Goliath Bird-eating Tarantula
NAME:
Goliath Bird-eating Tarantula
ZOO NAME:
Noche (found in the Education Department)
CLASS:
Arachnida
GENUS:
Theraphosa
SPECIES:
T. Blondi
LENGTH:
12″ leg-span (size of a dinner plate)
WEIGHT:
120 grams
LIFESPAN:
3-6 yrs. (males), 15-25 yrs. (females)
DIET:
Crickets, worms, moths, frogs, lizards, small mammals
PREDATORS:
Snakes, Birds, Mammals
RANGE
South America
HABITAT
Rainforest, forest floor
CHARACTERISTICS
The Goliath Tarantula is dark brown to light brown with faint markings on the legs. Like all spiders, they have 8 legs. The Bird-eating Spider is thought to be the largest spider in the world. These tarantulas have hairs on their abdomen, legs and bodies.
BEHAVIOR
Most of the Goliath Tarantula’s time is spent in underground burrows. These spiders may weave a web over the entrance to their home to keep other animals out. They have poor vision and hunt by sensing the vibrations made by their prey. Generally, these and other species of tarantula are not harmful to humans, although the bite from a Goliath Tarantula’s 1-inch fangs can cause swelling, pain and nausea. Another defense of the tarantula is to “kick out” barbed hairs towards their attacker. These hairs are very irritating to the skin and lungs.
REPRODUCTION
The female lays 100-400 eggs in a nest just below ground level. The spiderlings hatch after 2-months.
ANIMAL FUN FACT!
Tarantulas don’t have teeth for chewing their food. Instead, they have fangs. Tarantulas inject venom into their prey, which liquefies the soft tissues so the spider can slurp their meal.Goliath “Bird-eating” Tarantulas rarely eat birds, but have been know to catch young chicks.
Female Goliath Tarantulas can live up to 22 years longer than males. Males die soon after maturity at age 3-6 years and are sometimes eaten by the female after mating.