# Found little spiders in my room; tarantulas??



## gambite (Aug 24, 2009)

Last night I found seven little spiders all over my ceiling and carpet. At first I thought they were just MM spiders from outside that made their way in through my open windows. But when I captured them and looked at them, their body shape and characteristics seemed to resemble some type of arboreal tarantula! 

Of course, them being so small, its really hard to say that for sure, but they definitely did NOT look like any 'true spider' I have seen in this area. It looked like they had scopulated forelegs, and they appeared rather 'hairy'. All of them are about 1/2" and dark colored, very skittish and rather quick for spiders of their size. Since they were all over my ceiling, they seem to have no trouble climbing the walls of my room; IME a lot of orb-weaver types and wolf spiders have trouble with smooth~ish surfaces. 

Any, now for the pics!






My thought is that one of my T's was gravid without me knowing it. Well, here are the females I have that have not molted while in my care (thus could have laid a sac without me knowing),

H. albostriatum (actually laid a sac months ago then abandoned it immediately; sac dried out and died)
H. longipes
H. lividum
G. rosea (& RCF)

Hmm thats pretty much it. So do these resemble babies of any of those species? Maybe my assumption that they are arboreal is wrong. I've had the Haplos for about a year now, and none have molted in my care AFAIK. Also, I have seen the H. lividum TWICE in the year I've had her (immediately webbed up her burrow, never seen again). So, I dunno, what do you guys think?


----------



## Roski (Aug 24, 2009)

i would definitely say they are T slings- though i have no expertise on which sp they may be, but i'll take a stab at it. from the list of possible gravid females you gave, the last 2 look like H lividum slings and the first two could pass for H. longipes slings. at that size and fuzziness though- anything goes. maybe they're mutant birds- you don't happen to live by any nuclear power plants, do ya?


----------



## gambite (Aug 24, 2009)

Yeah, I am definitely thinking they are Haplos now. While they are much fuzzier than adult Haplos, they have the same oblong abdomen. If I can get a closer look I will compare carapace shapes and see if they are alike as well.

Also, all of the ones I caught immediately webbed up the containers I had them in.


----------



## madamwlf (Aug 24, 2009)

Wow, that's crazy.  If you need to find homes for those lil guys, I'd gladly take a ride to your neck of the woods.    Good luck finding out who the momma is.


----------



## sean-820 (Aug 24, 2009)

If they are t's, whick ones did you mate recently or which types do you have that are WC? They look rather like t's.


----------



## Roski (Aug 24, 2009)

yeah, that sounds promising- congrats, i should think! did you check the mommy tanks for squatters that may have stayed behind? did they escape through vent holes? if an entire sac had hatched- i'd say you'll be finding little surprises on the ceiling, under tables, and between furniture for days to come- just be careful and check twice before you sit down anywhere


----------



## -Sarah- (Aug 24, 2009)

Actually, they kinda look like P. murinus slings :? mine sure looked like that when they were slings... and I had 7 of them.

That's both crazy and neat - I wish that would happen to me!


----------



## ZergFront (Aug 24, 2009)

They definately look like tarantulas. I'd flip the light switch on during the night (9-10pm or later) one of these days and see if you can catch any you missed by surprise.

 How do you think they got out of their mother's cage if they are ones born by your collection?


----------



## Satellite Rob (Aug 24, 2009)

I would look carefully threw each ot the encloser.There will probably be some hiding 
out.In the T encloser of the T that is responsible.


----------



## Placeboani2 (Aug 24, 2009)

Awh there adorable, although i cant help you here, although they dont look like true spiders in my opinion.
-
I saw a cute "true-spider" the other day,
I was sat happily playing guitar, I realised there was a spider dangling mid air infront of my face. It was pink? I've ever seen a pink house spider before.
I only live in North west England, Cant have been anything Exotic.

Anyway just to finish the story, I put my hand underneith it so i could hold it, next minute it was running all over me, it went on my leg and dissapeared, i havent seen it since.

Fastest running spider ive seen so far.


----------



## gambite (Aug 24, 2009)

I found two more, one being eaten by one of those skinny, spindly spiders that look kinda like harvestmen but with long oval abdomens, and the other in a little hole in the molding at the base of the wall of my room, so I couldnt get it out. 

The thing is, the ONLY T's I have bred are my G. rosea, and none have given me a sac! All my other females have molted since I have had them except the Haplos. Or at least I dont *think* they have molted. I never tried to breed them, and was not aware of any breeding attempts before I got them last year. I actually have 4 Haplos; albostriatum, lividum, longipes, and an unkown species thats a drab brown color. I think all are female. 

As cool as this may seem, these are some of the LAST species I would want running around my bedroom! Thank god my H. mac molted out after her breeding, that one would be a complete nightmare! 

I have a feeling that I will be finding these guys for a while now, but I think I might have caught the bulk of the loose ones so far. I checked all the Haplo tanks, and did not see any babies in any of them. I will put all the tanks in sealed containers, though, just to make sure.


