Chicken Eating Spiders: Myth or Reality?

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The discussion centers around the claims of a researcher regarding large Peruvian spiders, referred to as "chicken-eating" spiders, although no photographic evidence of them hunting chickens has been provided. Observations suggest these spiders may live in family groups and potentially hunt together. Participants express skepticism about the "chicken-eating" claims, with some humorously suggesting the spiders might procure chicken from fast-food outlets instead. The conversation shifts to the size of spiders, noting that the largest tarantula, the Goliath spider, can reach up to 11.8 inches in diameter. Participants share their fears and experiences with spiders, with some humorously depicting their reactions to encountering such large arachnids. The idea of spiders hunting in packs is particularly unsettling for many, leading to light-hearted exchanges about the potential horror of waking up to find a large spider nearby. Overall, the thread combines fascination with spiders and a mix of humor and fear regarding their size and behavior.
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http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/deepjungle/episode2_nicholas.html

The researcher refers to these large (10 or 11 inch diameter) Peruvian spiders as "chicken-eating", but he has not supplied photographs of spiders actually engaged in hunting down and devouring chickens.

He says that he has observed family group of several spiders living together in a burrow and he surmises that they may go out and hunt together as a pack.

It is of course possible that the spiders just go down to the local Peruvian Colonel Sanders KFC and get their chicken in a civilized fashion rather than slaying it.
 
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You got to be kidding me.
 
WOW. Quite fascinating (not so impressed by the chicken eating tales until it is proven true... ;-P) but that's one big spider...
 
You believe that mother spider was about 10 inches across. How big are the biggest tarantulas?

I believe the record is 11.8 inches, held by the Goliath spider of Venezuela.
:smile: Cool! :cool: I'd love to see one of these in person.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goliath_Bird_Eating_Spider :biggrin:
 
How would you like to wake up and see that sucker crawling up your leg?
 
Spiders hunting in packs? Oh jeez I shouldn't of read that, I'm sure my brain logged it as new materal for nightmares!
 
Chickens are birds right, so it is just another bird-eating spider :rolleyes: :smile:
 
Ivan Seeking said:
How would you like to wake up and see that sucker crawling up your leg?

i think the worse bit would be after you punch it, realizing you'll have to keep punching it to kill it.
 
Cool spiders!

I'd rather be surrounded by spiders than flies, although seeing a room filled with them at the same time would be cool to watch (if i wasn't in the room)
 
  • #10
Ivan Seeking said:
How would you like to wake up and see that sucker crawling up your leg?

that happened to me once :biggrin:

Ki Man said:
Cool spiders!

I'd rather be surrounded by spiders than flies, although seeing a room filled with them at the same time would be cool to watch (if i wasn't in the room)

ewww ...wierdo!
 
  • #11
sara_87 said:
that happened to me once :biggrin:
I bet your face wasn't like :biggrin: though! Anyway, enough of the spiders already!

ewww ...wierdo!
:smile: .. why not say exactly what you're thinking :wink:
 
  • #12
cristo said:
I bet your face wasn't like :biggrin: though!
why not? i could be a weirdo too... init? :wink:

my face was more like :cry: :rolleyes: :eek: :bugeye: :frown: :mad:
:smile: .. why not say exactly what you're thinking :wink:

:smile: :smile: :smile: i wasn't thinking anything! o:)

and spiders can be cool... like spiderman :-p
 
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  • #13
Interesting, I'm afraid of spiders, but there are no specially big or poisonous spiders in my country (except for the black widow, but that girl doesn't live in the part of the country where I do..). Obviously we're always afraid of the unknown. :smile:
 
  • #14
sara_87 said:
why not? i could be a weirdo too... init? :wink:

my face was more like :cry: :rolleyes: :eek: :bugeye: :frown: :mad:


:smile: :smile: :smile: i wasn't thinking anything! o:)

and spiders can be cool... like spiderman :-p
And the prize for using every emoticon in one post goes to... :-p Have you seen Spiderman 3, btw?

radou said:
Interesting, I'm afraid of spiders, but there are no specially big or poisonous spiders in my country (except for the black widow, but that girl doesn't live in the part of the country where I do..).
:smile:
Obviously we're always afraid of the unknown. :smile:
Yea, we don't have any big spiders here, but I'd hate to come across one. I think it's due to watching Arachnaphobia as a kid that did it to me!
 
  • #15
cristo said:
And the prize for using every emoticon in one post goes to... :-p

lol ...who? :confused: me? :bugeye: oh thanks :!)

Have you seen Spiderman 3, btw?

not yet! have you?
 
  • #16
sara_87 said:
lol ...who? :confused: me? :bugeye: oh thanks :!)
maybe... :-p
not yet! have you?
no I've not.. i want to though!
 
  • #17
sara_87 said:
not yet! have you?

cristo said:
no I've not.. i want to though!

I think you guys should switch to PM. :biggrin: :wink:
 
  • #18
That spider must spin one heck of a web if it can catch a chicken!
 
  • #19
When one spider asked the Peruvian spider what fies taste like, the Peruvian spider answered, "Kind of like chicken."
 
  • #20
Ivan Seeking said:
How would you like to wake up and see that sucker crawling up your leg?

Seeing as his leg span pretty much would cover the entire width of my body... I would guess with a high level of confidence that I would go into cardiac arrest. :frown:
 
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  • #21
I got a great photo of one of these babies, it's about 7 inches in diameter and the locals told me they suck the blood of the chickens and I believe it... I mean, a spider this size needs something more wholesome than insects to survive and a sleeping chicken is easy prey.
 
  • #22
Spiders running in packs? That ranks right up their with some of the scariest things I've ever heard.
 

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