MacTech
07-31-2006, 03:47 PM
I mean the arachnids, the 8 legged critters our favorite knife company is named after....
I like spiders, they're beneficial arachnids, they eat the undesirable bugs, and up here in Maine, we don't have to worry about the more venomous varieties like Widows and Recluses, the worst spiders we have to deal with are the large Argiope Orb-weaver garden spiders (big yellow and black spiders)
their venom is not terribly dangerous, unless you're allergic, i have been bitten by one when i was younger, i accidentally stumbled through her web and she bit me in defense, i just shook her off and let her escape, it was my fault i was bitten anyway
the venom was rather interesting, it was my first (and so far, thankfully, only) experience with a neurotoxin, my right arm (i was bitten on my right hand, in the webbing between thumb and forefinger) basically vibrated and tingled the rest of the afternoon, other than that, no pain, aside from the initial bite
sadly, i haven't gained the ability to climb walls or shoot webbing though ;)
I also had a pet Chilean Rosehair tarantula for a while, great low-maintenance pet, toss in a few crickets once a week, keep her water dish full, and she's happy....
problem is, a happy tarantula is a boring tarantula, happy tarantulas (New World species) basically sit in their hidey hole and wait for prey to happen by, then *pounce*
so, any spider fans out there?
I like spiders, they're beneficial arachnids, they eat the undesirable bugs, and up here in Maine, we don't have to worry about the more venomous varieties like Widows and Recluses, the worst spiders we have to deal with are the large Argiope Orb-weaver garden spiders (big yellow and black spiders)
their venom is not terribly dangerous, unless you're allergic, i have been bitten by one when i was younger, i accidentally stumbled through her web and she bit me in defense, i just shook her off and let her escape, it was my fault i was bitten anyway
the venom was rather interesting, it was my first (and so far, thankfully, only) experience with a neurotoxin, my right arm (i was bitten on my right hand, in the webbing between thumb and forefinger) basically vibrated and tingled the rest of the afternoon, other than that, no pain, aside from the initial bite
sadly, i haven't gained the ability to climb walls or shoot webbing though ;)
I also had a pet Chilean Rosehair tarantula for a while, great low-maintenance pet, toss in a few crickets once a week, keep her water dish full, and she's happy....
problem is, a happy tarantula is a boring tarantula, happy tarantulas (New World species) basically sit in their hidey hole and wait for prey to happen by, then *pounce*
so, any spider fans out there?