----------



## Sooner (Aug 24, 2009)

Looks like you and I have similar problems (except I know who the mother is).

!!!


----------



## ZergFront (Aug 24, 2009)

Just out of curiousity for the OP, where do you live? Is there any possibility they could be wild? :? 

 If not, did you happen to throw away any egg sacks you might have thought were bad?


----------



## gambite (Aug 24, 2009)

ZergFront said:


> Just out of curiousity for the OP, where do you live? Is there any possibility they could be wild? :?
> 
> If not, did you happen to throw away any egg sacks you might have thought were bad?


I live in Eastern MD. I glanced at the 'bad' H. albo eggsac, that has been lying in her tank for months now all dry and shrivled, and I think I saw some yellow orbs, so it must have been broken open at some point. I am thinking the most likely possibilities are that either these are some eggs that happen to survive from that sac, or that my other Haplos have a sac in their burrows I never knew about.


----------



## Spyder 1.0 (Aug 24, 2009)

they def look like OBT slings. Maybe you have neighbours with a OBT sac...


----------



## gambite (Aug 24, 2009)

OBT slings? I do have a female WC OBT, but I have never seen her drop a sac. I actually see her often and can see in her burrow, so it wouldnt be a secret.


----------



## Miss Bianca (Aug 24, 2009)

Congratulations on the babies...
Even though it seems you're still trying to work out the details and whether or not this is good or bad, lol, I think its exciting...
I would SO freak out if it were me! 

Good luck with everything.


----------



## Koh_ (Aug 24, 2009)

spyderowner69 said:


> they def look like OBT slings. Maybe you have neighbours with a OBT sac...


i agree with spyderowner69. i think they look exactly like obt slings. im not an expert though. 
someone around you should have ton of them lol


----------



## gambite (Aug 24, 2009)

Koh_ said:


> i agree with spyderowner69. i think they look exactly like obt slings. im not an expert though.
> someone around you should have ton of them lol


I really hope you are wrong, I do NOT want OBTs loose in my bedroom! That would actually be dangerous!


----------



## Talkenlate04 (Aug 24, 2009)

gambite said:


> OBT slings? I do have a female WC OBT, but I have never seen her drop a sac. I actually see her often and can see in her burrow, so it wouldnt be a secret.


She would not have made a nice round sac for you to see. It would have just been a blob of webbing that could easily be missed. She would have never rotated it or moved it from one place to another it just sits there until it hatches. 
And I agree those look like obt babies at first glance.
It would have been just like this, the sac is just below her.


----------



## SandyMuffinCakes94 (Aug 24, 2009)

dang your lucky to have little t's live near u


----------



## gambite (Aug 24, 2009)

Yeah, looking at Google pics, they definitely look exactly like OBT slings....
:wall: 

This is really not cool! How am I gonna get a girl to sleep over when I have dangerous tarantulas roaming my bedroom?!

Just checked the OBT tank, and you guys were right! There are some babies in there with her!

When I got her, she was really really fat! Then she suddenly shrank, but I thought it was just bad dehydration! I never saw a sac, but I guess it must have been in there because now I have babies!

!!!!!!

How many babies do OBTs usually have? I am only seeing maybe a handful more in there. At this size, I am expecting they ate most of their siblings, right?


----------



## Talkenlate04 (Aug 24, 2009)

gambite said:


> This is really not cool! How am I gonna get a girl to sleep over when I have dangerous tarantulas roaming my bedroom?
> !!!!!!


You can't really classify a 3/4" obt sling as dangerous. 
Happy hunting!;P


----------



## AudreyElizabeth (Aug 24, 2009)

Aw, it's kinda neat! But from what I've read, you could have more than a hundred babies.


----------



## J.huff23 (Aug 24, 2009)

Definitly look like obt slings. That sucks that you didnt see her with a sac untill all the slings escaped. Sorry to hear that man.


----------



## Ariel (Aug 24, 2009)

wow thats crazy!!! you should send me some    I love OBTs and have yet to get one. 

So did they get out via ventilation holes?

congrats btw, thats pretty lucky!


----------



## gambite (Aug 24, 2009)

Talkenlate04 said:


> You can't really classify a 3/4" obt sling as dangerous.
> Happy hunting!;P


Of course not, but adults certainly are! With how fast these are supposed to mature, and the plethora of bugs for them to eat in my house, this could turn into a real problem! I am seriously considering catching as many as possible then having the whole area bug-bombed.

And yeah, they are coming out through the slits in the top of the cage. I have my girl in a KK style Exo Terra tank, so they are just small enough to squeeze through.

What will happen to the ones that are still in the tank? Will the mother eventually eat them? Will they eat each other?


----------



## Talkenlate04 (Aug 24, 2009)

gambite said:


> I am seriously considering catching as many as possible then having the whole area bug-bombed.


