It is for this reason why experts advise people to be careful while handling a terrestrial tarantula. Here’s another great, longer video of Tarantulaguy1976’s H gigas swimming: So what the hell is going on?! There are about 800 documented species of tarantulas all around the world, and all of them can swim. Today, I’m answering a super interesting question: If you’re a new or soon-to-be tarantula owner, you might be terrified that your tarantula might accidentally drown itself in its water dish. It is their ability to adapt quickly to changing environments and to live in harsh terrains that have helped them survive. This flexibility in limb movement has puzzled the scientific community, and a lot of research has gone into it too. And I also sell some pretty cool tarantula t-shirts, if I do say so myself . If you remove the painful bites, it’s venom is ineffective than that of a typical bee. That's right, y'all—tarantulas can swim. Most of these species swim only when they accidentally fall into the water or are being chased by predators. You can also contact me at theavenmag@gmail.com for more info! I've been working with the National Wildlife Federation for the past five years. Tarantulas aren’t one among them. That being said, you can’t expect all tarantulas to dive underwater. Due to the presence of trapped air between the setae, the tarantula floats with ease. In this article, we will look at these findings of their ability to swim and other important aspects of them. On land, these hind legs give them a locomotive force. However, most of the time the tarantulas floated on the surface film of water. White Dog Names – 430 Best Name Ideas For A White Puppy, A Complete Guide To Choosing The Best Farm Names, 404 Native American Indian Horse Names With Meaning. The prevalent school of thought regarding this flexibility points out to an adaptation they picked while being an arboreal insect. When it comes to arthropods that can swim, a spider doesn’t come to mind. Tarantulas are native to lots of areas and climates in the wild. A tarantula is lucky to have hydrophobic hair around them. Their color and behavior vary depending on their specific environment. Beyond which they must resurface for air. It is also interesting to note that tarantulas can still swim even if they lack one or two legs. A tarantula uses its setae to get air bubbles that allow them to have floating abilities, and are completely dry when they arrive on land using their front legs to float due to the bubbles. They have the ability to adapt quickly to any environment, and this has helped them to survive and even live in harsh terrains. A layer of air trapped by the dense coat of hairs on the legs and body is probably an important factor here. That’s all for this short article,  please, if you enjoy it, help us in sharing it. Also, the legs were angled sideways slightly so that more surface area of the legs was being used to push through the water (see diagram). The legs are slightly angled and act as crude pedals. All Rights Reserved. You might know that if you have seen a tarantula, they have tiny hairs called setae on their body. By angling its legs, the tarantulas make use of more surface space of their legs to hurl forward rather than moving their legs up and down, similar to how they walk. But while swimming, this pair is trailed and pulled along with them and serves as an insignificant role. The researcher believes tarantulas can detect they are in water through hygroreceptors on their legs, which also detect humidity. This isn’t the case with arboreal tarantulas that are found in the wild. The hairs are primarily sensors, but they can also trap air between them. Can a tarantula survive a fall into the water? The Maningrida diving tarantulas coat themselves with a waxy secretion that keeps them dry while protecting their book lungs. A tarantula has a different adapted style to hurl itself through the water. Tarantula uses a very low rate of oxygen that is pumped throughout their bodies and their guts. It is this ability of tarantulas to change their limb movements in the water that helps them swim. These hairs are primarily used as sensors, but they also can trap air between them. 500+ Female, Country, Famous, Cute & Funny Bloodhound Names, 500+ Male, Female, Cute & Unique Mastiff Names. If you’d like to be a part of that, you can visit the magazine’s Patreon page to subscribe or make a submission!