Spiders are among the many unique pets that pet lovers keep. Tarantulas, in particular, are popular among spider enthusiasts. You’ve probably seen videos of people, celebrities included, putting tarantulas in their mouth and you are wondering whether you should try such a stunt.
So, can you put a tarantula in your mouth? You can put a tarantula in your mouth and not get poisoned. Even though tarantulas have venom glands, the chances of human beings being poisoned by tarantulas are rare. However, it could go either way. A tarantula can bite you if you put it in your mouth, even though tarantulas don’t usually bite people. A tarantula can bite a person if they feel provoked, cornered, or helpless. When you put a tarantula in a person’s mouth, the chances are, it will feel provoked, vulnerable, or cornered. Additionally, whether or not you can put a tarantula in your mouth and not get bitten depends on the type of tarantula in question.
The question “can you put a tarantula in your mouth?” is a valid one, but we need to ask ourselves other questions like, “is it safe to put a tarantula in your mouth?” Read on for a detailed explanation of how safe it is to put a tarantula in your mouth, whether they like being petted, if they are friendly, and more.
Is It Safe To Put a Tarantula in Your Mouth?
Considering even celebrities put tarantulas in their mouth, you might be one of those people giving this stunt a thought. But, is it safe?
Since tarantulas like being in the shade and dark caves, you can probably put one in your mouth safely. However, not all tarantulas have the same temperament. Therefore, it is crucial for anyone who chooses to engage in such activity to be cautious about the type of tarantula they put in their mouth.
Also, if you don’t have experience handling spiders, it would be best for you not to put one in your mouth. This is because if you startle a tarantula, you could end up being bitten. The bite might not be fatal, but the pain and swelling are most definitely unpleasant.
A common misconception surrounding spiders is that people swallow at least eight spiders in their lifetime. This is a misconception that makes people believe it is safe to put spiders in their mouths.
Don’t assume that putting a tarantula in your mouth is safe because of such a myth. Whether such an act is safe or not should be clarified to you by an expert or extensive research. Essentially, before putting a tarantula in your mouth, make sure you know exactly what you are doing.
Are Tarantulas Poisonous?
Another way of putting the above question is, “are tarantulas venomous?” Usually, when it comes to organisms, the term “venomous” is used instead of “poisonous” when talking about organisms that bite to inject toxins. So, are tarantulas venomous?
Tarantulas are not venomous, but all tarantulas have venom glands. However, tarantulas mostly use their venom on prey and not on human beings. They inject their venom into their prey through their fangs. Nonetheless, tarantulas’ venom is mild and is believed to be weaker than bee venom.
Adult human beings generally have little to worry about when it comes to tarantulas’ venom. This is because when tarantulas bite people, they usually give dry bites and rarely inject venom. Also, a tarantula would rather run away from a human being than bite them because human beings are bigger than tarantulas.
Tarantulas usually bite human beings as a last resort. Even the bad-tempered tarantulas often prefer to run away than bite. So, keep in mind that it is pretty unlikely for a tarantula to bite a person.
To avoid being bitten by a tarantula, it would be best for you not to bother a tarantula or make it feel threatened, cornered, or provoked. If you give a tarantula its peace, it will, in turn, give you your peace.
What Happens If a Tarantula Bites You?
Since you now know that tarantulas can bite people, you are probably already wondering what happens when a tarantula bites a person.
If a tarantula bites you, you will most likely experience some swelling and redness around the bitten area. When bitten by a tarantula, a person usually feels the same way they do when a bee stings them. However, it is not common for human beings to experience severe reactions after a tarantula bite. A person who’s sensitive to insect bites can experience severe allergic reactions after being bitten by a tarantula.
What Should You Do After a Tarantula Bites You?
Tarantulas rarely bite, but tarantula bites can happen. So, it is crucial that you understand what to do after being bitten by a tarantula.
