are you saying you'll pass on the behalf of your dog? Or is there something you would like to present showing that australian tarantulas provide a more potent threat to your life.

-Sean


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## esotericman (May 15, 2011)

The immune system does not react to peptides, they're too darn small, or even small peptide chains.  Fully folded, three dimensional proteins are a different matter all together.

The proteins on the urticating setae are what your body can or will build up a reaction to, for example.  Often it's not the physical irritation, which is why so many of us eventually get out of the ichy species, I personally can not get in the room with _B. smithi_, but I'm fine with other species.

In any case, Moltar is correct, never a documented fatality attributed to a tarantula, although secondary infections HAVE been blamed.


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## Formerphobe (May 15, 2011)

> Are you saying you'll pass on the behalf of your dog?


On behalf of my dogs.   I really have no interest in any of the Aussie species anyway.


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## Arachnethegreek (May 16, 2011)

In the TKG (hail the tarantula bible) it stated that in recorded historythere have been probably 3 tarantula related deaths, two were small children in India, small child and potent venom is not a good mix, an the third was a cowboy in the states, but that case has been theorized to have been a tetanus infection. 

As for allergic reactions, tarantula venom and bee venom have different chemical makeup. A bee sting has a specific peptide that the body can and will react to. Tarantula venoms (as far as those that have been analyzed) have lacked that peptide, thus lacking the ability to set off the protien receptors in out immune system and cause anaphalysis. There is one case of large scale spider that can be lethal however, the male Sydney funnel web (A. Robustus) has a chemical component to it's venom known as robustoxin. This compound is a powerful neurotoxin, and is also responsible for australian anti-venin programs. Even then however, A. Robustus only had an annual death toll of 8-12 a year reported. 
So in conclusion, while they can't kill you by making your throat close up, they still pack a punch and should be treated with respect.


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