That is ridiculous there is no need to bug bomb. There is no way an obt is going to grow up inside your house. 
Just catch them when you see them and that will be the end of the problem.


----------



## gambite (Aug 24, 2009)

Yeah, I guess I am overreacting a bit, but my OBT is one of the few T's that still scares the crap out of me. The thought of more of her living loose in my room is very unsettling. Looks like the next few months will be interesting...


----------



## Roski (Aug 24, 2009)

bug bombs sounds really drastic- relax, you'll laugh about this one day (hopefully). search your house really well, and remember that as they grow bigger they'll be easier to find- gradually seal off unused cabinets, fireplaces, what have you- and lay out some hides around where bugs are hiding in your house, since the slings may hunt there (flower pots and toilet rolls on book shelves and along the floor, that sort of thing) and once in a while leave the lights off for an hour at a time then walk through your rooms with a flashlight. 

as someone above me already put it- happy hunting! updates are welcome


----------



## xhexdx (Aug 24, 2009)

Damn, I wish I had seen this thread sooner.

Right away I was thinking OBT.  I have over 100 2nd instar and they look just like that. 

Good luck with it!

--Joe


----------



## Stopdroproll (Aug 24, 2009)

I found this thread rather amusing at the expense of the OP.


----------



## gambite (Aug 24, 2009)

This whole situation is really ironic. The OBT is the one T that I actively did NOT want to breed. But none of my G. rosea dropped sacs, and my H. mac molted out after breeding and all my MM's died. So my first home-grown slings will be OBT whether I like it or not!


----------



## KJE (Aug 24, 2009)

Glad to hear you know what they are.   Did you remove the others from the female's enclosure?  At least OBT's web a lot, so that might help you locate them as they settle down in your room.


----------



## gambite (Aug 24, 2009)

No, I left the others in the enclosure. They were pretty deep in the burrow, and while the momma was not in the burrow, I did not want to go poking around in her tank just yet. I put the whole tank in a plastic bin with a lid and am hoping the babies will slowly migrate out, where I will catch them. Though they look quite cozy in the mother's den.


----------



## micheldied (Aug 24, 2009)

i wouldve loved for Ts to be running around my house.
makes a good challenge catching them.;P 
then again my mum would probably make me get rid of them or something...
good luck!
i was going to say OBTs as well.
look pretty much like mine before it molted.
should be fun chasing them around the house.


----------



## ZergFront (Aug 25, 2009)

WOW! OBTs loose in the home, I would have paid to see that (and maybe pay for a OBT "Easter Hunt"  ) This thread is now competing with the LPS story threads for being my favorite to read.


----------



## micheldied (Aug 25, 2009)

btw,what could the first two pics be?
theyre not OBTs thats for sure.


----------



## gambite (Aug 25, 2009)

micheldied said:


> btw,what could the first two pics be?
> theyre not OBTs thats for sure.


It might just be the lighting/angle. In the containers, they all look identical.

Eight total captured so far. I will let the one in the corner stay where it is for now.


----------



## -Sarah- (Aug 25, 2009)

xhexdx said:


> Damn, I wish I had seen this thread sooner.
> 
> Right away I was thinking OBT.  I have over 100 2nd instar and they look just like that.
> 
> ...


Mine looked identical to that as well - as soon as I saw the front legs and the coloration I was immediately thinking OBT slings!


----------



## Projecht13 (Aug 25, 2009)

i agree with obt slings, look up pics online. very very close


----------



## xhexdx (Aug 25, 2009)

micheldied said:


> btw,what could the first two pics be?
> theyre not OBTs thats for sure.


Yes they are.


----------



## Nerri1029 (Aug 25, 2009)

gambite said:


> OBT slings? I do have a female WC OBT, but I have never seen her drop a sac. I actually see her often and can see in her burrow, so it wouldnt be a secret.


They make hammock sacs. They blend in. I had two sacs by suprise.. from OBT's.

best of luck.

<added> 

OOps missed an entire page.. 

And yes my first thoughts were OBT slings.

I've had 4 sacs of those.. one JUST LIKE YOU. most escaped I was finding them all over the basement ( spider room is in the basement) for about 4 weeks, then nothing. 

The ones I was finding towards the end were soooo dehydrated and skinny I'm sure they wouldn't have lasted much longer.

Don't worry.. look as often as you can now.. but don't bomb the place ( is my advice )


----------



## JimM (Aug 25, 2009)

gambite said:


> This whole situation is really ironic. The OBT is the one T that I actively did NOT want to breed. But none of my G. rosea dropped sacs, and my H. mac molted out after breeding and all my MM's died. So my first home-grown slings will be OBT whether I like it or not!


LOL...nice!


----------



## kc7wdg (Aug 25, 2009)

I suppose now is as good a time as any to mention that OBT mommas can double clutch from a single breeding..... riiiiight Ryan?


