# Goliath Bird Eater



## SERRAPYGO (Feb 4, 2003)

Huge Theraphosa blondi I came across on Arachnoboards.com. Photo belongs to member "Nich". Awesome spider!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v83/Nich...gbadblondi2.jpg


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## Mettle (Dec 29, 2003)

I'm going to have nightmares about that.


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## SERRAPYGO (Feb 4, 2003)

Mettle said:


> I'm going to have nightmares about that.


You should.









I've seen tons of photos of these guys, and even a few blondi in person, but this pic really puts it into perspective how big these creatures get. Amazing!


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## studmuffin992 (Feb 27, 2006)

big horrible ugly thing hate spiders!


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## Linford (Oct 26, 2006)

Oh my god!!! Not only is it the fact that Goliath Bird Eater's are extremely huge, but I personally hate all spiders....(I know, sissy). LOL. Just imagin how big these things get in the wild, id hate to walk into one of those!

Ewwwwww!


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## alan (Mar 11, 2004)

wtf??









is that real?


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## dark FrOsT (Sep 23, 2006)

thats huge and im scared if i ever saw that up close id cry and wet my self


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## ...Jay... (Nov 2, 2006)

I'm with you guys, spiders freak me out. They are the only animal that I dont like. I'd rather have 100 snakes crawling all over me than that big freakin spider on my hand like that.


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## psychofish (Jun 5, 2004)

thats a huge spider..

Every bird eater ive seen is very very aggressive, so its weird to 
see someone holding one


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## SERRAPYGO (Feb 4, 2003)

psychofish said:


> thats a huge spider..
> 
> Every bird eater ive seen is very very aggressive, so its weird to
> see someone holding one


I've never had a blondi, but I'm guessing handling is all in your technique. Dive your hand in her tank, push her up onto your hand, and you are going to get nailed!

The trick would be to manipulate her onto your hand to the point where she basically regards your hand as 'terrain'. But, no. I handle my B. Smithi, but a spider this size, with their known reputation for biting and hair kicking, count me out!

Note her bald abdomen; evidence of her propencity to kick urticating hairs!


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## Atlanta Braves Baby! (Mar 12, 2003)

You could never get me to come anywhere near that thing!


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## pyrokingbrand (Nov 30, 2004)

What is "hair kicking"?


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## Mettle (Dec 29, 2003)

pyrokingbrand said:


> What is "hair kicking"?


They can basically spray the hairs that stick out of their abdomens and they stick into you and other creatures... It's a defense mechanism. (Correct me if I'm wrong.)


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## Bawb2u (May 27, 2004)

pyrokingbrand said:


> What is "hair kicking"?


All "New World" tarantulas have a type of barbed hair located on their abdomen. When irritated or frightened they rapidly run their posterior leg across their abdomen kicking or as commonly called flicking the urticating hairs ar their target. Here's an excellent article on the subject. Uricating hairs 
According to that article T. blondi have some of the most painful, being described as "likened to sharp shards of fiberglass".

Funny though, seeing all the Ugh-style comments. I look at that and see an awesome spider and one I would love to own but can't anymore due to allergies caused by overexposure to hair flickers.


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## SERRAPYGO (Feb 4, 2003)

> Funny though, seeing all the Ugh-style comments. I look at that and see an awesome spider and one I would love to own but can't anymore due to allergies caused by overexposure to hair flickers.


Same here. I see one awesome spider. The B. Smithi I currently own now kicks hairs, and so far, I'm not bothered by it. I keep reading of people that are, and it's too bad. Those die hards who insist upon staying in the hobby usually move onto the aggressive old world species. Hairs or fangs I guess. Blondi offers both!


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## cueball (May 24, 2005)

man thats the biggest thang ive ever seen in my life,,, thats gotta be 8 inchs long,, could your find these in the pet trade or would you have to catch it your self?


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## nswhite (Mar 23, 2005)

wow thats crazy and huge. That pic would scare the crap out of my gf.


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## psychofish (Jun 5, 2004)

cueball said:


> man thats the biggest thang ive ever seen in my life,,, thats gotta be 8 inchs long,, could your find these in the pet trade or would you have to catch it your self?


u can find tem from many different pet traders

Check Here


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## oliver1013 (Oct 21, 2006)

Fear Factor anyone?


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## Death in #'s (Apr 29, 2003)

wow she is stunning


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## SERRAPYGO (Feb 4, 2003)

cueball said:


> man thats the biggest thang ive ever seen in my life,,, thats gotta be 8 inchs long,, could your find these in the pet trade or would you have to catch it your self?


I forgot to mention, the owner proclaimed a leg span of 9 inches plus on this girl.

Considering it's thin build, personally this spider looks more like a male to me.


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## Guest (Dec 31, 2006)

Are they fast?

And whats an old world spider?


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## SERRAPYGO (Feb 4, 2003)

DannyBoy17 said:


> Are they fast?
> 
> And whats an old world spider?


I've never had one, but I don't think GBE is overly fast, not compared to some anyway. Old world spiders are the spiders from Asia, Africa, Thailand ect. New world species are North and South American species ect.
The old worlders are generally more aggressive, fast moving, possibly have a higher venom toxicity (though this is still being debated) and lack the urticating hairs (tiny irritating, 'fiberglass like' hairs they kick off their abdomen in defense) the new worlders have.


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## ripped2shreds (Apr 20, 2006)

Beautiful! I always wanted a Goliath Birdeater. I owned a common costa rican zebra 4 a while but she only measured 4 inches. These stand alongside Cobalt Blue's as my favorite tarantula. Great pic!


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## bigman8258 (Aug 23, 2004)

dark FrOsT said:


> thats huge and im scared if i ever saw that up close id cry and wet my self










lol.


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## Novato (Jan 25, 2004)

Wow that is one big tarantula!


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