# Camel spider from Iraq?



## jaijjs (Jun 18, 2004)

I don't know anything about these as I only saw a 2 second blip on the news this AM. It was so fast I really can't describe any other way except to say it looked BIG!!! It sorta looked like you could take it for a walk with a leash. If Anyone has any pictures and/or info please post asap! If I recall there is some members that live in the middle east that might help fill in the blanks. If this post should be someplace else, by all means transfer it where it should go.


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## JPost (Jun 18, 2004)

Here is a thread from the Scorpion section about them.
http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?t=26390
There is a video of it killing a scorpion.


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## Wade (Jun 19, 2004)

Here's a thread (there are others) about them from the "other arachnids" forum.

http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?t=23896

Wade


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## jaijjs (Jun 19, 2004)

Thanks for the info and links. I was impressed by one of the troops holding them in the picture with one of the "leatherman" tools. The one on TV last night was alive walking around a discarded MRE pouch and a butt of a M-16.


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## cichlidsman (Jun 19, 2004)

they are freaked out rigs. i don't think i want to wake up next to that.


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## heyjeyniceid (Jun 19, 2004)

heres one I collected in New Mexico:

http://img78.photobucket.com/albums/v294/AdrianG4/Inverts_2_003.jpg

and the mouth parts:

http://img78.photobucket.com/albums/v294/AdrianG4/Inverts_2_002.jpg

I found a few that exceeded the one above in girth, probably egg laiden as the rains came there about a week later.


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## ilovebugs (Jun 22, 2004)

sweet pics. I've done a bit of research on these things. they have many diff names. 

thats one of the best pics of the "teeth" I've seen.

I think they can get up to 6 inches (female)

also, I've read that they sometimes seem to "chase" people, but really they just like the shade. haha.


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## heyjeyniceid (Jul 14, 2004)

meh, thought Id share.

apparently one of the big solfugids I brought back from New Mexico was laden with eggs and within a week or two deposited them all over the substrate in no logical way, just dumped them anywhere. 

checking back on it a few days later, all the eggs were gone or had decomposed/dessicated/been eaton.  

shes still alive and eating a big orange head roach nymph as I type.  Great entertainment.


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## Highlander (Jul 15, 2004)

> heres one I collected in New Mexico


 Where in New Mexico?And where do you look for them?


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## Stardust (Jul 15, 2004)

these are fierce creatures...but i do tink that they make interesting display...juz make sure that they dun come out....


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## Alex S. (Jul 15, 2004)

The solifugids you saw on TV were probably of the family Galeodidae, which are very common in Africa and the middle east. This family includes the worlds largest species of solifugid (Galeodes caspius and Galeodes arabs), which large adult specimens can reach 3 to 3.5 inches in body length and can take down reptiles and even small birds as prey.

Alex S.


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## MilkmanWes (Jul 15, 2004)

Highlander said:
			
		

> Where in New Mexico?And where do you look for them?


I read something a couple weeks ago that they can be found in the desert areas stretched between southern California, Arizona, and New Mexico. A common name in that area for them is Wind Spiders if this helps you find them in any literature.


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## Alex S. (Jul 15, 2004)

There are two families and approximately 130 species of solifugid in the U.S. The Eremobatids can be common in many areas of the western U.S. Common species include Eremobates pallipes, E. durangonus, E. pallidus, E. californicus and many others.

Alex S.


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## heyjeyniceid (Jul 15, 2004)

Highlander said:
			
		

> Where in New Mexico?And where do you look for them?



Carlsbad area.  Over the stretch of the ATS conference, we found around a dozen.  I kept three of the biggest and two of the smallest.


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## Scary (Jul 16, 2004)

Just out of interest, is it possible to breed these babies in captivity? I first saw one here in the UK about six or seven years ago, but it was a WC because apparently they were "absoloutely impossible to breed" and that "you are lucky to keep them alive for more than a month". I know bug husbandry has come on in leaps and bounds since then. 
I think they are lovely - a bit gruesome about the gills, but lovely all the same!!!


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## Alex S. (Jul 17, 2004)

It is possible to breed solifugids in captivity, but it is very difficult. Fred Punzo has bred them in captivity and I believe Warren Savary has as well. I plan to try myself some time in the near future. This allows for a much longer captive life span.

Alex S.


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## yuanti (Jan 17, 2006)

One of the challenges on Fear Factor Psycho House tonight was people could get 30 seconds added to their time for breaking out of straight jackets for each camel spider from Iraq that they ate alive.  Some great footage of the camel spiders....though they seemed pretty slow (probably gased some to tame them out for the contestants.

Each person ate two camel spiders.


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## Normski2020uk (Jan 18, 2006)

Jaljjs

I have worked in Iraq, and come across these beasts in the wild. They are fast, agressive, and look the bizz. I did look into geting a couple for my collection, but you need a BIG tank, lots of room to runn around. They do not live very long in the wild, even less in captivity. Due to there agresion they tend to react to any disturbance, and stress them selves to death. The ones i saw were huge!! however when you get close, the body is very small, with outragusly large legs, that gives the impresion of a massive spider. The way they runn with their front legs out and up, the pure speed, and reaction to the sligtest movment, did scare me a little. There are some members on hear that do hold these, and i belive susesfullly bread some, not sure on what species of cammal.


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## yuanti (Jan 18, 2006)

I was only able to see one when I was in Kuwait but it was not very big. Maybe about an inch long.  Pretty much everything that was in the desert there ran quick so they could get off the hot sand.


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## Sgt Boomhower (Jan 19, 2006)

The ones I saw in Iraq had guite the attitude. Stomp at the ground to scare them away and they raised their legs and charged right at you. Very freaky at night. Never was bit but heard the bite is numbing and dissolves lots of flesh. Not sure about that, that was prob just scare tactics. Big and nasty thats for sure. I saw a huge one fight a scorpion in a box. Battle Royal! The spider only lost because he didnt have as good of armour. P.S. check your boots


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## JPD (Jan 20, 2006)

> heard the bite is numbing and dissolves lots of flesh. Not sure about that, that was prob just scare tactics


Not true.  Scare tactics as you mentioned


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