this post was submitted on 14 Apr 2025
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Mildly Interesting

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Tarantulas Have Paws Like Cats (happy-dogs-blog.blogspot.com)
submitted 1 month ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
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[–] [email protected] 11 points 1 month ago (2 children)

Tarantulas also have spikes in their abdomen which they can use as a defensive mechanism.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urticating_hair

This term also refers to certain types of barbed bristles that cover the dorsal and posterior surface of a tarantula's or caterpillar's abdomen. Many tarantula species eject bristles from their abdomens, directing them toward potential attackers. These bristles can embed themselves in the other animal's skin or eyes, causing physical irritation, usually to great discomfort.

So if you want to experience the paws, but then your hand suddenly starts itching do not rub your eyes or touch your genitals.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 month ago (1 children)

p.s. that's only for new world tarantulas and just for some of them, thought having that defensive mechanism makes them a bit more chill than their old world cousins.

Not that old world tarantulas are always more aggressive, but their only safety mechanism is speed and burrowing or as a last resort biting with a stronger venom.

More than once improper housing like shallow terrain and bright lighting stresses out spiders that otherwise would borrow or hide under bark, make them more aggressive that they would be in nature.

At the end of the day, tarantulas are often the prey of vertebrates, not the other way around.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Nice information, thank you.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 month ago

I love talking about animals and your comment helped me discover this: https://tomsbigspiders.com/2024/03/02/old-word-vs-new-world-tarantulas/

:)

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago (1 children)

If you can't handle me at my urticating hairs, then you don't deserve me at my furry paws.

also:

touch your genitals.

Please go to the principal's office.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 month ago (1 children)

I don't think they like people who look like me hanging around schools.