[28.8.07] NAVEEN MATHEW MENON comes face-to-face with one of man’s most feared creatures and discovers they can make good pets.

JOIN THE CLUB: Some members of the Malaysian Tarantula Society.

CREEPY OR CUTE?: One of the tarantula members showcased to the public recently.

SPIDERS. The very thought of them sends shivers down many a human spine. With their hairy body, eight spindly legs, horrifying fangs, their many eyes, they look menacing and have quite a nasty reputation. So, it’s no wonder that many people suffer from arachnophobia (fear of spiders).

I am certainly a fan of Spiderman but not spiders! So when my deputy editor suggested that I do an article on the Malaysian Tarantula Society, thoughts of spiders breaking out of their tanks like Snakes on a Plane or huge mutant spiders in the horror films Eight-Legged Freaks and Spiders, and Spielberg’s Arachnophobia flashed before my eyes.

I wondered who would be members of the club? Would they be witches hunched over a cauldron, professors doing research on spiders?

But, surprise, surprise! I met a cool and hip bunch of youngsters of both genders in trendy outfits, most of whom were studying in local universities. This very friendly, down-to-earth group had plenty in common, mainly their love for tarantulas and exotic insects.
The president of the Malaysian Tarantula Society, Randy Chuah, its vice-president Elson Tan and some of the members enlightened me about the nature, breeding, food habits and behaviour of tarantulas.

“Many movies about spiders have created a paranoia about them” says Chuah. The society wants to set the record straight and educate the public that tarantulas are not the monsters that they have been made out to be, but gentle creatures which can be kept as pets.

I had no choice but to agree because the members of the tarantula society whom I met were holding them gently in the palms of their hands and allowing them to crawl along their arms.

Chuah used to keep about 60 tarantulas in his home. But his university classes and other activities have forced him to sell the spiders or give them to friends. Now he rears about 20 creatures.

His parents were anxious about his unconventional hobby at first, but he soothed their fears by showing them that he had the knowledge and skill to keep them as pets. He got many tips from the British Tarantula Society.

“There are more than 800 different species of tarantulas and the biggest among them is the bird-eating Goliath tarantula of South America,” he informs me. The Goliath has a body length of 13cm and a leg span of up to 31cm. And that means it’s as huge as a dinner plate!

There are four different groups of tarantulas: arboreal, terrestrial, obligate burrowers and adaptive tarantulas. Most of these are non-aggressive.

If you see a tarantula which starts tapping its legs, it doesn’t mean that it enjoys your company. It generally means that it is gearing up to attack you. However, most tarantulas are docile and prefer to flee from prey rather than stay and attack.

The tales about tarantulas killing humans by biting and injecting lethal venom into them are false. While they do have venom, their bites are not fatal. Their bites are akin to that of a bee sting, Chuah says. It is painful and will cause a swelling and some soreness. Of course, those who are allergic to tarantulas will not get off this easily.

Tarantulas are a formidable species when they need to defend themselves. Besides having fangs and venom to attack prey, they have urticating hairs. Their prickly hair will stick to prey causing them to develop a severe itch.

Tarantulas are among the world’s largest spiders. But they are different from regular ones because they are more primitive and less evolved. Tarantulas are by nature carnivores. So you have to keep them in separate tanks or they might end up eating each other!

Keeping tarantulas is not an expensive hobby. They eat insects such as crickets, cockroaches and grasshoppers. “For a ringgit, you can get about 20 crickets and they usually eat only a few of those a week. This is because they have a very low metabolic rate. Thus, it doesn’t cost a bomb to keep these creatures,” he said.

What about jumping tarantulas? The truth is they don’t jump unless they want to commit suicide! Their abdomens are susceptible to being ruptured should they fall from a certain height. So when handling spiders as pets, handle with care!

Chuah and some of his members also play the role of matchmaker to the spiders. This is because tarantulas have only a 15 per cent chance of surviving in the wild after they are born. The society therefore tries to breed them to prevent them from being extinct.

The female tarantula, very much like the Black Widow spider, eats the male after mating. So when a female starts attacking the male, Chuah and friends separate them with the use of forceps and move them back into separate tanks.

Like Kate Moss, tarantulas seem to suffer from anorexia nervosa. This happens during the molting process when they shed their skins because they seldom eat at this time.

Besides tarantulas, MTS members also have black scorpions. My photographer, Mei was game enough to allow a giant scorpion to scuttle along her arm! I watched in disbelief, open-jawed, thinking it would sting her at any moment. Thankfully, it didn’t.

One member explained that as long as you keep your hand still, it would accept or think that you were part of the ground. It only strikes when you shake your hand when the vibrations cause it to be defensive. Also, the scorpion called the Asian Forest Scorpion is non-venomous.

However, there are dangerous tarantulas and scorpions like the poisonous Yellow Fat Tail scorpion. Chuah worries about the lack of serums and vaccines to cure those who get bitten by them. As a preventive measure, these creatures are not brought into the country.

Tarantulas from the wild are usually mite-infested, making them short-lived. Scorpions and tarantulas are often overpriced in pet shops and many a time, Chuah has spotted spiders labelled wrongly. Those interested in keeping tarantulas and scorpions as pets can buy them from him or order online through the MTS website: http://www.mtsociety.com.

Chuah also said that new members and those who were curious about the club were most welcome to join their society which now number about 300. “It’s a great way to make friends, chat and exchange tips about caring for your exotic creatures and insects.”

Best of all, membership is free. The society aims to educate the public about tarantulas, how to protect them and keep them as pets. You can contact Chuah via his email (e-mail:randychuah@hotmail.com).