What if....

KaineSoulblade

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
May 24, 2007
Messages
177
What if there tarantulas that grew to be as large as cats to dogs or perhaps even larger. Now this is hypothetical of course, in a situation where say... They discovered new species in some dense, un-ventured jungle. These species grew between 4 to 10 feet leg span or so and were generally docile. Had a greatly increased intelligence, but was still a feral animal. Comparable to keeping wild cats, like a Canadian Lynx or serval. Some people have these as pets but their behavior can revert to instinct at times.

I have pondered this a few times. People who don't see the point in having T's as pets have brought up how small Tarantula brains are, even the largest T being around a foot long, plus or minus a little. And even at that size they have small brains. Now on terms of arachnids and some other inverts, T's actually have considerable intelligence in comparison. Their point was getting at; why keep a pet devoid of intelligence acting merely on instinct. While T's do act on instinct I have tried to explain they still do have personalities that are unique to each. Proof being different defensiveness, mannerisms and attitudes among same species. And do have habits similar to our regular house-hold pets, like grooming and making comfortable 'beds' for themselves.

I have often thought of how cool it would be to have an arboreal T just larger than a domestic cat, body size to body size. Big and fuzzy like an Avic. One that could wander the house as it pleases. Maybe have a little cubby hole it could web up and sleep in, like an area designated for cat boxes etc. It would definitely be a house that an intruder got a big surprise in. One that would come to your lap for a pet and some attention like a cat does.

The idea has always intrigued me, anyone else?

Would you Tarantula lovers, collectors and enthusiasts want one that large? What sizes would be your limits? Arboreal, Terrestrial?

I would be interested to hear if you would embrace such a thing or think it's too horrific, like something in a B film.
 

Masurai

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Apr 21, 2007
Messages
311
I would love to have a T that was as big as a cat. but i wouldn't let it be free in my house, I'd give it it's own room. Mainly cause i wouldn't want to take the chance of it biting me. i mean just think how big the fangs would be.
 

Jonathan Rice

Arachnosquire
Old Timer
Joined
Apr 4, 2006
Messages
149
I've always wanted a large tarantula, but, now that I really think about it, it just wouldn't be for me. I don't have a lot of room-that's one of the reasons I love being in the hobby. It doesn't take a lot of room and a lot of time, yet it is satisfying on so many levels. It completes the scientist in me, the little kid who loved looking under every rock he could, and even the caregiver in me as well..

I'd love to see a 16"+ tarantula! I've often wondered if such a beast exists out there somewhere in uncharted regions of the world. And a more intelligent tarantula? Interesting idea. Would they be communial? Would they hunt in packs? Would they have weapons other an urticatin hairs and venom?
 

Rydog

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Oct 9, 2006
Messages
529
I wouldn't want a pet that would potentially eat me. But the thought of having a cat sized T would be cool, what would you feed it, since they like moving prey, a cat maybe?
 

TheDarkFinder

Arachnoangel
Old Timer
Joined
Dec 18, 2004
Messages
923
Will not happen do to physical abablity of the book lung, now increase o2 and you get a different story.

Has happen in the past but not 4 feet.
 

musihuto

Arachnodemon
Old Timer
Joined
Sep 21, 2006
Messages
666
If we ignore the mechanical constraints on scale of the tarantula's physical architecture (e.g. circulation, locomotion, not collapsing under its own weight), even then, the most docile avicularia has backed into my hand once or twice when startled... so.. i think i'm pretty happy that T's top out at around 1'... :)

cheers! :D
- munis

What if there tarantulas that grew to be as large as cats to dogs or perhaps even larger. Now this is hypothetical of course, in a situation where say... They discovered new species in some dense, un-ventured jungle. These species grew between 4 to 10 feet leg span or so and were generally docile. Had a greatly increased intelligence, but was still a feral animal. Comparable to keeping wild cats, like a Canadian Lynx or serval. Some people have these as pets but their behavior can revert to instinct at times.

