The most common question for people who are interested in getting a tarantula has got to be this one:

What does a tarantula bite feel like?

After all, aside from having your tarantula get sick, injured, or die, a tarantula bite is a T lover’s greatest fear and biggest concern. No one WANTS to be bitten by a tarantula, and many of us avoid handling our tarantulas altogether to avoid it. Still, mistakes can happen during feedings, rehousing, or freak accidents – so it’s good to know what you should be prepared for.

The answer to this question varies in several ways. It depends on several factors, such as the size and species of tarantula, the pain tolerance level of the person who suffered the tarantula bite, as well as what kind of bite it is (dry or wet?). So let’s delve right in!

Tarantula bites by species

While there are plenty of websites that will tell you that a tarantula bite feels comparable to a bee sting, there are plenty of experienced tarantula owners who will tell you otherwise! I mean, just look at tarantula owner Rob Carman SUFFERING after getting bitten by his 10″ Poecilotheria ornata. NOT a be sting at all! Rob, aka Tarantulaguy1976 on YouTube, suffered nausea, burning, cramping, numbness, and more. Rob went to the hospital and fortunately was ok.

Rob has also documented other tarantula bites by different spiders, this one by a smaller 4″ juvenile P. regalis:

This one was by TheReapersride on YouTube, of a chaco gold knee tarantula. In the bite report video, a woman who was allergic to bee stings was bitten. In her report she stated swelling and numbness lasting over 45 minutes. Fortunately, she did not experience respiratory issues, however that doesn’t mean that all tarantulas owners who are allergic to bee stings may not experience allergic reactions to tarantula venom.

Tarantula bites can actually get pretty gnarly – so don’t underestimate them when you hear things like “it’s just like a bee sting.” Tarantula owner Whitelightning777 on Tarantulaforum.com documented a bite from his T. stirmi and it was pretty brutal. The photos are graphic so I won’t put them here, but you can read his thread here. Here’s what he wrote about the experience:

It didn’t start to hurt real bad until I tried squeezing the venom out & then I started bleeding like a stuck pig.

The whole thing happened pretty fast, split second. I’m typing this left handed and had to call off of work.

I’m not sure what I’m gonna tell them. It’s like when those big wall wasps get you but with more mechanical damage.

It took a while to get the blood off because it basically didn’t clot for quite a while. These pics were taken before the venom fully kicked in.

Those fangs go real deep. It obviously hit at least one blood vessel and the bone under the bite itself actually hurt. The pain felt deep, unlike a wasp sting.

Fortunately, he was ok!

So as you can see, tarantula bites can vary in terms of side effects, damage done, and pain levels. Reading bite reports on tarantula forums like arachnoboards.com and tarantulaforum.com are a great idea in terms of knowing what to expect from different species, however keep in mind that you are also a variable. Your pain tolerance, the size of your body, and the area you are bitten in will also likely play a big role in what a tarantula bite is like for you.

Types of tarantula bites

Many people don’t know this, but there are two types of tarantula bites: dry and wet ones. Wet ones are obviously the tarantula bites in which venom is released into the prey. However, this doesn’t happen every time a tarantula sinks its fangs into something. Dry bites are when the tarantula has bitten into something with its fangs but no venom comes out. While these bites still do mechanical damage, they tend to be less painful and do not have the side effects of a wet bite.

Side effects of a tarantula bite

Side effects will vary depending on whether you are allergic to tarantula venom or not, but generally people experience some pain, itching, numbness, redness and swelling after the bite. However, in more severe, potent cases of tarantula venom (such as a large Old World tarantula), things like extreme pain, sweating, tightness in the chest, muscle cramping and spasms, and respiratory issues have also been reported.

What should I do after a tarantula bite?

The unfortunate thing about insect stings or bites is that you don’t really know you’re allergic to it until it actually happens. So it’s always a good idea to have an epi pen (if possible) or at least some Benadryl or other anti-allergy medicine. Some wounds are ok with simply being cleaned with soap and water, applying an ice cube or cold compress to numb and reduce swelling, and anti-itch cream and a Benadryl pill. But some bites and reactions will warrant medical attention – ESPECIALLY if you are experiencing abdominal cramps and nausea, trouble breathing, chest tightness and a headache. While there are no recorded deaths from tarantula bites, your health is nothing to play around with. If you feel you should go to the hospital after being bitten by a tarantula, go.

Final thoughts on tarantula bites

It’s important to note that a tarantula will never bite you just to be mean to you. They are not evil, aggressive creatures by any means. A tarantula will only bite you in self defense if it feels threatened, scared, or provoked (or by accident, thinking you might be food). A tarantula will also give you warning signs in most cases such as trying to run away, rearing up in a threat posture, or kicking hairs – if you ignore these signs, you will likely be getting bitten and possibly deserve it.

In closing, I would like to leave you with this adorable video of a tarantula nibbling on its owner lol.

What do you think? Let me know in the comments!

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 😉