Australian explains why he let a giant spider live in his house for a year.
Australia is a place full of contrasts. Here you can find the most beautiful landscapes and dangerous animals in the world. It is common to see or read about huge animals entering the homes of its inhabitants, showing that Australia is indeed only for the brave.
But what happens when the intrusion of one of these animals turns into one of the weirdest stories you’ve ever heard? A story that sounds like an adoption anecdote. According to Jake Gray, this appears to be what happened.
The Australian has a Facebook page where he shares content about his daily life in this country. One of these many publications was accompanied by a photograph of a giant spider. Gray said he “watched her grow up” for an entire year. Oddly enough, this man was never afraid of the meddling of this arachnid.
As time passes, this man “expects me to grow more.” This spider belongs to the Sparassidae family, which is relatively common in Australia and other nearby regions.
“These spiders have always been welcome in our home due to their appetite for cockroaches, and we do not use toxic products and insecticides to combat pests,” Jake explained to the IFLScience portal.
Jake and his family’s affection for this arachnid insect is so much that they even named it Charlotte (in honor of the famous story “Charlotte’s web”). Many people may consider it risky to live with a specimen like this, but the truth is that these spider species are not dangerous to humans.
The spider belongs to the Alconia Immanis, a subspecies of the Sparassidae that can produce venom but never uses it on humans due to its ineffectiveness. This is why in the presence of people, they regularly hide and flee from the place.
These spiders can reach 15 centimeters in length and are very fast, so it is difficult to catch them.
“What are you supposed to do if you find a giant spider in your car or in your living room? First, control yourself! It won’t hurt you. – Describes ecologist Linda S. Rayor for IFLScience – Second, find a container that will hold the animal and place it there, dropping it outside your home or car. These spiders almost never bite humans, as they rely on speed to escape most predators. When they do, the bites are usually defensive, fast, and without venom injection .” She concludes.