Urticating hair?

Terry D

Arachnodemon
Old Timer
Joined
Nov 21, 2009
Messages
733
PoppaJT, From what I gather thus far it depends much upon the individual keeper. For instance, my Acanthoscurria geniculata is the worse for me. My Theraphosa sp. couldn't hold a candle in terms of itch in comparison with that one. Others report that genics hardly bother them at all and Theraphosa drive them insane. The search function will no doubt reveal more than you'd ever want to know on the subject.

Btw, Welcome aboard! :)

Terry
 

Sleazoid

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Jul 18, 2010
Messages
242
I have never had a reaction to urticating hairs. That could be cause I don't handle, but when I am doing cage maintenance for my T's I see them kick hairs. My hands are close to them when they kick, somewhat lower down on the tongs. Is it because I don't handle that I have never had a reaction to them? Or am I some kind of tarantula messiah? :rolleyes:
 

BlackCat

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Jul 29, 2009
Messages
195
CopyPasta from: http://tarantulas.tropica.ru/en/node/570



Only tarantulas from genera Avicularia, Pachistopelma and Iridopelma have urticating hair of type II. Type II urticating hair is not kicked off by the tarantula. Instead direct contact is necessary much like with thorns or cactus, Toni Hoover, 1997).

Type V urticating hair is typical of the species of genera Ephebopus. As mentioned earlier is located on the pedipalps. They are much shorter and lighter in contrast with other types of urticating hair. These are easily thrown by the spider into the air (Marshal and Uetz, 1990).

Type VI urticating hair is found in the genera Hemirrhagus (Hemirrhagus (F. Perez-Miles, 1998).

Types I, II, III and IV urticating hairs can be found in the subfamilies Avicularinae and Theraphosinae.

According to Vellard (1936) and Buecherl (1951), generas with the most urticating hairs are Lasiodora, Grammostola and Acanthoscurria. Excluded Grammostola (has types III and IV), representitives of Lasiodora and Acanthoscurria have type I and III urticating hairs.

Type III urticating hair is typically found on the species of Theraphosa spp., Nhandu spp., Megaphoboema spp., Sericopelma spp., Eupalaestrus spp., Proshapalopus spp., Brachypelma spp., Cyrtopholis spp., Iracema spp. and other genera of subfamily Theraphosinae (Rick West, 2002).

Type III urticating hair are most efficient for defense against vertebrates and invertebrates. These hairs present dangerous implications to humans as well.

The latest studies suggest urticating hairs from tarantulas present not just a mechanical but a chemical influence on the skin and mucous membranes. This would explain the different reactions of people to urticating hairs (Rick West, 2002).


Thought it was some good urticating hair info to share.
 

JC

Arachnolort
Old Timer
Joined
Apr 15, 2009
Messages
1,421
Which tarantula species has the worst of the urticating hair?
I would rather snort blondi hairs through a straw up both sides of my nose, then rub the abdomen of a molted blondi on my eyelids, before I EVER EVER let ANY PART of an A. bicegoi or something a bicegoi touched touch me again!
I have never been in such pain from a spider. Lots swelling and pain plus it went on for three full days!
And that was helpful to the OP how?
Am I missing something?
 
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