people, i understand your consern, but be sure that no test will be done without fully doing research and covering every aspect.
this is not a promise that it will be done, but i for one WILL NOT DO THIS IF ANY ANIMAL OR SPIDER IS GOING TO GET HURT OR DIE.
we are still busy with research but will keep forum members updated about if it is going to happen, how, when etc...

I don't think it's a mateer of people trying to scare you or being negative.

But I for one cannot see myself cheering you (or anyone else) on to do this if there is a possiblity that you could end up with serious medical issues.

I also think that a project of this importance cannot and should not happen overnight, it's a long-term thing.

If everything is researched properly and done responsibly, then you have my full support.

Maybe the reason why this has not been done thus far is because someone already did all the research and found that it would be too risky to undertake.

Maybe you should first focus on interviewing people that have been bitten and gather all information/photos that you can get from the person and compile a database.

Perhaps then you could look into taking it further by experimenting with 'controlled' bites....?

Cenotaph wrote: I don't think it's a mateer of people trying to scare you or being negative.

But I for one cannot see myself cheering you (or anyone else) on to do this if there is a possiblity that you could end up with serious medical issues.

I also think that a project of this importance cannot and should not happen overnight, it's a long-term thing.

If everything is researched properly and done responsibly, then you have my full support.

Maybe the reason why this has not been done thus far is because someone already did all the research and found that it would be too risky to undertake.

Maybe you should first focus on interviewing people that have been bitten and gather all information/photos that you can get from the person and compile a database.

Perhaps then you could look into taking it further by experimenting with 'controlled' bites....?

thank you that is not a bad idea

In the Tarantula keepers guide they mention a bloke that had himself bitten by something like 40 or 80 different species, can't remember the details. Will go check up on it.

So the research might already be somewhere available.

This is specific to bites though and not urticating setae.

The info posted by Taki in my recent thread 'Allergic reactions' should maybe also be taken into consideration for this project.

Hi all,

just to calm the nerves, we (well me at least) are not going to just do this lekke lekke at home and see what happens, if at all we go ahead with this, like Cerat suggests, we need professionals in this field to assist us, I am not talking about a breeder with 10 or even 20 years experience, I'm talking about professors like Dr. Ansie Dippenaar Schoeman, and proper specialist physicians that are familiar with insects and their venoms, we definitely need to find the right people to assist us, because not only are their skills required, but only they can provide us with means to secure "scientifically" accurate or admissible results.

If you want to get bitten by pissing off your spider and possibly killing it in the process, consider yourself a poephol. And for sure I want no part of it.

If we cannot prepare a professional experiment, then the experiment is not going to happen. When I say do it properly I mean I intend to gather as much info as possible from as many resources as possible before we take the first step, this could take a year maybe more.

Cerat again is right, I had a brush with bristles and landed up going to the ER just to get some sort of relief from the symptoms. I am obviously quite allergic so I cannot volunteer. We can't have just random people asking to get bitten, and then land up half dead or full dead simply because the right tests and research was not done before hand.

This MUST be a solid endeavor or none at all, and I mean it, if we can't do it right, i will resign from being involved. I have simply offered to help organize this as it was my kooky idea (I really didn't think anyone would seriously do it), so I am certainly not going to risk anyones health or life for a bloody experiment.

nuf said i think...

HS