MarkW Posted April 10, 2019 Share Posted April 10, 2019 My two boys want a pet spider. "Fine" I said. "There are plenty of big ones in the garage - I'll fish one out for you."But this isn't what they mean: they want a proper spider.I'm quite keen on spiders and have held big ones many times - I even went on a hunt for king baboon spiders in Kenya a few years ago, which was only called off when we came across some black mambas instead. King baboon spiders are pretty hardcore - if one zoomed up your nightie for instance you'd definitely know all about it. But that's not the kind of spider they want either, thank God: they want a Mexican Red Knee tarantula. Now as beautiful as that is, I don't see the attraction of keeping one as a pet. I mean, what do they do? It's the same with scorpions: they do bugger all for 23 hours 59 minutes and 50 seconds each day, only showing any signs of life for the 10 seconds after you drop some poor doomed cricket into their tank. It'd be cheaper to have a plastic one, and I reckon about as much fun.But before I write this idea off completely, are there any spider fanciers on here who can persuade me otherwise? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Fro Posted April 10, 2019 Share Posted April 10, 2019 A guy I know likes spiders and that sort of stuff.He likes them so much that he turned it in to a business milking the venom and creating fractionated libraries for blah, blah, blah, science and shit.He even made a chilli sauce with spider venom in it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Fro Posted April 10, 2019 Share Posted April 10, 2019 (edited) Double post. Edited April 10, 2019 by Mr Fro Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Six30 Posted April 10, 2019 Share Posted April 10, 2019 Get em a dog . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Richzx6r Posted April 10, 2019 Share Posted April 10, 2019 I can't see the fascination either tbh now snakes on the other hand is different they are handleable.....well some of them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bender Posted April 10, 2019 Share Posted April 10, 2019 My only dalliance with spiders was putting one ontop of a large pritstick many years ago, I forgot all about it till about 2pm when a huge scream rang out across the building, ohhh there it is I thought. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bender Posted April 10, 2019 Share Posted April 10, 2019 (edited) I can't see the fascination either tbh now snakes on the other hand is different they are handleable.....well some of themI've been bitten by a snake, they all want put on bbq sticks and shoved into a fire. Edited April 10, 2019 by Bender Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkW Posted April 10, 2019 Author Share Posted April 10, 2019 (edited) A guy I know likes spiders and that sort of stuff.He likes them so much that he turned it in to a business milking the venom and creating fractionated libraries for blah, blah, blah, science and shit.He even made a chilli sauce with spider venom in it. I went to a conference in the US a couple of years ago where a company was presenting their new pesticide based on Atrax (Sydney funnel-web spider) venom. They proudly presented the results of their human safety studies, which showed that the product had virtually no toxicity to rats (the surrogate species for Tier I tox testing). In the Q&A at the end I raised my hand and said "You do know that Atrax venom is famous for being almost completely harmless to rats and mice but lethal to humans and other primates, don't you?" To say he went a funny colour would be a massive understatement. Edited April 10, 2019 by MarkW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Richzx6r Posted April 10, 2019 Share Posted April 10, 2019 I can't see the fascination either tbh now snakes on the other hand is different they are handleable.....well some of themI've been bitten ny a snake, they all want put on bbq sticks and shoved into a fire. Lol and what were you trying to do to the snake that made it all bitey?They aren't gentleman's sausage bags you know Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Richzx6r Posted April 10, 2019 Share Posted April 10, 2019 A guy I know likes spiders and that sort of stuff.He likes them so much that he turned it in to a business milking the venom and creating fractionated libraries for blah, blah, blah, science and shit.He even made a chilli sauce with spider venom in it. I went to a conference in the US a couple of years ago where a company was presenting their new pesticide based on Atrax (Sydney funnel-web spider) venom. They proudly presented the results of their human safety studies, which showed that the product had virtually no toxicity to rats (the surrogate species for Tier I tox testing). In the Q&A at the end I raised my hand and said "You do know that Atrax venom is well-known to be almost completely harmless to rats and mice but lethal to humans and other primates, don't you?" To say he went a funny colour would be a massive understatement. But give them some leeway they are American after all Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magpie84 Posted April 10, 2019 Share Posted April 10, 2019 Having looked after these guys they often ignore the cricket or pinky that you drop into the tank. I don't dislike spiders but I have to agree with you these can be boring and on occasion aggressive, flicking hairs if you get too close. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bender Posted April 10, 2019 Share Posted April 10, 2019 I can't see the fascination either tbh now snakes on the other hand is different they are handleable.....well some of themI've been bitten ny a snake, they all want put on bbq sticks and shoved into a fire. Lol and what were you trying to do to the snake that made it all bitey?They aren't gentleman's sausage bags you know I was walking home after a good night out and stood on the fecked thing climbing over a fence to cross a road.Made for an interesting trip to a&e and the subsequent blood tests. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Richzx6r Posted April 10, 2019 Share Posted April 10, 2019 I've been bitten ny a snake, they all want put on bbq sticks and shoved into a fire. Lol and what were you trying to do to the snake that made it all bitey?They aren't gentleman's sausage bags you know I was walking home after a good night out and stood on the fecked thing climbing over a fence to cross a road.Made for an interesting trip to a&e and the subsequent blood tests. One thing I'd like to know there is why was there a fence in the middle of the road Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bender Posted April 10, 2019 Share Posted April 10, 2019 Fence was a 3ft one at side of road, after a few pints you often opt for the a to b approach while walking, so why use a perfectly good well lit underpass when you can take a shortcut and get bit by a random snake some twat let escape. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Richzx6r Posted April 10, 2019 Share Posted April 10, 2019 Fence was a 3ft one at side of road, after a few pints you often opt for the a to b approach while walking, so why use a perfectly good well lit underpass when you can take a shortcut and get bit by a random snake some twat let escape. Yeah I know those shortcuts well but never been caught out by a snake before Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bender Posted April 10, 2019 Share Posted April 10, 2019 I don't recommend it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Richzx6r Posted April 10, 2019 Share Posted April 10, 2019 So do you know what snake it was? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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