----------



## pouchedrat (Aug 25, 2009)

send me some.. I don't have any OBT's and might as well have something nasty here, heh.

Also, they're very cute!  I doubt they'll grow up in your house though unless you lived in like Florida.

/edit-  Maryland?  They'll be gone by winter for sure if not sooner.  Hey, I'll trade you an N. chromatus sling for one, lol.  My Cyriocosmus bertae may be gravid as well, she's WC and her bum is getting HUUUUGE

also how long ago did you mate your G. rosea's?  I've heard of them going up to a year before laying a sack.


----------



## Shagrath666 (Aug 25, 2009)

to the OP, just be happy you dont live in a place with native Ts and then have the possiblility of OBTs escaping, surviving and building a wild population around your house


----------



## gambite (Aug 25, 2009)

kc7wdg said:


> I suppose now is as good a time as any to mention that OBT mommas can double clutch from a single breeding..... riiiiight Ryan?


Actually, I found that out today when excavating the tank! I sifted through ALL the substrate and picked out any slings I found. Ended up with 12 more live ones, four in mid-molt that may or may not survive now, and several undeveloped eggs and a dead egg-with-legs. As I was picking apart her web-mat, I didn't realize that I was staring right at the actual egg-sac! It consisted of just a flat spot in the mat with tons of strong webbing. When I investigated her old hide, I found ANOTHER sac, but it was completely dead; the entire sac was dark and clumped together, with a few dead embryos. After hearing people say that these guys "thrive on neglect", I gave her very little attention, and it seems that is the only thing that kept me from having even more babies! Well, either that or her being WC I guess. 

After accidentally killing one, and giving away another, the total is now 18. 

To the people saying they will not survive in my house, I did not really explain that since this is in my bedroom, and my bedroom is also my animal room, I keep the temperatures at the perfect levels for these guys to thrive. Temps are usually 70-85 degrees F 24/7. While I dont know what they will be this winter, I dont plan on dropping them too much, and my parents will probably have the heat blasting. Also, there are TONS of little spiders and other weird bugs running all over the place, thus plenty of food. So, short of water, conditions are just about perfect for these guys to at least reach 1-2+", I would say. 

More pics:
the sac




dead/dud eggs


the results


momma


----------



## dianedfisher (Aug 25, 2009)

I lost a one inch H.maculata sling and found a 3 incher roaming my house 14 months later, so the survival potential for P.murinis under the conditions you describe is good.  I'd keep a capture cup handy and just hope any lady friends you have over to visit think finding live tarantulas in your room makes you a stud. :razz:  Di


----------



## mickey66 (Aug 25, 2009)

gambite said:


> Yeah, looking at Google pics, they definitely look exactly like OBT slings....
> :wall:
> 
> This is really not cool! How am I gonna get a girl to sleep over when I have dangerous tarantulas roaming my bedroom?!
> ...


 did they chew through mesh wire?


----------



## Amelia (Aug 25, 2009)

This was a very fun read, I must say. If you did live in a place they could thrive you would have to get a sign for your yard. Instead of "Beware of Dog" it would be "Beware of OBT" LOL I think that needs to be made anyway...


----------



## PrimalTaunt (Aug 25, 2009)

Severus said:


> This was a very fun read, I must say. If you did live in a place they could thrive you would have to get a sign for your yard. Instead of "Beware of Dog" it would be "Beware of OBT" LOL I think that needs to be made anyway...


Went to a show a while back and saw a couple "Beware of Attack Tarantula" signs but none that specific.


----------



## micheldied (Aug 25, 2009)

xhexdx said:


> Yes they are.


sorry,they looked so blue LOL.


----------



## Moltar (Aug 25, 2009)

Wow, that's crazy. This is some real world experience you can't replace though. This happened to someone else I know and she was finding those little suckers for months! What a great story you'll have to tell now.

If you want me to take some of those slings off your hands i'd be glad to do so. Since i'm right up the road I could meet you halfway or something.

Micheldied, OBT slings are funny like that. Their orange is kind of like a dalmation's spots; they don't have it when they're born and it fills in later. I assume it's a camouflage thing. Tiny, bright orange spiders running around would be pretty easy to spot and gobble.


----------



## micheldied (Aug 26, 2009)

Moltar said:


> Wow, that's crazy. This is some real world experience you can't replace though. This happened to someone else I know and she was finding those little suckers for months! What a great story you'll have to tell now.
> 
> If you want me to take some of those slings off your hands i'd be glad to do so. Since i'm right up the road I could meet you halfway or something.
> 
> Micheldied, OBT slings are funny like that. Their orange is kind of like a dalmation's spots; they don't have it when they're born and it fills in later. I assume it's a camouflage thing. Tiny, bright orange spiders running around would be pretty easy to spot and gobble.


yea,i know they dont have it til older.
i meant the first two pics looked different from the rest.


