# Fear Factor - Eating the spiders on last nights show **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 30, 2003, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fear-factor-eating-the-spiders-on-last-nights-show/204723 "2003-09-30T17:02:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![spogga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ab097/32.png) [@spogga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spogga)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2003, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fear-factor-eating-the-spiders-on-last-nights-show/204723/21 "2003-10-01T13:13:18Z")
There was a programme on British TV the other night about piranhas, fact and fiction. Fact. All breeds of Piranha are flesh eaters Fiction: They cannot strip a man to the bone in seconds Fact: All breeds are cannibalistic Fiction: They will attack without provocation Fact: They will attack sick fish and animals that panic in water Fiction: They are not all pack animals Fact: They can smell blood from miles away There were alot of other F & F but one that propogated the myth of the Piranha was to do with Theodore Roosevelt. It seems that he had heard of these fish and wanted to see what they could do. In order to impress him locals placed nets across two parts of the Amazon and trapped a load of Piranha between the nets. They then deliberately starved the fish for weeks and when Teddy came to see them they tossed a cow into the river (having made cuts on the animal) the starving fish promptly swarmed on the beast and in a very short time it was reduced to bone. Teddy went back to the USA greatly impressed and had cod and chips for tea 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2003, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fear-factor-eating-the-spiders-on-last-nights-show/204723/22 "2003-10-01T13:34:10Z")
I know the spiders in Fear Factor weren’t tarantulas, but I can’t resist posting a link to this article: [Pharyngeal Irritation After Eating Cooked Tarantula](http://www.ijmt.net/ijmt/4_5/4_5_40.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Uncommon\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Uncommon\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncommon_Sense)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2003, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fear-factor-eating-the-spiders-on-last-nights-show/204723/23 "2003-10-01T14:11:26Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by sailorbychance \* > \*\*I give up. I started looking up the Genus Xysticus (crab spiders) but got nowhere. Are these the critters? [http://research.amnh.org/entomology/blackrock2/pictures/spider\_images/galleries/thomisidae/xysticus\_elegans.htm](http://research.amnh.org/entomology/blackrock2/pictures/spider_images/galleries/thomisidae/xysticus_elegans.htm) \*\* Not quite. The two front legs were always crossed in front of each other and raised- and they appeared to have pinchers on the end of each leg. Also, the bodies seemed to be flatter and without markings unlike the ones you linked. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2003, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fear-factor-eating-the-spiders-on-last-nights-show/204723/24 "2003-10-01T15:36:09Z")
Looks like a red Piranha, only the adults eat flesh & the ones they used appear to me to be quite young, here is a picture & info on these & they are used in aquariums & books on their care are at [amazon.com](http://amazon.com): [http://www.gsmfc.org/nis/nis/Pygocentrus\_nattereri.html](http://www.gsmfc.org/nis/nis/Pygocentrus_nattereri.html) ---
**Author:** ![mske](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ccd318/32.png) [@mske](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mske)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2003, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fear-factor-eating-the-spiders-on-last-nights-show/204723/25 "2003-10-01T16:32:41Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by scr4 \* > \*\*I know the spiders in Fear Factor weren’t tarantulas, but I can’t resist posting a link to this article: > > [Pharyngeal Irritation After Eating Cooked Tarantula](http://www.ijmt.net/ijmt/4_5/4_5_40.htm) \*\* Fron a link in **scr4** ’s article, we find the [Tanzanian Giant Tailless Whipscorpion](http://www.petbugs.com/caresheets/D-variegatus.html). Looks like the right insect to me. ---
**Author:** ![sailorbychance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@sailorbychance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailorbychance)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2003, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fear-factor-eating-the-spiders-on-last-nights-show/204723/26 "2003-10-01T17:53:03Z")
That’s it! ---
**Author:** ![In\_Conceivable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/4bbf92/32.png) [@In\_Conceivable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/In_Conceivable)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2003, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fear-factor-eating-the-spiders-on-last-nights-show/204723/27 "2003-10-01T18:02:14Z")
Thanks **mske**. That looks exactly like it. This has really been bugging me for some reason. ---
**Author:** ![In\_Conceivable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/4bbf92/32.png) [@In\_Conceivable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/In_Conceivable)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2003, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fear-factor-eating-the-spiders-on-last-nights-show/204723/28 "2003-10-01T18:17:34Z")
[http://www.rochedalss.eq.edu.au/spiderphotos02.htm](http://www.rochedalss.eq.edu.au/spiderphotos02.htm) Using the name provided by **mske** I found these photos of a similar spider. It is about 5 spiders down on the page. For anyone who missed the show you can see that the front “legs” look very odd, almost like little hands. ---
**Author:** ![Uncommon\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Uncommon\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncommon_Sense)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2003, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fear-factor-eating-the-spiders-on-last-nights-show/204723/29 "2003-10-01T18:31:59Z")
Finally, thanks **mske** , and **In Conceivable** - (nice pun BTW) I certainly would never have eaten one of those. I most certainly would step on one though. Tanzanian Giant Tailless Whipscorpion. Just the name alone… and people were eating these LIVE. ---
**Author:** ![In\_Conceivable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/4bbf92/32.png) [@In\_Conceivable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/In_Conceivable)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2003, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fear-factor-eating-the-spiders-on-last-nights-show/204723/30 "2003-10-01T18:38:54Z")
Good point about the name **whuckfistle**. I can’t help but think that the name Tanzanian Giant Tailless Whipscorpion is a lot scarier sounding then African cave-dwelling spider. I wonder where Fear Factor came up with that name? ---
