Antivenom: An Introduction

A venomous animal envenomates a person, now what? Well, they go to the hospital, and depending on the situation, they may receive something called antivenom. Antivenom is a serum of antibodies. An antibody is “A protein made by plasma cells (a type of white blood cell) in response to an antigen (a substance that causes […]

Biology of Spiders Book Review

The Biology of Spiders according to the publisher “has established itself as the supreme authority on these fascinating creatures.” – OUP. This book is very insightful and probably will cover everything about spiders themselves. It may be the only book you will ever need on the scientific study of spiders; there is no other book […]

Top 10 Most Venomous Snakes in the World

This is a list of the most venomous snakes in the world in order by the LD50 according to subcutaneous injection which is the most common form of envenomation in humans. There are some difficulties with making a list like this, but if we just go by the LD50, this is the list you would […]

What is a Spider?

Growing up, I assumed that eight legs were a part of classifying spiders, but that is not the case. Many other little creatures have eight legs, e.g., ticks. So what then makes a spider a spider? For the right and correct answer, it is the following: “The most important synapomorphies of the Araneae (which would […]

Why Do Snakes Shed Their Skin?

Snake shed their skin when they grow. Its the same for many animals; spiders, scorpions, centipedes, and many other animals shed their skin. When an animal increases in size, their skin gets too small for their body, so their skin comes off with a new skin underneath! It is an exciting phenomenon for every collector. […]

Can We Hold Spiders and Tarantulas?

The vast majority of spiders and tarantulas are not dangerous, and many can be held. However, remember, the pleasure of this activity is only for you; most spiders probably do not enjoy this activity. Although, at times, some appear to be curious about the change in their environment. Most of them probably don’t care. It […]

Are All Spiders and Tarantulas Venomous?

The basic answer is yes; all spiders and tarantulas are venomous (although, there are a few that are not). However, that does not mean they are all dangerous. There are about 40,000 species of spiders recorded, and only about 200 are considered medically significant to humans. That means only 0.5% of all the spiders in […]

What is the Difference Between Venomous & Nonvenomous Snakes?

Currently, there are about 4000 species of snakes recorded (2022), and only “600 are venomous and over 200 are considered to be medically important.” – WHO. Usually when people ask this question, it is being asked for identification purposes. The short answer is does not work that way. There are too many different and similar […]

Commonly Kept Venomous Snakes

The following is a list of genera of the most commonly collected venomous snakes in the private owner community. Knowing at least one species from each genus will help you identify the different species that you encounter among private keepers. I encourage you to focus on learning genera and not species because you will cover […]