----------



## the nature boy (Aug 26, 2009)

Shagrath666 said:


> to the OP, just be happy you dont live in a place with native Ts and then have the possiblility of OBTs escaping, surviving and building a wild population around your house


And we'd have a problem with that because...?  Lol.


----------



## Tugbay Yagci (Aug 26, 2009)

the nature boy said:


> And we'd have a problem with that because...?  Lol.


:clap:


----------



## nakazanie (Aug 28, 2009)

This is a great thread.  Good luck!  

Do you have a cat?  A cat would find 'em for ya, no prob.

I have three cats, so it gives me a little piece of mind if I ever face an escape (or 100 escapes!).

Nak


----------



## nicholo85 (Aug 28, 2009)

If you had to choose, OBT infestation or roach infestation. Id choose T infestation any day.


----------



## xhexdx (Aug 28, 2009)

nakazanie said:


> This is a great thread.  Good luck!
> 
> Do you have a cat?  A cat would find 'em for ya, no prob.
> 
> ...


Yeah, and if the right spider gets out, you'll wind up with a dead cat.


----------



## Snuggles (Aug 28, 2009)

xhexdx said:


> Yeah, and if the right spider gets out, you'll wind up with a dead cat.


Your source?  I've researched this and have had many conversations on other boards and there appear to be no documented cases.


----------



## nakazanie (Aug 28, 2009)

Snuggles said:


> Your source?  I've researched this and have had many conversations on other boards and there appear to be no documented cases.


I also have looked into this a little.  It seems like a cat would pretty much <edit> up any tarantula.  And I, too, have found no credible evidence that a tarantula's bite is lethal to a cat.  They also seem to be very good at not getting bit!  I have seen them hunt just about anything that is smaller than they - bees, wasps, centipedes, rodents, birds, fish, spiders, turtles, lizards, snakes.  Never so much as a scratch!  I love cats.  They are such vicious predators.  

Anyway, the point was not to gush about how much I love cats.     Certainly, the OP's loose s'lings would be no match for a cat at their size.  With larger tarantulas, the main thing that I would worry about with my cats is the urticating hairs.   

Nak


----------



## Moltar (Aug 28, 2009)

If several Australian species of T's can be lethal to dogs and A. robustus can be unduly lethal to primates it wouldn't surprise me one bit to find that, say, P. murinus or whatever was inordinately lethal to cats. Documentation? No but it bears consideration IMO.


----------



## Drachenjager (Aug 28, 2009)

nakazanie said:


> I also have looked into this a little.  It seems like a cat would pretty much <edit> up any tarantula.  And I, too, have found no credible evidence that a tarantula's bite is lethal to a cat.  They also seem to be very good at not getting bit!  I have seen them hunt just about anything that is smaller than they - bees, wasps, centipedes, rodents, birds, fish, spiders, turtles, lizards, snakes.  Never so much as a scratch!  I love cats.  They are such vicious predators.
> 
> Anyway, the point was not to gush about how much I love cats.     Certainly, the OP's loose s'lings would be no match for a cat at their size.  With larger tarantulas, the main thing that I would worry about with my cats is the urticating hairs.
> 
> Nak


that i s why I hate cats and wish that domestic cats(and the feral ones too) were extinct. Cats are too human like. they kill for no reason .


----------



## ZergFront (Aug 28, 2009)

Sooooooo.... what do you think your OBTs will go for?


----------



## verry_sweet (Aug 28, 2009)

Cat vs A seemani 

http://www.atshq.org/forum/showthread.php?t=2850


----------



## Steve Calceatum (Aug 28, 2009)

Drachenjager said:


> that i s why I hate cats and wish that domestic cats(and the feral ones too) were extinct. Cats are too human like. they kill for no reason .


That's a bit of a stretch. I'm really sorry for the rant, but this kind of irked me. Last I checked, it's always a human being responsible for brutally torturing, and dismembering the bodies of multiple victims before burying them in the foundation of their house....or at the bottom of a lake.....or saving them in the freezer for tomorrow's lunch.....(Dahmer, Gacey, Gein, Bundy, Manson, etc.) And to my knowledge, it's only us human beings that actually get a thrill out of, and sometimes thrive on terrorizing the weak and helpless. Remember the school-yard bully? Or the Unibomber? How about Germany, 1942???? Even worse is the atrocities commited in Manchuria by the Japanese at a compound called Unit 731. That place made Mengele's experement ward at Auschwitz seem like Club Med. And the American government actually pardoned the most brutal war criminals in world history, like Shiro Ishii, because we benefitted from it.

Seldom in my life have I seen a cat do anything malevolant outside of it's natural instincts to hunt pests. Instinct is what drives them, and not some wish to intentionally kill or harm living things for their amusement. We humans are the ones that domesticated them, and all but bred out their natural instincts. So if you're wishing extinction on a species, then look to the species that is so happily responsible for the rapidly increasing destruction of natures design.

