Lifespan and toxicity of cupiennius salei

[bluespider]

Hello,

How old do spiders of cupiennius salei get on average in captivity?

How toxic is this spider really? I got the impression that c. salei is frequently confused with other spiders of the genus cupiennius and therefore mistakenly viewed as potently toxic by many.

Thanks in advance!

 

[jsloan]

How toxic is this spider really? I got the impression that c. salei is frequently confused with other spiders of the genus cupiennius and therefore mistakenly viewed as potently toxic by many.

They're not dangerously venomous. Researcher Friedrich G. Barth has been bitten by several different Cupiennius sp. "with no problems at all," and concludes that spiders within the genus pose no real threat.

See A Spider's World - Senses and Behavior, by Barth if you want to learn a lot about this spider. It's a college level book, but very informative. By 2001, when the book was published:

"Cupieinnius salei in my team alone, over the years, has provided the material for 21 Ph.D theses, 41 theses for lesser degrees and more than 150 scientific publications." pp 3-4

This species is very well studied! I haven't checked in a while, but the book used to be available at Amazon.