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Creepy Case: Tarantula Shoots Hairs into Owner's Eye
livescience ^
| 31 December 2009
| Jeanna Bryner
Posted on 01/01/2010 8:28:23 AM PST by JoeProBono
A creepy case of a man who got tarantula hairs stuck in his eye has doctors advising people to wear eye protection when handling the eight-legged pets.
In February 2009, a 29-year-old man visited the St. James's University Hospital in Leeds, England, after enduring three weeks of a red, watery and light-sensitive eye. A dose of antibiotics for what was presumed to be conjunctivitis didn't clear the symptoms.
Doctors at the hospital examined the eye under high-magnification lenses and spotted hair-like projections sticking into the cornea of the right eye.
"When we looked at this guy's cornea, the clear window covering the eye, we saw these little whitish spots and a little black hairy-like thing at the center of each," St. James's Zia Carrim told LiveScience. There were about a dozen hairs protruding from the cornea, a couple of which had gone all the way through the eye's thin covering.
The doctors let the patient know of the hairy findings.
Ah-ha the patient immediately recalled an incident right before he started having eye troubles in which he was cleaning the glass tank of his pet, a Chilean Rose tarantula (Grammostola rosea). While focused on cleaning a stubborn stain, he sensed movement in the terrarium and so turned his head. That's when the tarantula flicked a "mist of hairs" that hit him in the eyes and face......
(Excerpt) Read more at livescience.com ...
TOPICS: Pets/Animals
KEYWORDS: jpb; spider; tarantula
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This pet tarantula, a Chilean Rose tarantula, releases utricating hairs from its abdomen to defend against potential predators...or an unsuspecting owner. Credit: The Lancet.
To: JoeProBono
Nothing that a judicious application of a claw hammer wouldn’t fix...;’}
2
posted on
01/01/2010 8:31:12 AM PST
by
rockrr
(Everything is different now...)
To: JoeProBono
Note to self for 2010. Wear eye protection when handling spiders. LOL LOL
3
posted on
01/01/2010 8:33:28 AM PST
by
Mercat
(Reluctant glenbeckian)
To: JoeProBono
Thank God women can’t do that, how many of us would already be blind? ;)
4
posted on
01/01/2010 8:38:37 AM PST
by
mkjessup
(0bama squats to pee.)
To: JoeProBono
Rule one, spiders are not pets.
Rule two, people who keep spiders for pets are somewhat deranged.
Rule three, avoid both.
5
posted on
01/01/2010 8:45:56 AM PST
by
Dr.Zoidberg
(Warning: Sarcasm/humor is always engaged. Failure to recognize this may lead to misunderstandings.)
To: JoeProBono
I get doggie hairs all over my clothes and occasionally in my eyes and nose as well...but, it just doesn't seem quite as creepy.
6
posted on
01/01/2010 8:49:06 AM PST
by
left that other site
(Your Mi'KMaq Paddy Whacky Bass Playing Biker Buddy)
To: JoeProBono
One must prepare for such calamities.
7
posted on
01/01/2010 8:58:09 AM PST
by
Daffynition
(What's all this about hellfire and Dalmatians?)
To: JoeProBono
Another spider fact that encourages my creeped out feeling and fear of them!
8
posted on
01/01/2010 8:59:55 AM PST
by
My hearts in London - Everett
(So the writer who breeds more words than he needs, is making a chore for the reader who reads.)
To: Daffynition
Amen to that!
9
posted on
01/01/2010 9:02:20 AM PST
by
JoeProBono
(A closed mouth gathers no feet)
To: rockrr
Thanks SO much for posting this. Now I have to spend NYears day with THIS friggin’ image in my mind. Please submit future posts of this sort to MoveOn or Huntington.
10
posted on
01/01/2010 9:04:23 AM PST
by
Oldpuppymax
(AGENDA OF THE LEFT EXPOSED)
To: mkjessup
11
posted on
01/01/2010 9:05:18 AM PST
by
JoeProBono
(A closed mouth gathers no feet)
To: JoeProBono
12
posted on
01/01/2010 9:07:14 AM PST
by
Daffynition
(What's all this about hellfire and Dalmatians?)
To: Oldpuppymax
Better?
13
posted on
01/01/2010 9:09:11 AM PST
by
JoeProBono
(A closed mouth gathers no feet)
To: Daffynition
14
posted on
01/01/2010 9:10:22 AM PST
by
JoeProBono
(A closed mouth gathers no feet)
To: JoeProBono
I don’t like spiders and snakes
15
posted on
01/01/2010 9:18:12 AM PST
by
NonValueAdded
("'Diversity' is one of those words designed to absolve you of the need to think." Mark Steyn)
To: NonValueAdded
16
posted on
01/01/2010 9:21:32 AM PST
by
JoeProBono
(A closed mouth gathers no feet)
To: Mercat
We who live in tarantula country are very aware of the shooting hair phenomena.
The only time they're visible is at night or very early morning from mid-September into early October when they go on the prowl for mates.
17
posted on
01/01/2010 9:21:52 AM PST
by
ErnBatavia
(It's not the Obama Administration....it's the "Obama Regime".)
To: rockrr
A claw hammer puts me too close to one of these things. I with say a stinger missile would be about ideal for me. But someone else needs to go check on it after I fire the missile, to be sure it is obliterated.
18
posted on
01/01/2010 9:23:05 AM PST
by
rawhide
To: rawhide
A claw hammer puts me too close to one of these things. I with say a stinger missile would be about ideal for me. LOL - I caught a tarantula when I was about 3 and put in my Mom's underwear drawer. Caused quite a commotion when she found it. I learned that big spiders were a no-no in the dresser. I put a little brown garter snake in the drawer the next time, because I had learned spiders were bad... :D
19
posted on
01/01/2010 9:44:22 AM PST
by
eldoradude
(Let's water the tree of liberty with THEIR blood...)
To: eldoradude
As the momma of boys, thank you for the laugh and the memories.
20
posted on
01/01/2010 11:02:26 AM PST
by
WVNan
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