Reptile Forum, Reptile Classifieds - CaptiveBred

kingcobra · Posted: Wed Apr 25, 2007 8:08 pm Post subject: the "chicken" spider

many years ago i read in a b.t.s journal about a south american species called a chicken spider,i just wondered if it had ever been formally classified,it would have benn between '97-'99. any body know owt?
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darkdan99 · Contributing Member Joined: 15 Jan 2007 Posts: 53

i remember seeing documentary on this a few years ago, someone was trying to track them down.

it was believed to be the biggest spider in the world, and was also believed to regularly kill and eat chickens (hence the name).

Research has shown them to be gregarious and the mother protects her eggs, and is known to bring back prey items into the burrow. i think this is truly remarkable, to be honest.

The have also been know to be communal, one group had a frog sharing the burrow, scientist think this is mutually beneficial, in that the frog eats ants etc, that bother the spiders, and the frog is safe from predation because of its burrow mates.

It has not yet been formally identified, and since there are several similar species in the area, it could already be known. 0r it could be a new species entirely.

The largest specimen of this species was a little over 10 inch, so although huge, it is still smaller than the Goliath (T.blondi).

Hope this helps
Dan

kingcobra · Posted: Mon Apr 30, 2007 8:03 pm Post subject:

yeah thanks dan, as i say it WAS in a b.t.s journal way back when i kept t's in some quantity and was pres of the kettering tarantula society(now alas defunct),so the article has to be at least 7 years old, i remember it was a south american bird-eater type and terrestrial, and that when they actually found it,it was not as large a t.blondi, but an imprssive mygalamroph nontheless,i just wondered if it had ever been successsfully classified. Smile

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we all have the spark of divinity within us, but are we responsible enough to use it?

darkdan99 · Contributing Member Joined: 15 Jan 2007 Posts: 53

i don't, in honesty think it has.

Although you may get more results asking on Bugnation.co.uk.

There are a few knowledgeable people on their, and some spider "experts" (that's what i call them, they will deny it!)...Good luck.

kingcobra · Posted: Tue May 22, 2007 8:51 pm Post subject:

found the original article :vol 12 nos 3 & 4 1997 bts journal, martin nicholas was the author.
dont know if anybody on here still has that ,but it was a darn good read.

oh my! waves of nostalgia!! Sad

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we all have the spark of divinity within us, but are we responsible enough to use it?

FrayerKai · I've settled in... Joined: 26 Feb 2007 Posts: 44

althouse.blogspot.com/2007/05/chicken-eating-spider.html

i was just browsing on google

i also saw a documentary a while back, but i cant remember much from it soz.
check out the url though...gd pic

serpent · Key Member Joined: 12 Jul 2004 Posts: 426 Location: Kent

I just knew that i've seen it somewhere and FOUND it Very Happy

kingcobra · Posted: Thu Jun 14, 2007 8:21 pm Post subject:

well, whaddya know , just seen a national geograhic prog on sky about it!,nowhere near as big as blondi,apohysis ,or parahybana from the looks of it, tho martin did describe it as huge when it was down its burrow. must admit tho ,martin has a way that kinda hauls you into his enthusiasm. Smile

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we all have the spark of divinity within us, but are we responsible enough to use it?