# Is doing this with a spider really safe? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 12, 2009, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-doing-this-with-a-spider-really-safe/489239 "2009-03-12T18:52:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2009, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-doing-this-with-a-spider-really-safe/489239/1 "2009-03-12T18:52:28Z")
I wondered when [I saw this picture](http://media.bonnint.net/apimage/ae7a7cee-9b59-4545-a04f-029b41a1174e.jpg)how safe this was. > [@](#): > > Spidey Sense > A student poses with a Xenesthis immanis tarantula on her face during an exhibition at a school in Bogota, Tuesday, March 10, 2009. Biologist Dario Gutierrez tours schools throughout Colombia teaching students the use of almost 300 species of arachnids in traditional medicine. (AP Photo/William Fernando Martinez) ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2009, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-doing-this-with-a-spider-really-safe/489239/2 "2009-03-12T18:57:44Z")
I have played with tarantulas before and let them run over my hands and on my back. I know people knee-jerk like crazy about them but it’s really unfair; it’s a lovely creature, very beautiful in its way, and very interesting. Most tarantulas are pretty harmless to humans. I don’t know if there’s ever been a death by a tarantula bite; some can sting and hurt badly, but I’ve never heard of an actual death. The smallest spiders are way more dangerous, I think. I mean there’s a type of WASP that eats tarantulas (not white anglo saxon protestant :)). Wasps are way nastier IMO. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2009, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-doing-this-with-a-spider-really-safe/489239/3 "2009-03-12T18:59:26Z")
From Wiki: Despite their often threatening appearance and reputation, none of the true tarantulas are known to have a bite which is deadly to humans. In general, the effects of the bites of all kinds of tarantulas are not well known. While the bites of many species are known to be no worse than a wasp sting, accounts of bites by some species are reported to be very painful…For both those reasons, and because any deep puncture wound can become infected, care should be taken not to provoke any tarantula into biting. I approve of children being taught not to be so damn fearful of tarantulas. ---
**Author:** ![Bluffcityguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ebca7d/32.png) [@Bluffcityguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bluffcityguy)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2009, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-doing-this-with-a-spider-really-safe/489239/4 "2009-03-12T19:07:57Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > I approve of children being taught not to be so damn fearful of tarantulas. What? And ruin their enjoyment of all those classic horror and adventure flicks which use the “deadly tarantula” cliche? 🙂 Cheers, bcg ---
**Author:** ![hotflungwok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/edb3f5/32.png) [@hotflungwok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hotflungwok)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2009, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-doing-this-with-a-spider-really-safe/489239/5 "2009-03-12T19:08:22Z")
My brother used to have a tarantula, and he would walk around with it on his head, in his front pocket, on his shoulder, etc. It would just hang on chill out. Never bit him. Creepy. As. Hell. ---
**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:** [March 12, 2009, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-doing-this-with-a-spider-really-safe/489239/6 "2009-03-12T19:17:48Z")
Yeah, but her **eyes** are right under the fangs! What if she panicked and flinched or whacked it with her hands and it bit her in her **eye**? ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2009, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-doing-this-with-a-spider-really-safe/489239/7 "2009-03-12T19:21:18Z")
She’d get a corneal abrasion or something, which would hurt like a bitch, but probably wouldn’t suffer any other problems. The fangs certainly wouldn’t puncture the eye - it takes a strong object and a surprising amount of force to do that. (I’ve seen an ophthalmologist struggling to get a thick needle to properly give an intraocular injection.) ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2009, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-doing-this-with-a-spider-really-safe/489239/8 "2009-03-12T19:25:37Z")
> [@Uncommon\_Sense](#): > > What if she panicked and flinched or whacked it with her hands and it bit her in her **eye**? I know people are scared of spiders, but this kind of stuff is not helpful! I am trying to find some information on this particular spider. I don’t even think its jaws would be big enough to bite an eyeball. But here are some helpful tips to keeping it as a pet: > [@](#): > > QOTE: Try and avoid allowing the spider to fall more than 1.5 times it 's body length should it climb to the top of the enclosure. > > NOTE: Avoid woven mesh cage tops as the tarantula’s claws can get caught in the mesh. > > Temperament: > Skittish and nervous. Now does that sound like a holy terror? ---
**Author:** ![Telperien](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@Telperien](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telperien)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2009, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-doing-this-with-a-spider-really-safe/489239/9 "2009-03-12T19:34:45Z")
If it were one of those kinds with the shooting hairs, I think it might be bad, but other than that, no. That said, ain’t no way I’m looking at that picture. I want to sleep tonight. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2009, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-doing-this-with-a-spider-really-safe/489239/10 "2009-03-12T19:35:11Z")
Oh, and if she whacked it, she’d probably seriously damage it. One of my husband’s sisters flipped out when she was a teen at having a pet tarantula crawl on her arm, and tried to flick it off. The poor thing lost a leg or two because its little claws were stuck on her shirt, and the force just popped the leg(s) right off. Tarantulas are really fragile. Edit: What **Telperien** said about the itchy hairs. But one would hope this wouldn’t be that species because you want to take care with handling those regardless due to irritation worries. ---
**Author:** ![Bluffcityguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ebca7d/32.png) [@Bluffcityguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bluffcityguy)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2009, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-doing-this-with-a-spider-really-safe/489239/11 "2009-03-12T19:35:57Z")
> [@Ferret\_Herder](#): > > (I’ve seen an ophthalmologist struggling to get a thick needle to properly give an intraocular injection.) Well, there goes my sleep tonight… Cheers, bcg (who’s never gone for contact lenses because he can’t stand the thought of sticking _anything_ in his eye…) ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2009, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-doing-this-with-a-spider-really-safe/489239/12 "2009-03-12T19:38:44Z")
