If you are scared of spiders... you probably do not want to see this...

Have never seen a spider this big. I like them, but would never want to meet this one.

Spider drags opossum across forest floor. (Courtesy-- Fox News)

They said this spider is the size of a dinner plate. It has captured an opossum and is taking it to its lair. (wonder how big that is, as well).

Nature's extremes can really challenge us. It would be interesting to find out if this is the biggest yet encountered, and how old it is. Has anyone ever seen a spider this big ????

originally posted by: charlyv
Have never seen a spider this big. I like them, but would never want to meet this one.

Spider drags opossum across forest floor. (Courtesy-- Fox News)

They said this spider is the size of a dinner plate. It has captured an opossum and is taking it to its lair. (wonder how big that is, as well).

Nature's extremes can really challenge us. It would be interesting to find out if this is the biggest yet encountered, and how old it is. Has anyone ever seen a spider this big ????

It's a mouse possum though... adults are the size of a softball.

Still a bigass spider.

I like spiders, except those of the hobo/recluse type.

Got a case of necrosis once from one of those...

Now if I see them they die on sight.

S&F for the video though.. still fun to watch.

Dang it!

My hubby worked with a fellow many years ago, who told us about when he lived in south America. He told me about spiders big enough you had to kick them away from you.
I always thought/hoped he was exaggerating.

Thanks for the warning, but I looked anyway. So the nightmares tonight are on me.

a reply to: charlyv

Neat video. The spider didn't seem frightened by the human/light presence either. The Amazon is one place I will NEVER go camping.

a reply to: carewemust

I went to the island Vieques (off PR). We rented a nice little villa near the coast on a small mountain. At night, when we came back from the village of Isabella, there were tarantula's all over the screens and door. They were not very big about a few inches, but no one would enter the place. We stayed out until daylight to get back in. Scary little critters.

If you are scared of spiders... you probably do not want to see this.

That's what double barrel ar-15's are for.

That's got to be a baby opossum or a mouse? Tarantula's dot get that big to take down a adult opossum. Where I live opossums get to be about the size of a small house cat. The largest known tarantula or for the matter any spider is the Goliath bird eater, which is about the size of a dinner plate as described in the video.

originally posted by: Shockerking
That's got to be a baby opossum or a mouse? Tarantula's dot get that big to take down a adult opossum. Where I live opossums get to be about the size of a small house cat. The largest known tarantula or for the matter any spider is the Goliath bird eater, which is about the size of a dinner plate as described in the video.

It's a mouse possum though... adults are the size of a softball.

From the article.

If that was a REAL possum, I'd see where I could buy a few of the spiders.

I HATE possums... nasty nasty animals.

They will approach a larger carcass, eat its way up the anus and eat the guts out first.

The only animal I will swerve to hit.

a reply to: Shockerking
a reply to: Lumenari

Yea, i guess it was a small opossum , however... the size of that spider is incredible. I never knew they got that big.
After eating that opossum... it probable got a little bigger!

Why did I have to watch that. I'm dead. My heart gave out. I don't even want to be on the same planet as a beast like that.

This is why I’m ok with bulldozing the rainforest

I really should not have watched that this late in the evening.

I know what I'm going to be dreaming about tonight.

originally posted by: Lumenari

originally posted by: Shockerking
That's got to be a baby opossum or a mouse? Tarantula's dot get that big to take down a adult opossum. Where I live opossums get to be about the size of a small house cat. The largest known tarantula or for the matter any spider is the Goliath bird eater, which is about the size of a dinner plate as described in the video.

It's a mouse possum though... adults are the size of a softball.

From the article.

If that was a REAL possum, I'd see where I could buy a few of the spiders.

I HATE possums... nasty nasty animals.

They will approach a larger carcass, eat its way up the anus and eat the guts out first.

The only animal I will swerve to hit.

My son had me build a chicken coop and the Raccoons drag them off and eat them the damn Possums just kill them and maybe eat a head and drink blood. Having seen enough of them, Armadillo's are Possums on the half shell aren't they?

That spider could kill them too. But at least it will drag it off to eat it and not slaughter 10 of them at a time.

originally posted by: Lumenari

originally posted by: Shockerking
That's got to be a baby opossum or a mouse? Tarantula's dot get that big to take down a adult opossum. Where I live opossums get to be about the size of a small house cat. The largest known tarantula or for the matter any spider is the Goliath bird eater, which is about the size of a dinner plate as described in the video.

It's a mouse possum though... adults are the size of a softball.

From the article.

If that was a REAL possum, I'd see where I could buy a few of the spiders.

I HATE possums... nasty nasty animals.

They will approach a larger carcass, eat its way up the anus and eat the guts out first.

The only animal I will swerve to hit.

And opossums stink too, they are garbage loving beasts! They also hiss like cats too; except 100 times worse. Nasty critters.

a reply to: charlyv

poor Tarantulas, what a bad rap they got....stupid film industry.

f a tarantula should bite you – probably after warning you to back off by raising its front legs and displaying its fangs in a threat posture – it will likely inflict a pain comparable to that resulting from a bee or wasp sting. Brent Hendrixson, in his article, "So You Found A Tarantula!" on the American Tarantula Society internet site, says that the tarantula's "venom is of no medical significance, and contrary to popular belief, nobody has ever died from such a bite…" Read more: www.desertusa.com...

a reply to: charlyv


There is a huge wasp that stuns the Goliath Birdeater and lays eggs on it. It is suppose to be the size of a small sparrow.

originally posted by: charlyv
a reply to: Shockerking
a reply to: Lumenari

Yea, i guess it was a small opossum , however... the size of that spider is incredible. I never knew they got that big.
After eating that opossum... it probable got a little bigger!

Nah bugs will stay small as long as the oxegen levels stay the same. Way back oxegen levels where higher and allowed insects, arthropods and arachnids to grow to unimaginable sizes in today's standards, which would be a horror show. So feel safe when they say dinner plate size it's basically 10 inches or 25 mm give or take.

originally posted by: ClovenSky
a reply to: charlyv

poor Tarantulas, what a bad rap they got....stupid film industry.

f a tarantula should bite you – probably after warning you to back off by raising its front legs and displaying its fangs in a threat posture – it will likely inflict a pain comparable to that resulting from a bee or wasp sting. Brent Hendrixson, in his article, "So You Found A Tarantula!" on the American Tarantula Society internet site, says that the tarantula's "venom is of no medical significance, and contrary to popular belief, nobody has ever died from such a bite…" Read more: www.desertusa.com...

I have had a few tarantulas as pets (some can live up to 25 years) All tarantulas do this rearing up on their hind legs when they sense a threat. But it is also the time to tame the beast and make it a pet, if you so dare. They will do this at a cricket sometime also, even ants. they are very sensitive hunters. And when they do this you can touch, maybe massage their carapiece and let them know you are not a threat.

I had a rose hair tarantula for years and she loved my touches. I have had cats less responsive. She unfourtunately passed in a bad molt at the age of 12 human years (maybe she was older) She was full grown when I bought her. I called her boris after the "The Who" song entitled "Boris the spider" even though she was a female. I actually cried and was very sad for a while for her death.

a reply to: Shockerking

Wow, that first touch must have been a "hairy" moment. I do not think I could trust myself not to be bitten, but finding out from others here, it is not a life threatening bite.

I love all animals regardless of my fear of some of them and having one like your spider trusting you is significant as well. Sorry you lost such an exotic pet. She could have passed for a "Natasha" as well