Tarantulas are very enigmatic animals, discover what is myth and what is true about this amazing animal.
In some countries of the world, it is not unusual to find some exotic species in the backyard of houses. One of the richest countries in diversity is Costa Rica, where they are abundant in houses, so it is not unusual to find one under the bed. One of the peculiarities of this animal is that it arouses more fear than sympathy, although it is true that the person who owns it adores it. Tarantulas arouse countless emotions, among which stand out fear, terror, phobia, curiosity, or the taste for using them as pets. For those fans of this peculiar animal, we tell you some myths and some truths that you need to know.
Tarantulas can be defined as large, hairy spiders with sinuous and fast movements that have long intimidated humans because of their appearance and because they can cause damage. In Costa Rica, they are common in almost the entire country, both in rainy and dry forests at low elevations and in high areas, below 2,000 m.
Spider urine
According to this belief, urine causes stains or burns on the skin of people and other animals. This is absolutely false and far from reality because to defend themselves, tarantulas only bite very hard or they can release hairs located on their belly and cause stinging or allergic reactions.
They are not the most poisonous
It is important to note that the size of the tarantula has no relation to the potency of its venom, as there are smaller and more dangerous spider species for humans such as the black widow or the Wolf spiders of the Phoneutria genus.
They seek refuge
Tarantulas, like many other spiders and many other species of animals, can sneak in – accidentally – causing a lot of fear. For them, it is only a temporary shelter or they are simply looking for food such as cockroaches and other insects.
What do you do if you find one at home?
For most people, encountering one of these species in their home is a difficult and traumatic event. In these circumstances, calm must prevail over anything else. The ideal thing in these cases is not to try to catch them with your hands, nor to hit them or hurt them. You can scare them away with a broom, directing them towards an exit, or use a jar or wide-mouthed container that can be placed over the spider and carefully push the lid in from one side until it is possible to close it.
Curiosities
– Tarantulas are a large group of invertebrates that are classified within the group of arachnids, which also include scorpions and mites, and ticks. What a discovery!
– They are distinguished from insects by having eight legs – insects have six -, they lack antennae and have appendages in the mouth in the form of pincers or fangs, called chelicerae, to hold their prey.
– Some species in this group possess a highly toxic venom that they inject with their fangs, however, the vast majority are not dangerous to humans. Tarantulas live in humid tropical, subtropical, and arid regions around the world.
– They live in burrows and self-dug tunnels. They can also be found in tree cavities and rock crevices. They range across the American continent, Asia, southern Europe, Africa, and the Middle East.
– They range in size from small to some species that can be as large as an adult man’s hand. They lack an internal skeleton but have a rigid external structure called an exoskeleton that they shed two to three times a year until they reach maturity.