> [@Bluffcityguy](#): > > Well, there goes my sleep tonight… > > Cheers, > > bcg (who’s never gone for contact lenses because he can’t stand the thought of sticking _anything_ in his eye…) Does it help if I say that normally the needles were thin and this was an experimental thing that never went anywhere? 😃 That’s the truth, but seriously, your eyeballs are more like the thickness of leather. Most people seem to assume they’re like a thin membrane or something. I work in an ophthalmology office, IANAD/N, blahblah. ---
**Author:** ![Telperien](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@Telperien](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telperien)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2009, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-doing-this-with-a-spider-really-safe/489239/13 "2009-03-12T19:38:59Z")
> [@Ferret\_Herder](#): > > Oh, and if she whacked it, she’d probably seriously damage it. One of my husband’s sisters flipped out when she was a teen at having a pet tarantula crawl on her arm, and tried to flick it off. The poor thing lost a leg or two because its little claws were stuck on her shirt, and the force just popped the leg(s) right off. Tarantulas are really fragile. > > Edit: What **Telperien** said about the itchy hairs. But one would hope this wouldn’t be that species because you want to take care with handling those regardless due to irritation worries. Now that I think about it, one of those kinds probably wouldn’t be a pet. I wish I could get over my aversion to spiders, because I think some of the tarantulas are so beautiful, and they are interesting. But I remain scared of all spiders–except those tiny jumping spiders. I like those. ---
**Author:** ![Bluffcityguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ebca7d/32.png) [@Bluffcityguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bluffcityguy)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2009, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-doing-this-with-a-spider-really-safe/489239/14 "2009-03-12T19:52:18Z")
> [@Ferret\_Herder](#): > > Does it help if I say that normally the needles were thin and this was an experimental thing that never went anywhere? 😃 I suspect, too, that there aren’t very many nerve receptors for pain in that part of the eye, either. But it only helps a little… Cheers, bcg ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2009, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-doing-this-with-a-spider-really-safe/489239/15 "2009-03-12T21:10:25Z")
> [@Bluffcityguy](#): > > I suspect, too, that there aren’t very many nerve receptors for pain in that part of the eye, either. But it only helps a little… Oh, any injections in or around the eye are done only after topically numbing up the area, in a big way. There are **definitely** pain receptors for the eyeball, as anyone who’s had an eye infection/pink eye/eye abrasion/whatever will tell you. As someone who works in the field, finding out how tough the eye itself is was a rather comforting thought. I’ll admit that my way of disclosing that fact isn’t exactly comforting to most. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2009, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-doing-this-with-a-spider-really-safe/489239/16 "2009-03-12T21:19:55Z")
> [@Telperien](#): > > That said, ain’t no way I’m looking at that picture. I want to sleep tonight. You know how creepy you’re imagining it? It’s creepier than that. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2009, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-doing-this-with-a-spider-really-safe/489239/17 "2009-03-12T21:49:00Z")
That’s just wrong. WRONG! ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2009, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-doing-this-with-a-spider-really-safe/489239/18 "2009-03-12T23:06:06Z")
> [@Telperien](#): > > Now that I think about it, one of those kinds probably wouldn’t be a pet. > > I wish I could get over my aversion to spiders, because I think some of the tarantulas are so beautiful, and they are interesting. But I remain scared of all spiders–except those tiny jumping spiders. I like those. It’s funny, I’m the opposite. Tarantulas don’t bother me, but those tiny little ones- ugh! ---
**Author:** ![ianzin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ed655f/32.png) [@ianzin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ianzin)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2009, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-doing-this-with-a-spider-really-safe/489239/19 "2009-03-12T23:52:18Z")
What you see in the photo is rather dangerous. For the _spider_. The girl is in virtually no danger whatsoever. There are many tarantula species and only a few are known to be aggressive. The rest are very calm. The spider isn’t going to bite the girl. It only bites what it believes to be prey, or, in extreme cases, if it feels threatened and feels that biting might helps its defence in some way. (This would be very rare. If it feels threatened, the spider just wants to get away quickly and hide somewhere dark and out of the way, where it won’t be disturbed.) However, tarantulas are very fragile. If the spider is accidentally dislodged from the girl’s face in any way, it would probably fall and hurt itself, and could even die. I have held a tarantula similar to the one in the photo, and have had her walk all over me. I wanted to lie down and have her walk on my face, but the owner didn’t want to take the risk that she (the spider) might come to some harm. I still managed to get lots of good photos of her walking across my hands, sometimes very near my face. Almost as good. These creatures are incredibly beautiful, gentle, fragile, delicate and charming. It’s hard to understand this unless and until you get to handle one. They are incredibly light. And while I realise I’m guilty of terrible anthropomorphism here, they also seem to have very distinct personalities. The one I handled was a very gentle, inquisitve creature who, I think, rather enjoyed the novel sensation of walking across my arms and hands. She seemed to be very relaxed, a little cautious at first but then perfectly happy to go for a stroll across me and get to know me a little better. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2009, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-doing-this-with-a-spider-really-safe/489239/20 "2009-03-12T23:58:03Z")
When I was a kid a quarter inch brown fuzzy spider walked on my hand. I watched it as it slowly walked up my arm. He got to my elbow and then started to drill. He gave me a real painful bite . I did nothing and I was not food. But it hurt and I brushed it off and ran to the bathroom. I washed it off and it was red. Then I went back and looked real hard for that prick. If I found him he was getting squished. That was the day the spider truce ended. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-doing-this-with-a-spider-really-safe/489239.md?page=2)