New World Tarantulas are native to America. They have bites that usually pose little danger to humans and cause localized aches in the body. These spiders are very colorful and gorgeous in their look. Most tarantulas use urticating hairs as a strategy of defense. These hairs cause irritation and other distinctive symptoms in humans. New world spiders and lepidopteran caterpillars most commonly use this defense strategy.
The Urticating hairs of tarantulas cover the dorsal and subsequent surface of the abdomen. When new world species feel threatened, they will often kick the urticating hairs off their stomachs towards potential aggressors. These hairs can implant themselves in the animal’s skin or eyes and cause substantial irritation and allergy.
Tarantulas do not have Urticating hairs at birth. These hairs grow with each molt, increasing around regions of dark hairs on the upper back and the abdomen of juveniles, extending from molt to molt. When new world tarantulas face danger, they twist towards the attacker and quickly rub their legs against the opisthosoma, throwing the urticating hairs towards the enemy.
General Description
According to new research, hairs from Tarantulas have a chemical and a mechanical effect on the skin and mucous membranes. Edema (an increase in interstitial fluid in any organ) can be lethal if the cloud of fine hairs gets into the mucous membrane of small animals.
The level of irritation caused by the urticating bristles varies substantially amongst Tarantula species. When these new world tarantulas find any danger around them, they use these bristles toward attackers.
The Chilean Rose Hair (Grammastola rosea) and the Pink toe Tarantula (Avicularia avicularia) have relatively soft hairs. Chilean Roses are typically nervous behavior, stay away from the threat. They do not pose defensively, though they raise their front legs and present their fangs as defending strategy.
The Brazilian Giant White Knee Tarantula (Acanthoscurria geniculata), the Resident of Brazil,has urticating hairs which are moderately irritating to humans. This species is relatively large, with 8.5 inches of leg span. The brilliant white stripes give them an eye-catching look.
New World Tarantula Characteristics
As we know that, New World Tarantula species has different sizes and length, which may only have 7.5 centimeters of leg spans, to other species, which may reach 17.5 centimeters of leg span. Most new world species will usually be in size from 10 centimeters to 12.5 centimeters.
Most tarantulas of the new world have a colorful or patterned body which makes them more attractive. And many have bright colors such as pink, green, blue, purple, or gold on the covering and femurs of the legs. The bold and beautiful patterns on the abdomen make these tarantulas eye-catching for keepers.
Most Tarantulas of the New World have both short and long stiff hairs. Some species have thick and silky setae. Due to this, setae wrapping the legs of many species give a sculpted, sleek appearance. In comparison to these spiders, some typically appear more healthy and ‘hairy’ in appearance.
The male species have thicker and longer setae than the female tarantulas. Many tarantulas have unique patterns and colorful shining shades on their abdomens. They consider as most defensive and skittish creature of spiders.
Temperament
Tarantulas from the New World are typically more docile than those from the Old World, with certain species being so tame that many keepers choose to handle them. There are, however, certain caveats/exceptions to the norm to be aware of, just as there are in nature.
Several New World tarantula species are challenging to deal with and have a protective disposition. Would you please get to know your monsters, no matter how they’re depicted, since you may be the exception to the norm?
Grammostola Rosea — Chilean Rose tarantulas, often regarded as one of the most delicate creatures for beginners – has been reported to be as aggressive as any Old World spider in a foul mood by several keepers. Always be cautious, and don’t forget to look at our list of “Beginner Tarantulas.”
Several well-liked members of the kind Avicularia include the Pink toe, the Goliath pink toe, the White-toe, Ecuadorian woolly, the Venezuelan red stripe, the Yellow-banded pink toe, the Ecuadorian purple, the Antilles pink toe, and the Peruvian pink toe, and all are preserved in custody. These spiders are known for their smug and calm behaviors.
Defense
As Old World Tarantulas don’t have Urticating Bristles, New World Tarantulas have a secret weapon used as a defense. These hairs are known as bristles due to barbed-shaped bristles that arise in scrap on the back of the tarantula’s abdomen. In the rare case, the urticating strands of Ephebopus murinus – Skeleton Tarantula occur on the chelicerae (fangs) and pedipalp. There are many kinds of these bristles.
Some tarantulae have thick hairs on their abdomen. When these new world tarantulas find any danger around them, they use these bristles towards attackers. This strategy is the most commonly used defense strategy of these new world spiders. When they start molting, they also use these hairs for rowing their webbing.
These bristles are irritating for humans if they make any contact with these hairs. It causes itching on the body of humans. Some people have a very severe reaction to the body, while others have minor allergy reactions. The itch is dreadfully addictive to rub and scratch on the body.
So, it would be best if you made every effort to avoid getting these bristles in your skin and especially your eyes. You may have severe problems that might include hospitalization to remove these hairs. After working in your tarantula enclosures, wash your hands with soap, and don’t blow air in your tarantula’s enclosures.
Most new world species run away as a defense or flick these bristles.If the spider is constantly harassed, they display a threat pose and back their bodies up. At this point, the tarantula is now ready to bite the attacker.
The venom of New World Tarantulas
The Venom in New World species has not been studied and has no actual medical information about the bite. But after observation, the people who New World Tarantulas have bitten have accounted for the same level of pain and inflammation due to a bee sting. The tarantula venom is different from that of a bee and does not have the same characteristics.
These tarantulas are also had dry-bite, which means that there is no venom in the bites. Remember also that a fair amount of pain will be caused by the stab wound alone. The acidity leaves two pale-sized holes and bruising at the area of the spot.