Having said all that: It is those few human qualities that endear me to cats. My two are the best friends, and companions I could ever as for. Unlike dogs, they are extremely independant, and clever...but are just as loyal and loving as any canine. And they are smart enough to stay away from my Tarantulas....in fact, they have no interest in big, hairy spiders....just the stupid crickets. You'd be amazed at how many escaped crickets my kitties have hunted down for me. All I have to do is feed them and love them, and they give me so much more in return.


----------



## Drachenjager (Aug 28, 2009)

xsyorra said:


> That's a bit of a stretch. I'm really sorry for the rant, but this kind of irked me. Last I checked, it's always a human being responsible for brutally torturing, and dismembering the bodies of multiple victims before burying them in the foundation of their house....or at the bottom of a lake.....or saving them in the freezer for tomorrow's lunch.....(Dahmer, Gacey, Gein, Bundy, Manson, etc.) And to my knowledge, it's only us human beings that actually get a thrill out of, and sometimes thrive on terrorizing the weak and helpless. Remember the school-yard bully? Or the Unibomber? How about Germany, 1942???? Even worse is the atrocities commited in Manchuria by the Japanese at a compound called Unit 731. That place made Mengele's experement ward at Auschwitz seem like Club Med. And the American government actually pardoned the most brutal war criminals in world history, like Shiro Ishii, because we benefitted from it.
> 
> Seldom in my life have I seen a cat do anything malevolant outside of it's natural instincts to hunt pests. Instinct is what drives them, and not some wish to intentionally kill or harm living things for their amusement. We humans are the ones that domesticated them, and all but bred out their natural instincts. So if you're wishing extinction on a species, then look to the species that is so happily responsible for the rapidly increasing destruction of natures design.
> 
> Having said all that: It is those few human qualities that endear me to cats. My two are the best friends, and companions I could ever as for. Unlike dogs, they are extremely independant, and clever...but are just as loyal and loving as any canine. And they are smart enough to stay away from my Tarantulas....in fact, they have no interest in big, hairy spiders....just the stupid crickets. You'd be amazed at how many escaped crickets my kitties have hunted down for me. All I have to do is feed them and love them, and they give me so much more in return.



cats fed too much by humans kill anything they can and do not eat it. that is killing for no reason. I keep hoping a big hawk or eagle will take up residence in one the the trees near my house and decide that cats taste good. Those things keep trying to kill the birds i spent a lot of money feeding and trying to get coming to my yard. Cats ARE the pests. All cats should be spayed or neutered. Man really screws up . domesticating cats was a poor idea. oh well To each his own. i prefer tarantulas to cats. 1000 cat deaths are not as important as one rosie sling to me .


----------



## xhexdx (Aug 28, 2009)

Snuggles said:


> Your source?  I've researched this and have had many conversations on other boards and there appear to be no documented cases.


I'll try and find it but I read a thread where P. metallica got out (juvie...3" or so) and both it and the cat ended up dying, if I remember correctly.

From what I've also heard (nothing concrete) tarantula venom is designed more for killing mammals than it is for killing insects.  The basic idea being that insects are for the most part not much of a thread to tarantulas.

Not counting tarantula hawks or any other predatory insects that focus on tarantulas.

Anyway...I agree that P. murinus at this size is going to be negligible for a cat, but I'm sure an adult could do some damage to a cat.  I barely want to think about what would happen if my 16-month-old son got tagged by one, and he weighs more than most cats.


----------



## Drachenjager (Aug 28, 2009)

xhexdx said:


> I'll try and find it but I read a thread where P. metallica got out (juvie...3" or so) and both it and the cat ended up dying, if I remember correctly.
> 
> From what I've also heard (nothing concrete) tarantula venom is designed more for killing mammals than it is for killing insects.  The basic idea being that insects are for the most part not much of a thread to tarantulas.
> 
> ...


I am sure it would pretty much suck for both parties involved.


----------



## Steve Calceatum (Aug 28, 2009)

Drachenjager said:


> cats fed too much by humans kill anything they can and do not eat it. that is killing for no reason. I keep hoping a big hawk or eagle will take up residence in one the the trees near my house and decide that cats taste good. Those things keep trying to kill the birds i spent a lot of money feeding and trying to get coming to my yard. Cats ARE the pests. All cats should be spayed or neutered. Man really screws up . domesticating cats was a poor idea. oh well To each his own. i prefer tarantulas to cats. 1000 cat deaths are not as important as one rosie sling to me .


Hehe....I still think that's a little too far, but you're right. Spaying and neutering your pet ABSOLUTELY is the most responsible thing to do. Originally, cats were domesticated to keep pests away from the villiage / farm. But now, in our heyday of light-up sneakers, condominiums, and microwave dinners, we have no further use for domesticated animals, except for our own amusement.

