Giant chicken eating spider. Really.

[aprophet]

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I was thinking a 24 oz framing hammer

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

lil'turkeymama :

Spiders do kinda freak me out,not alot but some.We do have some big one here in Alabama.I'm pretty sure not alot of people ever see them.They live in very remote areas and I've only see them close to water.They at least as big as my hand totally spread out,about the length of a #2 pencil.We always see them when we float the creek in our canoe.I'll have to make sure I get a picture of one.

You probably see Nephila clavipes. They are common in parts of TX, LA, MS, AL and FL. It's closely related the spider in the pic eating the duck, er..finch, Nephila edulis.​

 

[mississippifarmboy]

Not to burst anybody's bubble, but the "Bird eatting spider" doesn't acually eat grown birds. The largest I'm aware of is the grey sub population of the Goliath Bird Eatting Tarantula. They are ground dwellers, don't build true webs and can eat mice, tiny birds or chicks and such... but your laying hens are safe.

They do have a fairly nasty bite, but aren't venomous and fairly non agressive if handled regularly.


as much as I hate to admit it

I used to raise them.

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

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I was waiting for someone else to point this out.

I never would've guessed you were a spider-lover mississipifarmboy!

 

[mississippifarmboy]

Quote:
I was waiting for someone else to point this out.

I never would've guessed you were a spider-lover mississipifarmboy!

Yeah, spiders are ok Gallo. I only raised them because at the time I had an exotic animal farm and the big tarantulas were one of the items we used for the educational programs. Along with a large red-tail boa, a Jackson's chamelion, Madagascar hissing cockroaches, a rabbit, a sun conure, Emperor scorpions, baby goats, lambs, etc..
We found out that the Goliaths were dying out due to loss of habitat and being hunted for food, just thought we'd try our hand at raising a few. Finally sold the last of them to a breeder/importer in Florida after I had some health problems back several years ago.

Spiders around here eat flies.... and I HATE flies!

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

Wow! That sounds interesting! You practically had a zoo. That must have been fun. Yeah, I was offered a large tarantula once in Ecuador. It was terribly impolite to refuse but I had to draw the line at eating them.

 

[redhen]

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Gahhhh! And i used to love you....

Its over...

 

[redhen]

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They say they taste like crab... Really.

 

[Ibicella]

I want one!

Then again, I'm the crazy creepy crawly lover.

 

[mississippifarmboy]

Quote:
Gahhhh! And i used to love you....

Its over...

WHAT? because I raised spiders or because I didn't fix you one for dinner?

nobody luvs me