I have pondered this a few times. People who don't see the point in having T's as pets have brought up how small Tarantula brains are, even the largest T being around a foot long, plus or minus a little. And even at that size they have small brains. Now on terms of arachnids and some other inverts, T's actually have considerable intelligence in comparison. Their point was getting at; why keep a pet devoid of intelligence acting merely on instinct. While T's do act on instinct I have tried to explain they still do have personalities that are unique to each. Proof being different defensiveness, mannerisms and attitudes among same species. And do have habits similar to our regular house-hold pets, like grooming and making comfortable 'beds' for themselves.

I have often thought of how cool it would be to have an arboreal T just larger than a domestic cat, body size to body size. Big and fuzzy like an Avic. One that could wander the house as it pleases. Maybe have a little cubby hole it could web up and sleep in, like an area designated for cat boxes etc. It would definitely be a house that an intruder got a big surprise in. One that would come to your lap for a pet and some attention like a cat does.

The idea has always intrigued me, anyone else?

Would you Tarantula lovers, collectors and enthusiasts want one that large? What sizes would be your limits? Arboreal, Terrestrial?

I would be interested to hear if you would embrace such a thing or think it's too horrific, like something in a B film.
 

KaineSoulblade

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
May 24, 2007
Messages
177
For all those asking about temperament and ability to hurt you;

My hypothetical situation was along the lines of an intelligent, docile tarantula that grew to immense proportions despite small tarantula physics and book lung properties.
These things grew large and had a temperament like a exotic cat. I mean, really your massive guard dog has the capability to injure you severely, or your large exotic cats. So think of this T as an animal much like that rather than a purely instinctive, unpredictable T like the ones we all own.

This is to merely inspire discussion on a subject that my friends and I have pondered many times.
 
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musihuto

Arachnodemon
Old Timer
Joined
Sep 21, 2006
Messages
666
i think the issue is that the T's reflexive reactions may be more harmful than that of say a cat or dog... i've had two dogs, when exposed to sudden loud noises, one would bark like crazy, whereas the other will go hide under something. neither of these are conscious thought processes of "whether or not they harm the dog's master", similarly, a 6" t. blondi might kick up a roomful of urticating hairs in response to your accidentally knocking something over and startling it... i'm just trying to say, there's a difference between "docile, and generally friendly towards people" and "totally stripped of all instinctive reactions"...

cheers! :D
- munis


For all those asking about temperament and ability to hurt you;

My hypothetical situation was along the lines of an intelligent, docile tarantula that grew to immense proportions despite small tarantula physics and book lung properties.
These things grew large and had a temperament like a exotic cat. I mean, really your massive guard dog has the capability to injure you severely, or your large exotic cats. So think of this T as an animal much like that rather than a purely instinctive, unpredictable T like the ones we all own.

This is to merely inspire discussion on a subject that my friends and I have pondered many times.
 

musihuto

Arachnodemon
Old Timer
Joined
Sep 21, 2006
Messages
666
i mean yeah... lets take the example of the wild counterpart of the dog, the wolf, which has a strong hunting instinct. if you encounter a wolf in the wild, even if hungry, it will generally approach with some sort caution or reason, i.e. not leap at you with reckless abandon. if you were a 1 foot tall dude venturing through a forest in india however, you'd probably be dead well before you even saw the pokie! so what i'm basically saying is... you'd have to not only reduce their instincts, but somehow fundamentally change the programs by which they operate...

cheers! :D
- munis

Imagine a giant Poecilotheria, LMAO...
 

jr47

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Aug 4, 2005
Messages
595
i think if they ever grew to those sizes there would be a large amount of pets vanishing, not to mention kids. if they were to keep the same speed and agility they would be hard to stop.
but i think there are people that would keep them no matter. after all people keep retics, anachonda's, large cats. i know they would be very hard to keep confined. i dont think the bathtub would work for cage transfers.
the up side would be if one escaped it would be much easier to find. hair kicking would take on a whole new meaning wouldnt it.
 

musihuto

Arachnodemon
Old Timer
Joined
Sep 21, 2006
Messages
666
okok... i got a solution..
a giant avicularia avicularia, which, immediately after moulting,
has someone wearing a full biohazard suit wipe its rump clean with some velcro/static or whatever-the-hell will get 100% of the urticating hairs off material. i think in that case, i'd be relatively ok having it wander my house.

the next challenge would be trying to convince it to eat dead feeder animals, since surely we wouldn't want to rekindle its hunting instinct (think what we do with large snakes...)

cheers! :D
- munis
 

pitbulllady

Arachnoking
Old Timer
Joined
May 1, 2004
Messages
2,290
okok... i got a solution..
a giant avicularia avicularia, which, immediately after moulting,
has someone wearing a full biohazard suit wipe its rump clean with some velcro/static or whatever-the-hell will get 100% of the urticating hairs off material. i think in that case, i'd be relatively ok having it wander my house.

the next challenge would be trying to convince it to eat dead feeder animals, since surely we wouldn't want to rekindle its hunting instinct (think what we do with large snakes...)

cheers! :D
- munis
Given the chosen means of self-defense of MY Avicularias, a cat-sized Avic would have to be one of the MESSIEST, stinkiest animals on the planet! I'm still amazed at the volumn and accuracy of their "poop missiles", and the thought of one launched by a spider the size of a house cat is just plain SCARY...forget the fangs, it's the OTHER end you'd have to watch out for!

On the other hand, a Phidippus audax the size of Beagle would be very interesting indeed, since these things exhibit WAY more in the way of intelligence and personality than a tarantula, and would probably even be trainable.

pitbulllady
 

KaineSoulblade

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
May 24, 2007
Messages
177
Given the chosen means of self-defense of MY Avicularias, a cat-sized Avic would have to be one of the MESSIEST, stinkiest animals on the planet! I'm still amazed at the volumn and accuracy of their "poop missiles", and the thought of one launched by a spider the size of a house cat is just plain SCARY...forget the fangs, it's the OTHER end you'd have to watch out for!
Oh man, I got a good laugh out of this. Hilarious. Makes me thankful my Avic doesn't sling crap at me.

On the other hand, a Phidippus audax the size of Beagle would be very interesting indeed, since these things exhibit WAY more in the way of intelligence and personality than a tarantula, and would probably even be trainable.
Good answer.
 

peterspiderling

Arachnosquire
Old Timer
Joined
May 6, 2007
Messages
147
WOW! that sounds awsome :D i think that would be nuts, i think it would be awsome to have a 5 foot indian ornamental or somthing like that, but with a much nicer temproment and was not venomus. like a dog, if a dog bites you, ye it hurts but you get over it, somthing like that.
thank you for shering this mate :worship: :D
 

ballpython2

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
Feb 28, 2007
Messages
1,670
I'd certainly be locked and loaded.......
This quote right here makes me wish i made video games... imagine yall a very well made Tarantula video game I dont know what you would do it in but it would have most or all of the tarantulas in the hobby make an appearance from th avics all the way down to the grammastola family. And all the haplos would make an an apperance in the game but they'd jump out on and scare the mess out of you cause they are so fast and if you didnt catch them in a web or a net of some sort they'd kill and you'd have to start all over again lol. Of course the P murinus would have to be on the bad side..... and An adult female parahybana would be like a big boss at the end of every level.. kind of like that spider machine thing in Gears of war....Patent pending lol..:embarrassed:
 

KaineSoulblade

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
May 24, 2007
Messages
177
like a dog, if a dog bites you, ye it hurts but you get over it, somthing like that.
thank you for shering this mate :worship: :D
Yes, a nicer disposition but still venomous. Venom is an aspect of the spider anatomy I don't think can be taken away, even for this prospect. But you gotta remember if you startled or angered your more intelligent, giant pet T you would more than likely get a dry bite. Since the vemon is used for food. Even moreso because of the great intelligence, it wouldn't attemp to "eat" its owner. Maybe just be snappy in a bad mood, or perhaps even playful bites. -Yikes.

I could see an extremely intelliget T being more cat like that dog like. It gets attention when it wants, not when you call it per sey. More independent.
I get some humorous images when thinking of a dog-like personality. Spider fetch anyone?
"Play dead!" *death curl*
 
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