In all honesty, I prefer my bugs to the cats anyway....I love having lots of animals, but I'd hate to clean out 12 litterboxes, and buy 4 bags of food a month. Also, my T's don't bug me for attention when I'm on Arachnoboards, LOL!!! People think I'm crazy for keeping so many T's until I give them those comparisons. I love my cats, though. My oldest was a runt, and barely alive at six-weeks when I got him. My other was a rejected adoption due for termination, and she was clearly from an abusive home. Both cats were thrown on me, and because I'm very compassionate for all living things, I took care of them. Had them for four years now. Both are fixed and microchipped, and are the sweetest little fuzzballs next to my A. versicolor.


----------



## Bill S (Aug 28, 2009)

Moltar said:


> ... and A. robustus can be unduly lethal to primates...


Unduly lethal as opposed to acceptably lethal?   

Kind of makes me think of the perpetual question that herpers always hear - "Which snake has the deadliest bite?"  (If a snake injects you with 20 times the dose of venom required to kill you, will you be any deader than if bitten by another species that only injects 10 times the dose required to kill you?)


----------



## Endagr8 (Aug 28, 2009)

xhexdx said:


> I'll try and find it but I read a thread where P. metallica got out (juvie...3" or so) and both it and the cat ended up dying, if I remember correctly.


Ugh. That would be one crappy day.


----------



## blooms (Aug 29, 2009)

This is a little off topic, but had a friend whose cat decided to try fishing in the aquarium.  Fortunately, she pulled the cat out the second it went in.....it was a piranha tank.  The possibilities remind me of the famous far side cartoon.


----------



## barabootom (Aug 29, 2009)

Drachenjager said:


> cats fed too much by humans kill anything they can and do not eat it. that is killing for no reason. I keep hoping a big hawk or eagle will take up residence in one the the trees near my house and decide that cats taste good. Those things keep trying to kill the birds i spent a lot of money feeding and trying to get coming to my yard. Cats ARE the pests. All cats should be spayed or neutered. Man really screws up . domesticating cats was a poor idea. oh well To each his own. i prefer tarantulas to cats. 1000 cat deaths are not as important as one rosie sling to me .


We have 3 cats and per year they bring into our garage at least a dozen birds and a couple dozen mice that they don't eat.


----------



## the nature boy (Aug 29, 2009)

Drachenjager said:


> cats fed too much by humans kill anything they can and do not eat it. that is killing for no reason. I keep hoping a big hawk or eagle will take up residence in one the the trees near my house and decide that cats taste good. Those things keep trying to kill the birds i spent a lot of money feeding and trying to get coming to my yard. Cats ARE the pests. All cats should be spayed or neutered. Man really screws up . domesticating cats was a poor idea. oh well To each his own. i prefer tarantulas to cats. 1000 cat deaths are not as important as one rosie sling to me .


I'm sure with some creativity you could thin the herd a bit.  I have an uncle who lives in the country and his property is constantly infested with feral cats.  Once every so often he and his sons break out the guns and keep the population in check.


----------



## Nerri1029 (Aug 29, 2009)

the nature boy said:


> I'm sure with some creativity you could thin the herd a bit.  I have an uncle who lives in the country and his property is constantly infested with feral cats.  Once every so often he and his sons break out the guns and keep the population in check.


I so want to help 



I don;t mind other people's cats.. but I live near someone who just lets their cats breed, and breed.

one disadvantage to living ala rural.


----------



## the nature boy (Aug 29, 2009)

Nerri1029 said:


> I so want to help
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Just start putting food out for them a bit out from your deck or wherever at a certain time every day for a week.  Ever heard of "the last supper"?  lol.


----------



## nakazanie (Aug 30, 2009)

Where is there evidence that tarantulas kill dogs and primates?

Nak


----------



## mickey66 (Aug 30, 2009)

the nature boy said:


> Just start putting food out for them a bit out from your deck or wherever at a certain time every day for a week.  Ever heard of "the last supper"?  lol.


 Guns is more fun!


----------



## mickey66 (Aug 30, 2009)

*Brazil*



nakazanie said:


> Where is there evidence that tarantulas kill dogs and primates?
> 
> Nak


Nak,I think that would be Brazil or the Amazon Rain Forest....I remember watching a program on this subject(Native Tribes) on Cable and they had a segment on what these Tribes eat and what competes for the food and T's were one of them.


----------



## Nerri1029 (Aug 30, 2009)

nakazanie said:


> Where is there evidence that tarantulas kill dogs and primates?
> 
> Nak


For the dog aspect try here.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12657322


----------



## nakazanie (Aug 30, 2009)

Nerri1029 said:


> For the dog aspect try here.
> 
> http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12657322


:clap:   Yay!  Actual peer-reviewed scientific research!  You obviously don't know how this forum works.  You are supposed to make wild, unsubstantiated claims!  (Oh, wait, you're a mod....  so I guess you know how it works.)

Thanks for posting this.  I am still looking for cat evidence.  I'll start a thread with what I find.  

