Lesser Black Bird-Eating Spider

Pink-toed Bird-eating spider

Salmon Pink Bird-Eating Spider admiring a frog...

Salmon Pink Bird-Eating Spider eating the frog...

I have seen some Bird-Eating Spiders before at a spider exhibit. They were pretty cool. I took a Wolf spider to show and tell when I was in kindergarten. For those that don't know a Wolf spider looks kinda like a tarantula (sometimes with less hair), but is often times a little smaller. My mom used to "milk" venomous spiders for her job. They would place the spider on its back, make it go to sleep and then extract its venom. They then used the venom for research on a specific decease which I cant remember right now. So as a child I was around spiders a lot.

Okay, I've GOT to ask...

Exactly how does one put a spider to sleep?

Lullabyes?
Bed Time stories? (Miss Muffett maybe?)
Camomille tea?
Warm Milk?
And do they wear 8 little slippers or just their socks to bed?

re: picture of big-ass spider that runs real fast
 

omg. omg. omg. omg. omg. omg. omg. omg. omg. omg. omg. omg. omg. omg. omg. omg. omg. omg. omg. omg. omg. omg. omg. omg. omg. omg. omg. omg. omg. omg. omg. omg. omg. omg. omg. omg. omg. omg. omg. omg. omg. omg. omg. omg. omg. omg. omg. omg. omg. omg. omg. omg. omg. omg. omg. omg. omg. omg. omg. omg. omg. omg. omg. omg. omg. omg. omg. omg. omg. omg. omg. omg. omg. omg. omg. omg. omg. omg. omg. omg. omg. omg. omg. omg. omg. omg. omg. omg. omg. omg. omg. omg. omg. omg. omg. omg. omg. omg. omg. omg.

I hate spiders. I fucking hate spiders. :worried:

bluesdave, are you on a first name basis with any of the Bird-Eaters?:eek:

If I remember correctly they put the spider in a sealed container with some carbon dioxide that would then put them to sleep. I would have to ask my mom to verify that as I was young when she worked there. They milked all types of spiders from large tarantulas to black widows, even the common brown house spider. I remember a room filled with terrariums full of spiders. I even had several spiders as pets growing up.

EDIT: just talked to my mom and they did indeed use carbon dioxide to make the spiders go to sleep.

I'm right up there with you mrnoodle. I hate spiders :eek: :rattat:

No, but I would love to meet one. Spiders are lovely animals, and very misunderstood. That doesn't mean that I would be stupid enough to stick my finger in one's mouth, BTW. ;)

Big Ass Spider in action.

***Spoiler Alert****

This thing captures and eats a full-sized scorpion in much the same way that a wolf would capture and eat a baby lamb. :eek:

Good find, Beestie. If the spider in that clip is as big as the one in UT's pictures, then the scorpion is big enough to saddle.:eek:

HOLY SHIT!!! that is all i have to say....

I like spiders, my daughter had one and I ended up taking care of it. However I do belive if I woke up and had one of those guys looking me in the eye my poor old heart would give out. Wouldn't have to be poisonous to kill me, the damned thing would scare me to death! That's a LOT of spider!:eek: