Arachnids

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I find spiders of all sorts to be absolutely fascinating animals. From the Brown Recluse with its necrotizing lesions, to the Goliath Bird-Eating Tarantula with its 15-inch legspan and aggressive behavior.

I currently am housing four tarantulas and am trying to find out how to make suitable smaller-spider dwellings.

My terrariums are using bark chips for the ground, and differ depending on the species and age. My oldest Chilean Rose Hair, Rose, is in a long, vertically-impaired terrarium with hollow logs and tree-branches. Chilean Rose Hairs are particularly fond of burrowing, so the substrate is rather deep. My smaller Rose Hair is in a terrarium similar to this, but it is rather fond of sleeping in leaves so I have aquarium plants in place of the log.

My Large Pinktoe is in narrower, particularly tall terrarium. I have an upturned log section to simulate a tree-trunk and aquarium plants to simulate leaves and branches. I find its nesting habits to be particularly enthralling. The Pinktoe is fond of pulling several leaves together against the bark and making a bell-shaped funnel to dwell in. I am trying to figure out how to get both of them together, for Pinktoes are some of the very few tarantulas that will willingly nest together.

Does anyone else here have any form of arachnids, or any interesting input on this subject?

[encephalon]

I am rather interested in toxicology, which most definitely includes spiders. For some reason, the way in which the body reacts to very simple chemicals that induces a partial or total failure fascinates me; and fascinates me even moreso when a one inch long animal such as spiders develop the ability to inflict such damage on people.

That said, though, spider poison has nothing on plain and simple Ricin ;) I am actually rather afraid of spiders, though, even though I am aware that most are harmless to the human body.

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Ahhh some of the more deadly onces are my favorites also!

The Brown Recluse really has to have the most interesting bite. Within hours of being bitten the wound will begin to open, the skin and muscles peel back, and soon you can see the bone. It looks like someone is developing an abnormally fast infection in a cut due to the colors the wound turns.

[fernando]

Do scorpions also count as arachnids?

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Scorpions, Spiders and Mites (though the latter is boring).

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My favorite place to obtain new Tarantulas due to their extensive knowledge and high quality of care for the pets would be www.scottstarantulas.com

Just thought I would throw this in for anyone interested in looking at some basic species statistics and average prices.