Tarantula Owner Sues Store Over Pet’s Actions
Tarantula Talk
Tarantulas have hairy bodies and look fierce but in most cases their bite isn’t any more dangerous than a bee’s sting. A few facts and myths:
Etmology: Name comes from type of wolf spider found in Tarato, Italy.
Size: 1 to 8 inches long.
Life span: Up to 20 years.
Venom: Tarantulas sold in pet stores are not poisonous to humans.
Pet store cost: From $15 to $700.
Diet: Anything alive, usually crickets; prefers “pinkies” or “fuzzies”.
Pinkies, Fuzzies: Pet shop- speak for newborn mice.
Care plus: Very low maintenance.
Care minus: Because of thin exoskeleton, will explode if dropped.
Myth: Once believed bite caused tarantism, which made victim leap around and make strange noises.
Lore: According to superstition, the best cure for tarantism was a lively Italian folk dance that became known as the tarantella.
Sources: Petland, World Books Encyclopedi; Researched by APRIL JACKSON / Los Angeles Times
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