Some new world species have potent venom. The beginners should avoid keeping them as pets. Only expert keepers can handle these tarantulas. Here are some of the pets tarantulas.
| Species | |
| Trinidad Chevron | |
| Costa Rican Orange Mouth | |
| Orange Tree Spider | |
| Purple Tree Spider |
Trinidad Chevron
The Trinidad Chevron tarantula is a kind of big spider with a neat pattern on its body that looks like chevrons or arrows. It’s found in the wild forests of Trinidad, which is an island in the Caribbean. Even though it might look scary because of its size, it’s not so dangerous to people. They like to hide in their burrows during the daytime and come out at night to hunt for insects and small creatures to eat. Some people keep them as pets because they don’t need too much attention and are pretty cool to watch, but it’s important to be careful and gentle when handling them. You can explore more information about Trinidad Chevron Tarantula habitat and behavior.
Costa Rican Tarantula
The Costa Rican tarantula is a big, hairy spider that lives in the country of Costa Rica, which is in Central America. It has a dark brown body and long hairy legs. Even though it looks scary, it usually doesn’t hurt people unless it feels threatened. It lives in the rainforests and makes its home in holes or burrows. Some people keep them as pets, but it’s important to be careful because they can bite if they get scared. They eat insects like crickets and beetles, and sometimes even small lizards. Despite its appearance, it plays an important role in keeping the balance of nature in the forest. You can explore more information about Costa Rican Tarantula.
Orange Tree Spider
The Orange Tree Spider is a small creature that lives on orange trees. It’s called the Orange Tree Spider because it likes to make its home in the leaves and branches of orange trees. This spider is very tiny and usually has a bright orange color, which helps it hide among the orange leaves. It doesn’t harm the oranges or the tree, and it eats insects that might damage the tree. People don’t need to worry about this spider because it’s more helpful than harmful. If you want to discover more about the Orange Tree Spider, you can find interesting facts.
Purple Tree Spider
The Purple Tree Spider is a tiny creature that lives in the rainforests. It is called “purple” because it has a special color that looks like a mix of blue and red. This spider loves to stay hidden in the trees and makes a cozy home with its silky web. It catches insects, like flies and bugs, for its food. Even though it may seem scary, it’s not harmful to humans and usually stays away from us. The Purple Tree Spider is an important part of the forest, helping to keep the insect population in check. If you want to learn more about the Purple Tree Spider, you can find interesting facts.
New World Tarantula Habitat and Webs
The central region of these tarantulas is tropical and desert. These spiders mostly live in tunnels; they don’t try to make webs for housing. New world tarantulas are native to desert regions. When these spiders want to catch wandering prey, they streak their tunnel with the web.
New World Spider Diet
New world spider spiders mostly eat insects caught by speed or trap. The mouth of tarantula is under its chelicerae on the lower front part of its prosoma. That’s why they can only suck. The mouth is a straw-shaped opening and tiny in size. This means they take liquid material quickly.
First of all, Crush the large prey and then take to these tarantulas. This process of crushing quarry includes spraying on the target with digestive juices that are excreted from openings in the chelicerae. The tarantula’s digestive system work with an organ called tube that sprints the length of its body.
This tube is more comprehensive and builds the sucking stomach in the spider’s body. When the powerful muscles of the sucking stomach contract, the size of the stomach increases in sections. This process allows the tarantula to suck its liquidized prey through the mouth and get into the intestines. After the food enters the intestines, it is broken down into small chunks, and then it is distributed throughout the body. To know more about diet and habitat of curly hair tarantula visit here.
Reproduction of New World Species
When a male spider gets maturity, it becomes passionate to mate, and it will interlace a web mat on a plane surface. They discharge a quantity of semen when they stroke its abdomen on the surface of this mat. After that, this spider inserts its pedipalps into the lake of semen. The pedipalps soak up the semen and keep it feasible until a mate can be established.
When a male spider feels the occurrence of a female, the unique signals establish that they are of the same species and can start mating. If the female is receptive, the male moves towards her and puts his pedipalps into a lower shell.
After this process, the semen has been transferred to the female’s body. The male generally leaves the area before the female get betters at her hunger. Sometimes females may show some violence after mating and eating males. Females deposit 50 to 2000 eggs, depending on the species, in a silken egg sac and guard it for 6 to 7 weeks. After hatching, the young spiderlings stay in the nest.
Wind
As you know, the tarantula has poor eyesight, and they interact with the things around them through the hairs and bristles on their bodies. The tarantula, especially the old world tarantula, becomes startled if you blow on its body.
FAQs
- What is a New World tarantula?
- A New World tarantula is a kind of spider that lives in North and South America.
- Are New World tarantulas dangerous?
- Some can give you a little bite, but their venom is not usually strong enough to harm people.
- What do New World tarantulas eat?
- They like to eat insects, like crickets and grasshoppers, and sometimes even small lizards.
- Where do New World tarantulas live?
- They make homes in burrows in the ground, under rocks, or in trees.
- Are New World tarantulas friendly?
- They are usually shy and want to be left alone. They might get scared if you bother them.
- How big do New World tarantulas get?
- Some can be as small as a few inches, while others can grow to be as big as the size of your hand.
- How do New World tarantulas protect themselves?
- They have tiny, sharp hairs on their bodies that they can kick into the air to irritate their enemies.
- Can I keep a New World tarantula as a pet?
- Yes, some people keep them as pets, but you need to learn how to take care of them properly.
- How long do New World tarantulas live?
- They can live for a few years, sometimes even more than a decade if they are well taken care of.
- What colors do New World tarantulas come in?
- They can be brown, black, or even reddish, with some having stripes or patterns on their bodies.