BTW, someone suggested that the fact that a spider bite can kill a dog implies that it can kill a cat.  This is false.  I'm sure there are toxins that kill dogs but not cats.  

I want to hear about the OP's loose spiderlings again!  Find any more?

Nak


----------



## nakazanie (Aug 30, 2009)

Drachenjager said:


> that i s why I hate cats and wish that domestic cats(and the feral ones too) were extinct.


Funny. I feel the same way about cat-haters.  Hmmm....

Nak


----------



## ZergFront (Aug 30, 2009)

nakazanie said:


> :clap:   Yay!  Actual peer-reviewed scientific research!  You obviously don't know how this forum works.  You are supposed to make wild, unsubstantiated claims!
> 
> Nak


   

 Yeah, I'm wondering about the O.P's situation, too. How are the slings that you caught and did you find anymore? Do any surprise night searches with a flashlight? I caught an escaped sac spider momma that way.


----------



## gambite (Aug 30, 2009)

I look with a flashlight for any crawling around the walls or ceiling just about every night, have yet to find anymore that way. I did find two inside a DVD case that was partially open, though. And theres still the one that I am letting stay in the corner of the room.


----------



## nakazanie (Aug 30, 2009)

gambite said:


> I look with a flashlight for any crawling around the walls or ceiling just about every night, have yet to find anymore that way. I did find two inside a DVD case that was partially open, though. And theres still the one that I am letting stay in the corner of the room.


Also, someone suggested sticky traps.  

Nak


----------



## Bill S (Aug 30, 2009)

nakazanie said:


> Also, someone suggested sticky traps.
> 
> Nak


Not a good idea, unless you're trying to kill them.  I got the impression that the OP initially was a bit fearul of having live OBTs around, but got more comfortable with the situation as he thought about it more.  (OK maybe he's not thrilled about having live OBTs around his room, but he seems more comfortable with dealing with the situation through non-lethal ways.)


----------



## nakazanie (Aug 30, 2009)

Bill S said:


> Not a good idea, unless you're trying to kill them.  I got the impression that the OP initially was a bit fearul of having live OBTs around, but got more comfortable with the situation as he thought about it more.  (OK maybe he's not thrilled about having live OBTs around his room, but he seems more comfortable with dealing with the situation through non-lethal ways.)


Is there not a safe way to remove the spider from the trap?

Nak


----------



## Bill S (Aug 30, 2009)

nakazanie said:


> Is there not a safe way to remove the spider from the trap?


I've heard of people getting mice off a glue trap by using those spray non-stick chemicals made for cooking.  But a mouse is not in danger of rupturing its exoskeleton and killing itself.  Baby tarantulas are a bit more delicate - and the spray-stuff you'd use to loosen the glue might easily drown or suffocate a baby spider even if the spider didn't damage its exoskeleton.


----------



## Snuggles (Aug 31, 2009)

xhexdx said:


> I'll try and find it but I read a thread where P. metallica got out (juvie...3" or so) and both it and the cat ended up dying, if I remember correctly.


(Sorry to hijack thread, but I am really interested in this)

From what I understand, a cat has characteristics similar to a human, where tarantula venom will harm but not kill.  I have read that dogs are actually more susceptible to severe reactions.


----------



## Bill S (Aug 31, 2009)

Snuggles said:


> From what I understand, a cat has characteristics similar to a human, where tarantula venom will harm but not kill.  I have read that dogs are actually more susceptible to severe reactions.


There are some serious differences between how a cat reacts to some chemicals and how humans react to the same ones.  For instance, aspirin is deadly to cats.  And their reaction to some venoms (snake venoms, anyway) are much different.  I remember years ago at a local "zoo" a rattlesnake got into the cage of an ocelot and bit the ocelot in the head.  The only treatment the ocelot received was cortisone to reduce the swelling - and the cat recovered quickly.  Short of seeing actual observations of cats reacting to tarantula bites, I'd be real hesitant to predict the results based on a supposed similarity to humans.


----------



## nakazanie (Aug 31, 2009)

Bill S said:


> There are some serious differences between how a cat reacts to some chemicals and how humans react to the same ones.  For instance, aspirin is deadly to cats.  And their reaction to some venoms (snake venoms, anyway) are much different.  I remember years ago at a local "zoo" a rattlesnake got into the cage of an ocelot and bit the ocelot in the head.  The only treatment the ocelot received was cortisone to reduce the swelling - and the cat recovered quickly.  Short of seeing actual observations of cats reacting to tarantula bites, I'd be real hesitant to predict the results based on a supposed similarity to humans.


Yes, and also, for example, a funnel web's venom can be lethal to humans but not so harmful to cats.  Still awaiting (and looking for) any evidence that a T bite can be lethal to cats.  (BTW, "My grandma knew a guy who had a cousin who knew a cat..."  is not evidence.  )

Nak


----------

