How To Deal With A Tarantula Bite: What To Do And When To Get Help
The tarantula bite
I’ve written before about what a tarantula bite can feel like, which is super important for any new tarantula owner to know, but it’s also really important to know what happens if you do happen to have a tarantula bite. This is not something you want to be googling after it happens!
Be prepared for a tarantula bite
If you’re thinking about getting your first tarantula, you’re likely doing tons of research about what equipment you need to set up its new home. Along with all of these basics for the tarantula, you should be thinking about yourself, too. Before you get a tarantula, you should invest in some sort of first aid kit or have a plan for what you’re going to do in the event of a tarantula bite.
Some things that are good to have on hand are:
While an Epipen can be hard to get your hands on, it’s not a bad idea to get one if you have access or can afford it. This should only be used in cases of allergic reaction.
The bites usually leave fang marks and are often painful. The pain is described as throbbing and can last for hours. Fever, nausea, and vomiting occur rarely. In general, the effects from tarantula bites are mild.
Treatment of a tarantula bite
The severity of a tarantula bite will depend on many different things. It will depend on the species of tarantula (Old World Tarantulas possess more potent venom than New World Tarantulas), the area you were bitten in, as well as your size and own reaction to venom. Some things you can expect from a tarantula bite are:
- Some blood loss
- Itching, pain, or throbbing
- Swelling
Self treatment
If you have a mild tarantula bite and are not suffering major symptoms, here’s what you can do at home:
- Wash the site with soap and water to minimize the chance of infection
- Apply a cool compress or even an ice cube to induce numbness and reduce swelling
- Apply a paste of powdered meat tenderizer mixed with water to reduce irritation
- Apply a topical cortisone or Benadryl cream to reduce irritation; and
Be alert for symptoms of an infection or allergic reaction (see below).
When to seek medical attention for a tarantula bite
If you have gotten a tarantula bite by a particularly venomous spider or believe you are having a severe or allergic reaction, it is time to go to the hospital – ESPECIALLY if you are having chest pains or trouble breathing. Here are some other symptoms of a severe reaction:
- Abdominal cramps and nausea
- Chest tightness and breathing trouble
- Headache
- Rash (hives), or
- Headache, especially if accompanied by anxiety
What to Expect at the Emergency Room
The health care provider will measure and monitor your vital signs, temperature, pulse, breathing rate, and blood pressure. You may also receive:
- Blood and urine tests
- Breathing support, including oxygen, a tube through the mouth into the throat, and a breathing machine in serious cases.
- Chest x-ray
- ECG (electrocardiogram, or heart tracing)
- Intravenous fluids (through a vein)
- Medicines to treat symptoms
Decrease your risk of a tarantula bite
The best option is always prevention. Learn the warning signs of your tarantula’s body language. Tarantulas have distinct threat postures and defensive behaviors such as flicking hairs, rearing up, or retreating. While many tarantulas act very quickly, most will give you a warning sign to back off first before biting. Many New World tarantulas will opt to flick hairs before biting, however Old World tarantulas only use biting as a defense.
The best thing you can do to ensure the safety of you and your tarantula is to be respectful and pay attention around your spider. Notice their body language and leave them alone if they are bothered. Limit your handling (tarantulas generally do not enjoy handling) and be careful during cleaning, rehousing, and feeding procedures.
Remember, a tarantula will never bite you out of aggression – it is a purely defensive move because they feel threatened or scared. If you give them space and respect them, your chances of being bitten will decrease dramatically.
I hope this helped you! By the way, check out my new tarantula magazine for more cool spider stuff:
I’m putting out issues every 2 months! If you’d like to be a part of that, you can visit the magazine’s Patreon page to subscribe or make a submission! You can also contact me at theavenmag@gmail.com for more info!
If you want to learn more about tarantulas, feel free to check out my big tarantula guide (I talk about lots of tarantula facts and enclosure/care tips). You can also get free tarantula tips by signing up for my newsletter or subscribing to my YouTube channel! I release new tips every Tuesday for Tarantula Tuesday! And I also sell some pretty cool tarantula t-shirts, if I do say so myself 😉