by Guest Blogger Chicken Wrangler Sara
Our next-door neighbor called yesterday afternoon and said, “There is something on the outside wall of your house that you will want to see.”
My first question was “Is it alive?”
“Very much alive” was the answer.
So I headed out side to see whatever it was….
Yup, it is a tarantula.
Rachel’s first comment was “It is not coming inside.”
Since it was close to the window of our bedroom, we discussed whether tarantulas could get through glass. We decided they could not.
Beekeeper Brian put on a glove and was planning to hold it, but it got a little testy – picture all those hairy legs sticking straight up.
We left it alone.
About 2:30 in the next morning, Tucker started whining. I took him to the back door, but he didn’t need to go outside. I checked the weather, but no thunderstorm in sight.
We went back to bed.
I must confess, I did lay awake for a while wondering about the spider. But I soon fell back asleep and so did Tucker.
This morning the itsy bitsy spider was gone.
I’m not sure what is more disconcerting – seeing the spider one day or not seeing it the next.
I was telling my mother-in-law about the spider today at lunch and she talked about having them all the time at their house in Austin. She thought the caramel colored brown ones were particularly pretty. I cringe at the use of the word “caramel” in the same sentence as “spider.” I must confess, though, they are amazing creatures.
Those things are amazing. Some call beautiful. I question that description. Once, while my mom and dad were visiting us in Arizona, we took them on a road trip to see different places. We were on a very remote little two lane road and looking ahead it looked as if the pavement were moving. My husband slowed down and we saw an army of tarantulas migrating across the road. It was a pretty amazing sight.
ugh… I don’t know that I’d have left it alone.
Tarantulas rank up there with possums as things I don’t want to “wrangle.” I’ve since learned that the variety that lives around here is not poisonous. I figure that as long as it leaves me alone, I will return the favor.
Not poisonous? You have a lot of them where you live? oooh, you’re braver than I am, even without the poison!