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Golden Earth Tiger -- H. huwenum

The Chinese Bird Spider is a fairly large specimen, with a typical legspan of up to 8" (20 cm). It thrives in the tropical rain forests of southern China and Vietnam, where it builds and lives in burrows up to several feet deep, emerging to capture food. The bird spider preys on numerous small insects and other creatures, such as cockroaches, crickets, and mice.

The Chinese Bird Spider is a rather aggressive species, one that will not hesitate to bite humans if disturbed. Its venom is the subject of much toxicology research, and while the effects of this spider's bite on man is not well-documented, it is frequently lethal in small doses to laboratory animals such as mice and rats. As a result, it is generally regarded as a highly venomous specimen.The venom itself is a rather complex neurotoxin, containing numerous compounds capable of blocking neurotransmitters.

Tarantulas (family Theraphosidae, order Aranedae) are also called bird-eating spiders. These large, hairy spiders are usually pale brown to black, with markings in shapes of pink, red, brown, or black. The fangs bite vertically, not horizontally. They have eight small eyes, grouped together at the front of the carapace. Most Tarantulas hunt on the ground by night for arthropods and small vertebrates such as frogs and mice. They use their large chelicerae to crush their prey, pour digestive juices over the body, and then suck up the resulting liquid. Some species live in trees, whereas others make burrows in the ground. Females lay a batch of eggs in the burrow. An egg sac can be the size of a golf ball and contain 1,000 eggs. The spiderlings stay in the burrow until their first moult, after which they disperse to find food and to make their own burrows. They can be found worldwide, especially in subtropical and tropical areas, in deserts, forests, and a variety of open habitats. Many Tarantulas live for 10-30 years and are kept as pets. Because many are so large (body length: 3-12 cm), it is widely assumed that their bites are fatal. Some have potent venom but many do not, relying on size to subdue prey. The most poisonous species are often relatively small.

Approximate Dimensions: 5.5"x3.75"x1.5"

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