After being bitten by what you suspect to be a tarantula, some people recommend that you try placing an ice pack on the bite area. Others claim that washing the area of the bite with soap and water helps. However, it would probably be best for you to seek medical attention after experiencing what you believe to be a tarantula bite.
It is important you see a doctor because a doctor can treat all types of reactions, including allergic reactions, and prevent them from getting worse.
Can a Tarantula Kill You?
Tarantulas scare people mainly because they are huge and generally look scary. It is not uncommon for people to conclude that a tarantula bite can kill a person.
If a spider bite kills a person, the chances of that spider being a tarantula are pretty low. Spiders such as the Sydney Funnel-Web Spider and Brazilian Wandering Spider can be more dangerous than tarantulas. So, if any of these spiders bite you, you should feel worried and seek medical attention right away.
However, no one can state with certainty that no person has died or will ever die from a tarantula bite. If, for instance, a person experiences an extremely severe allergic reaction to a tarantula bite, one cannot predict what would happen.
Do Tarantulas Like Being Petted?
Another important question about tarantulas that you need to ask yourself is whether or not they like being petted.
Whether or not a tarantula enjoys being petted at a particular moment entirely depends on its temperament. Therefore, a tarantula will enjoy petting only if it has the temperament for it. Tarantulas might respond to daily handling, but most are not open to cuddling. However, a tarantula owner can train their pet spider to enjoy regular petting.
Different species of tarantulas have different temperaments. Therefore, you must understand your tarantula’s temperament, so you can know whether it enjoys petting. Don’t force your tarantula to accept petting.
For instance, if you try petting your tarantula only for it to try walking away or to resist, respect that they don’t want to be petted. If a spider tries hard to get away from you when you try stroking it, allow it to go free. Forcing a tarantula to accept petting will most likely make it feel threatened, and in turn, it might bite you.
Below is a look at how different species of tarantulas react to petting.
Brazilian Black
This is a type of tarantula with long legs. A Brazilian Black can live for around thirty years. You can train a young Brazilian Black to enjoy petting. However, such a tarantula might not enjoy petting at first.
Mexican Red Leg
This is one of the types of tarantulas you will most likely have a difficult time petting because Mexican Red Leg tarantulas startle easily. They can move first, but they might still feel threatened if patted.
Honduras Curly Hair
The Honduras Curly Hair doesn’t startle easily, meaning it doesn’t necessarily feel threatened when petted. This type of tarantula makes a fantastic first-time pet.
Are Tarantulas Friendly?
People consider tarantulas giants of the spider world, making many to be afraid of them because of their size. However, despite their size, tarantulas usually inspire fascination among spider enthusiasts and not fear.
Because a tarantula can be an extremely submissive animal, it is usually considered a friendly spider. Nonetheless, you need to note that you can’t measure a tarantula’s friendliness the same way you measure a person’s friendliness.
Generally, tarantula owners describe their pets as friendly when they don’t bite or are willing to crawl over them. Tarantula owners also consider these spiders friendly when they show curiosity and don’t exhibit any threatening behavior. However, you should know that tarantulas’ tolerance levels vary greatly. Some tarantulas can tolerate humans more than others. This is the same case with most wild animals.
Therefore, if you are thinking of getting a tarantula for a pet, you should know that tarantulas are unpredictable. So, don’t expect that your friendly tarantula will remain friends with you forever. Hopefully, your pet tarantula will choose to walk away instead of biting you when they feel they have had enough handling.
Finally
Even though tarantulas rarely inject their venoms into people, you should be cautious about putting one in your mouth. Not all tarantulas enjoy handling, and most don’t like being startled. If you have little experience or none at all in dealing with tarantulas, it is probably best for you not to put one in your mouth.
Nonetheless, it is possible for you to put a tarantula in your mouth and get away with no bite. If you do suffer a bite, it is most likely not going to be a severe bite. However, remember that an allergic reaction to a tarantula bite can have dire consequences.
