Wont they kill you?

[AshS]

So a while ago, a couple of days after I got my Second Tarantula, I was having a conversation with my boss on a Monday morning. It went like this...

Boss: Morning Ash, Good weekend
Me: Yeah Great thanks
Boss: Do anything interesting?
Me: Oh yeah I got another Tarantula.
Boss: You got a Tarantula? (the look on his face was amazing)
Me: Yeah, I have two now
Boss: Why?
Me: I used to keep them a few years back, now I'm getting back into the hobby
Boss: What about your kids? aren't they poisonous
Me: They are venomous. as are all spiders
Boss: But they can kill you! Can't they?
Me:

 

[nicodimus22]

The correct response to the last question is:

"Sure, if you're a cricket."

 

[Devin B]

Im pretty sure a dog is more likely to kill its owner than a tarantula. I'm glad I haven't talked to anyone this ignorant. Almost this ignorant but noe quite.

 

[nicodimus22]

Im pretty sure a dog is more likely to kill its owner than a tarantula.

I looked it up last month, actually. On average, 25 people are killed by dogs in the USA every year. Tarantulas? I guess when that happens for the first time, we'll hear about it.

 

[The Grym Reaper]

That's when I tell them that no-one has ever died from a Tarantula bite and that dogs kill 25,000 people every year (even if you discount the 20,000 of those that are due to untreated bites from dogs with Rabies that's still a lot) and watch their heads implode.

 

[Ellenantula]

Ah -- ignorance.
I grew up in the 70s, so I always knew that tarantulas were deadly but that the pet ones had been defanged so they were safe.
It wasn't until I was researching them (as an adult) I found out how incorrect that was.

I also grew up believing that the prank itching powder was made from finely ground up tarantula hair. (this one may be true, I never thought to google it).

[off to google: apparently itching powder comes from plants like rose hips, maple tree seed pods, prickly pears and mucuna pruriens, etc.]. So, wrong on both accounts, I guess.

 

[Anoplogaster]

Keep a small, harmless creature the size and weight of a marshmallow, and the general public thinks you're insane! Keep a 100-pound carnivore capable of ripping your face off in your sleep, and that makes you normal.

Btw, I happen to love dogs. I just like this example, is all

 

[Devin B]

I also grew up believing that the prank itching powder was made from finely ground up tarantula hair. (this one may be true, I never thought to google it).

[off to google: apparently itching powder comes from plants like rose hips, maple tree seed pods, prickly pears and mucuna pruriens, etc.]. So, wrong on both accounts, I guess.

Im pretty positive that the tarantula keepers guide says that itching power use to be made out of the urticating hairs of NW tarantulas but they don't anymore.

 

[Ellenantula]

Im pretty positive that the tarantula keepers guide says that itching power use to be made out of the urticating hairs of NW tarantulas but they don't anymore.

Vindication!
Seriously, in the '70s I was always told that's what itching powder was made from.
And as a NW keeper today, I think back to how cruel a prank that would be to use such a substance on someone deliberately!

 

[D Sherlod]

Keep a small, harmless creature the size and weight of a marshmallow, and the general public thinks you're insane! Keep a 100-pound carnivore capable of ripping your face off in your sleep, and that makes you normal.

Btw, I happen to love dogs. I just like this example, is all

Wow ,,, what does that make me I have both only my carnivores are 60lbs 110 lbs and the one in my picture is 240 lbs.
Thats over 400 lbs of killing machine and 16 marshmallows ... How will I ever sleep

 

[Moakmeister]

My uncle thought it was really cool that I got a tarantula, but when I told him I might get another one, he was like "But won't they kill each other? I heard they were cannibalistic". Not a very silly question, though. Just a guy who knows nothing about tarantulas, of course he's gonna be wrong on a few things.

 

[The Grym Reaper]

My uncle thought it was really cool that I got a tarantula, but when I told him I might get another one, he was like "But won't they kill each other? I heard they were cannibalistic". Not a very silly question, though. Just a guy who knows nothing about tarantulas, of course he's gonna be wrong on a few things.

To be fair, at least he knew they're cannibalistic, I always get asked if I keep all of mine in the same enclosure, I have a little chuckle to myself before explaining that keeping multiple spiders in one enclosure usually results in one very fat spider.

 

[Ondottr]

Haha, the questions are amazing!
Upon arriving at my house and seeing my T, my aunt asks "so is it, like, venomous?" Well, yeah, it is indeed a spider.
Family looked at me like I lost my mind when I said I'd like to get a couple more eventually because 3 or 4 seems like a good amount for me. I wanna tell them there are folks on here who have dozens. Not sure they'd believe it though haha

 

[Vermis]

The correct response to the last question is:

"Sure, if you're a cricket."

Or even easier: 'No.'

I'm glad I haven't talked to anyone this ignorant. Almost this ignorant but noe quite.

Ah -- ignorance.

Bad attitudes to have. Tarantulas aren't exactly required learning or topics of deep interest for anyone outside of exotic pet or arachnology circles. Can't blame anyone if their closest encounter with a tarantula is that one scene out of Home Alone or Dr. No, where the only good T is one under Sean Connery's heel. If you're faced with - or told about - a 'but they can kill you, can't they?' incident, it should be an opportunity to inform, not to sneer as if you're closer to earth, or a blonde cheerleader in some high school drama.

 

[Ellenantula]

My post was intended as self-deprecating, not sneering @Vermis since I was ignorant about Ts for many years myself.

As I've stated before on AB, esp when dealing with non-T people; I'd rather be the person who says 'poisonous' instead of 'venomous' than to be the one who corrects them.

 

[Devin B]

Bad attitudes to have. Tarantulas aren't exactly required learning or topics of deep interest for anyone outside of exotic pet or arachnology circles. Can't blame anyone if their closest encounter with a tarantula is that one scene out of Home Alone or Dr. No, where the only good T is one under Sean Connery's heel. If you're faced with - or told about - a 'but they can kill you, can't they?' incident, it should be an opportunity to inform, not to sneer as if you're closer to earth, or a blonde cheerleader in some high school drama.

I say things like that only in jest. I am more than happy to teach and inform anyone that will listen about tarantula. That's why I said "ignorant" and not "stupidity", as anyone can easily rid themselves of ignorance and I don't blame anyone for being ignorant.