**Author:** ![Saltire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saltire/32/553_2.png) [@Saltire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saltire)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2003, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fear-factor-eating-the-spiders-on-last-nights-show/204723/31 "2003-10-01T19:31:15Z")
The pirahna were particularly fear-free for me when Joe described the stunt: The tank contained the fish, along with a quantity of pig kidneys. The contestants needed to extract 7 of the kidneys using their mouths, while surrounded by potentially man-eating fish. However, if these fish were at all likely to bite the contestants, they would have eaten all the kidneys, wouldn’t they? BTW, the [Fear Factor site says](http://www.nbc.com/Fear_Factor/files/index.shtml) the fish were red-bellied pirahna, and are the largest collection of pirahna in North America (over 500 individuals). The spiders are only referred to as African cave-dwelling spiders. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2003, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fear-factor-eating-the-spiders-on-last-nights-show/204723/32 "2003-10-01T20:23:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by scr4 \* > \*\*I know the spiders in Fear Factor weren’t tarantulas, but I can’t resist posting a link to this article: > > [Pharyngeal Irritation After Eating Cooked Tarantula](http://www.ijmt.net/ijmt/4_5/4_5_40.htm) \*\* I love the SDMB. 😃 And that’s a great page, **In Conceivable.** The Thailand jumping spider, three examples down, is _gorgeous._ ---
**Author:** ![mske](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ccd318/32.png) [@mske](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mske)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2003, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fear-factor-eating-the-spiders-on-last-nights-show/204723/33 "2003-10-01T20:34:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by In Conceivable \* > \*\*Good point about the name **whuckfistle**. I can’t help but think that the name Tanzanian Giant Tailless Whipscorpion is a lot scarier sounding then African cave-dwelling spider. I wonder where Fear Factor came up with that name? \*\* C’mon - you give Joe Rogan too much credit if you think he can memorize “Tanzanian Giant Tailless Whipscorpion”… ---
**Author:** ![criminalcatalog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e68b1a/32.png) [@criminalcatalog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/criminalcatalog)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2003, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fear-factor-eating-the-spiders-on-last-nights-show/204723/34 "2003-10-01T20:56:53Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mikie \* > \*_How long is a piece of string?_ \*\* Easy. It’s twice the distance from the middle to either end. Now, how much is enough? ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2003, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fear-factor-eating-the-spiders-on-last-nights-show/204723/35 "2003-10-01T21:05:34Z")
Is it just me who looked at [http://www.nbc.com/Fear\_Factor/index.shtml](http://www.nbc.com/Fear_Factor/index.shtml) ? Whole story there with photos too, esp of that blond eating em. "EAT AFRICAN CAVE-DWELLING SPIDERS In Las Vegas you have to play big to win big. No one knows that better than Fear Factor contestant Krisandra Johnson who took a huge gamble when she agreed to eat the live African cave-dwelling spider. " ---
**Author:** ![The\_Ryan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7feea3/32.png) [@The\_Ryan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Ryan)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2003, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fear-factor-eating-the-spiders-on-last-nights-show/204723/36 "2003-10-01T21:26:54Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by mske \* > \*\*Fron a link in **scr4** ’s article, we find the [Tanzanian Giant Tailless Whipscorpion](http://www.petbugs.com/caresheets/D-variegatus.html). Looks like the right insect to me. \*\* [nitpick]They’re arachnids not insects[/nitpick] ---
**Author:** ![mske](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ccd318/32.png) [@mske](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mske)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2003, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fear-factor-eating-the-spiders-on-last-nights-show/204723/37 "2003-10-02T00:44:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by The Ryan \* > \*\*[nitpick]They’re arachnids not insects[/nitpick] \*\* Meh - they called them “spiders” not “whipscorpions”. Ignorance Abounds! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Qwisp](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qwisp/32/397_2.png) [@Qwisp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qwisp)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2003, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fear-factor-eating-the-spiders-on-last-nights-show/204723/38 "2003-10-02T01:37:27Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mikie \* > \*\*When I saw the preview for the Fear Factor show, I vomited. > > Seriously. > > There oughta be a _law._ \*\* I agree, I just caught a quick glimse of the preview, and I started shuddering and gagging and yelling EWW EWW , making my husband yell at _me_ to shut up.There’s definitely something wrong with this world!! ---
**Author:** ![Uncommon\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Uncommon\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncommon_Sense)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2003, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fear-factor-eating-the-spiders-on-last-nights-show/204723/39 "2003-10-02T02:10:10Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by handy \* > \*\*Is it just me who looked at [http://www.nbc.com/Fear\_Factor/index.shtml](http://www.nbc.com/Fear_Factor/index.shtml) ? > > Whole story there with photos too, esp of that blond eating em. > > "EAT AFRICAN CAVE-DWELLING SPIDERS > In Las Vegas you have to play big to win big. No one knows that better than Fear Factor contestant Krisandra Johnson who took a huge gamble when she agreed to eat the live African cave-dwelling spider. " \*\* That was sort of the point of the thread. The first link, all the way at the top, is the same one you posted.:smack: ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2003, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fear-factor-eating-the-spiders-on-last-nights-show/204723/40 "2003-10-02T15:31:35Z")
“The first link, all the way at the top, is the same one you posted.” Hmmm. I see what happened, visited links are light gray for me so they match the background. thanks [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fear-factor-eating-the-spiders-on-last-nights-show/204723.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fear-factor-eating-the-spiders-on-last-nights-show/204723.md?page=3)