Hair-Shooting Tarantula Gets Revenge on Owner

Pop quiz:

What are urticating hairs?(polls)

If you answered A without checking out the Wiki page, I’m going to go out on a limb and say that you already read about the man in Leeds, England, who was cleaning his tarantula’s tank when he was shot in the face with urticating hairs early last year. The incident left the man with a red, watery, and light-sensitive eye for months, and now doctors are urging people to wear eye protection when handling their spiders.

We’ve got even better advice: Never buy tarantulas or any other exotic animals in the first place. Tarantulas and other animals such as hedgehogs, lizards, and macaws who are purchased as pets suffer from the overwhelming stress of unnatural confinement and loneliness, so it’s no surprise that they often lash out at owners who are usually unaware of their complex needs. Tarantulas are highly intelligent animals who build tented shelters, and they’re compassionate—mother tarantulas are known to starve themselves so that their offspring can eat. They shouldn’t have to spend their lives trapped in tanks.

If you’re looking for an animal companion, visit your local animal shelter—and if you ever run into an eight-legged friend around the house, catch him or her humanely.

Written by Logan Scherer