Striped knee tarantulas can be aggressive, especially when they are molting or shedding their skin. However, most tarantulas will only bite humans when they feel threatened.
Striped knee tarantula is a species of hairy spider, found mostly in western Costa Rica and central parts of America, such as Honduras and Nicaragua and Guatemala. Other names include:
- Costa Rican zebra tarantula
- Aphonopelma seemanni
What are the characteristics of striped knee tarantulas?
Striped knee tarantulas are often called zebra tarantulas because they have black and white stripes in a longitudinal pattern seen near the joints of their legs. Characteristics are as follows:
- Brown or black
- Approximately 10- to 13-cm long
- 8 legs and an external skeleton
- Skittish and docile
- Fast runners
- Feed on insects such as cockroaches, small beetles, lizards, and grasshoppers
- Live in deep burrows
- Live in warm and dry environments
- Highly defensive
- Have hairs that can irritate human skin
- Belong to the Theraphosidae family
Are striped knee tarantulas poisonous?
Striped knee tarantulas bite when provoked. However, the venom is mild in toxicity and is not known to cause any long-term damage in the majority of the cases unless a person has an episode of anaphylaxis after the bite (1%-7% of cases).
More commonly, exposure to the tarantula’s abdominal hairs may be irritating to the eyes and mucus membranes. This can lead to intense itching due to histamine release and the formation of urticaria (hives) or contact dermatitis due to anaphylactic reaction in rare cases.
In the United States, only black widow and brown recluse spiders are known to have venom strong enough to hurt humans.
What are symptoms of a striped knee tarantula bite?
Striped knee tarantula fangs cannot puncture human skin. A bite can cause mild symptoms similar to a bee sting:
If you are allergic to the venom, symptoms may include:
- Breathing difficulty
- Excessive sweating
- Rapid heart rate
- Muscle cramps
- Vomiting
- Restlessness
- Eye puffiness
How to treat a striped knee tarantula bite
Striped knee tarantula bites are self-limiting and will resolve on their own within a week. Some tips to help relieve pain and swelling include the following:
- Wash the wound with soap and water
- Apply ice packs on the wound
- Elevate the limb to reduce inflammation
- Take oral pain medications if the pain is severe
- Take antihistamines to relieve itching
If you experience the following beyond the usual bite, seek medical attention:
- Severe pain
- Redness starts to spread
- Fluid oozes out of the wound
- Face swelling due to an anaphylactic reaction
SLIDESHOW
8 First Aid Kit Essentials for Scrapes, Cuts, Bug Bites, and More See SlideshowDerSarkissian C. Spider Bites: What You Need to Know. WebMD. https://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/ss/slideshow-spider-bites
World Allergy Organization. Allergy to Insect Stings and Bites. https://www.worldallergy.org/education-and-programs/education/allergic-disease-resource-center/professionals/allergy-to-insect-stings-and-bites
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