What are tarantulas prey for?

Tindalos

Arachnoknight
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Sep 1, 2009
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I don't recall urticating hairs ever being deadly. The hairs are for defense purpose, and only agitate certain organic textures, different urticating hairs affect different organisms differently.

I was under the impression that the hair would cause swelling in some predators and may cause asphyxiation or something to that effect. But than again I haven't heard anything to back up that claim.

but what your saying makes sense. Know I now.
 

JC

Arachnolort
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I was under the impression that the hair would cause swelling in some predators and may cause asphyxiation or something to that effect. But than again I haven't heard anything to back up that claim.

but what your saying makes sense. Know I now.

Yes, they are 'potentially' lethal to cetain animals if the worse of situations arise, but generally the worse they get do is cause blindness and extreme pain.
 

esotericman

Arachnoknight
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I guess you would need to be more specific as to what species you were talking about. I could easily see a box turtle or American kestrel eating wondering males in the US. It wouldn't surprise me to find predators which would enjoy all the wondering males as a food source.
 

Moltar

ArachnoGod
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It isn't out of the question for a smaller mammal attempting to eat a NW T to experience life threatening swelling in the respiratory tract as a result of a large dose of urticating hairs. That could probably happen to humans as well but I'm not sure how someone could get a large enough dose. Even a giant T. blondi probably isn't delivering enough flickage to do one of us in. It would make life hell for a while though.
 

Mojo Jojo

Arachnoking
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As long as they have their natural habitat left intact, their wild populations should be fine.

I don't know if I'd say that these are just snacks. In many parts of the world athropods are the main source of protein for the people that live there. I think we are used to seeing this behavior in tribal populations and nowhere else. This video may seem shocking because the setting is not tribal and we aren't used to seeing this. I don't think we can expect people to change their eating habits because they move from a hut to a house.
 

Merfolk

Arachnoprince
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Most predators are hardy against prey defense. Like hammerhead sharks are found with plenty of stingray darts stuck around their mouths and still feed (ain't Steve Irwin).

Monkeys and geckos are the top T predators, along many small animals that are somehow like badgers and racoons but I just don't remember their names right now...
 

Lolita

Arachnoknight
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Jan 9, 2011
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really geckos are big on T munching? hmm that's kinda interesting especially for people like me who have pet T's and pet geckos it's like if i ever run out of my roach colony i have a backup snack for my geckos JK!
 

jbm150

Arachnoprince
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This isn't as true as it seems, only very young hawk wasps eat spiders, juveniles, sub adults and adults drink nectar.
Hehe thats technically true but the larva is still the species ;)
 
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