World of the Bizarre

Man receives giant spider through the post

By T.K. Randall
September 3, 2015 ·  11 comments

The unsuspecting recipient got more than he bargained for. Image Credit: PD - Wikimedia Anyone who has complained about receiving junk mail in the past might want to spare a thought for a man who this week opened up a parcel addressed to his new home in Bristol to find that it contained a Brazilian Salmon Pink Bird-eating Tarantula - the third largest species of spider in the world.

It turned out that the enormous arachnid had been sent by the house's previous owner to someone in Brazil but had been rejected at the destination and sent back in a "return to sender" package.

The spider had been living inside a special container within the parcel for several weeks.

With a leg-span of up to 28cm, the species can reach the size of a dinner plate and has something of a reputation for being quite aggressive. Along with its 2.5cm fangs the spider also possesses the ability to 'kick' hairs from its abdomen as a type of defense mechanism."When I examined the tarantula it was clear it was very unwell, as it was showing signs of dehydration and had lost a lot of hair from the abdomen," said vetinary surgeon Sonya Miles.

"It is common to send insects and some living creatures via the post, as long as they are clearly labelled in accordance with the postal service being used. "

"Although the package did adhere to all the regulations, it was just an unlucky situation that resulted in it not being collected by its intended owners."

The globe-trotting tarantula is now regaining its strength at an animal rescue center and it is hoped that it will eventually find a new home with a local spider enthusiast.

Source: Yahoo! News | Comments (11)

Tags: Tarantula, Spider, Post