Ophthalmologists at St. James's University Hospital in Leeds, England, used high magnification lenses to find out what made the man's eye red, watery and light-sensitive, according to a study reported in the British medical journal The Lancet on Thursday.They discovered hair-like projections stuck in the man's cornea.
It was a light bulb moment for the patient, who remembered that three weeks earlier he had been cleaning a stubborn stain on the glass tank of his pet, a Chilean Rose tarantula.
"He sensed movement in the terrarium. He turned his head and found that the tarantula, which was in close proximity, had released 'a mist of hairs' which hit his eyes and face," the doctors wrote.
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I found that story pretty funny, the guy must not have spent much time with his own pet. I had a Tarantula for years, his name was Oliver and he was a wedding present from a demented friend. Olly knew me and allowed himself to be petted, but, if a stranger tried it, he'd do an about face, put his butt in the air and use his legs to "pitch hairs." It was aggressive, but, non threatening behavior. The hairs have tiny barbs and are irritating. Who puts their face that close to a Tarantula anyhow? It's not like they're cuddly. They do make an interesting pet though..but, they pitch hairs. Duh.
13 comments:
Ahhh for that picture. I don't like spiders. I try to leave them alone if they leave me alone. I don't spray for them since my hummingbirds need their webs to make nests, but ugh. I would never get close enough to a tarantula to get sprayed by hairs. ::::running away::::
ugh.. I'm with the I dont like spiders group. Eww they creep me out. I wouldn't say I have arachnophobia. Since I can see pics of them. But touching, feeling, movies, living around them.. ewww give me chills.
My friend Lins also had a tarantula. One time she brought in the exoskeleton or molting shell of it. They thought it would be funny to throw it on me. I just told her on facebook just awhile that how that freak the living crap out of me. She said she was sorry that was a spider named budda who was going to be thrown out. She hates spiders to but she couldnt see someone kill it to get rid of it. So she took him in till he passed away. I told her is was okay.
Yeah, they do molt once a year. It looks exactly like two spiders in the cage until you figure it out. Oliver was the size in the pic when I got him. Eventually he was three times that size and lived about 12 years.
Pat, out of ALL the people I know, only YOU would have a spider for a pet.... omg they freak me out big time.... Did you say they have a life span of 12 years???? Arghhhhh @ the idea that the spiders I see outside on the terrace might be around for 12 years and multiply.... ewwwww.
I don't like spiders, either. I usually get my husband to dispatch them, but I can do it in a pinch.
Interesting that tarantulas can "pitch hairs". I had no idea.
I don't think I could ever bring myself to have one of these in my home. Same with snakes. The fact that they are outside, sometimes keeps me inside.
I never planned on having one. It was a joke present and I kept it. They live a long time. They're clean, non poisonous and easy to care for. You don't even have to feed them in Winter, they hibernate..you just give them water on a sponge. They suck it up with thier long fangs. And in the Summer they eat crickets.
Did I mention I HATE crickets? Good spider, good boy.
"you just give them water on a sponge. They suck it up with thier long fangs."
LONG FANGS??? Eeep. :::thud:::
I was the WORST arachnophobe you guys ever saw, all my whole life until my son was 14; we were in a pet store and I'd been to the dentist that morning (I was cruising on Lortab). He dared me to hold a medium-sized Chilean Rose-Hair and I did; while I was holding it and marveling over its weird beauty, HE was buying it! He brought it home, set it up and said, "There. It's YOURS--you take care of it; you always told me I had to face my fears so now it's your turn."! It took about 6 months before I could walk by his tank without doing the all-over body shudder, but I grew to love him; I got another one from a lady I knew, and they both lived out their lives. Now I have a Brazilian Salmon-Pink Birdeater baby and she's really growing big! They'll get to be about 10" across in 2 years; mostly body--thick and heavy, with short stout legs. I'm getting a Mexican Fireleg and a Singapore Blue in a couple weeks! You girls don't be p*ssies! ;-)
SolitaryAngel, what a cool story! You'll have to send us some pics of your pets for Sunday's photos! You do get attached to them, huu?
Absolutely I do! When both of my spiders died of extreme old age, I couldn't believe I actually cried--ME. It took me a year before I decided to get another one; my current birdeater is just a hatchling; I've had her for about 2 1/2 months, and she's gone from the size of my pinkie nail to larger than my thumbnail already! And this is winter, so she's not hibernating, just eating about 2 crickets per week--she's molted twice and is going into her third one. I will send you some pics as soon as I can. I'm so glad to know other tarantula lovers, DD!!! :-)
That's great, I know people on here would love to see your pet. We're critter lovers here. I wouldn't say I'm a spider lover, but, I'm not afraid of them and I really was fond of Oliver. I'm in Iowa here, the spider capitol of the world, so it would be an awful place to live if I hated them. I think they're interesting and it would be great to hear about thier care and habitats from you.
Oliver eventually got heavy enough to lift the lid of his cage. I spent three sleepless nights before we finally found him behind the trash can in the kitchen..lol. I'm allergic to their venom!
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