Spiders are one of those creatures that people either love or hate. If you are someone who is a spider enthusiast, you likely love watching and caring for spiders, and as far as you are concerned, the bigger the better.

For those with any level of arachnophobia, however, the bigger the spider is, the more terrifying it becomes.

So, whether good or bad, most people will have a strong reaction when they see the Malaysian Earthtiger Tarantula. This massive spider species is one of the largest on the planet, and it has an especially bold look to it that really makes it stand out.

It has a leg span of 22 centimeters (8.7 inches). Its body is a lot smaller at just 4 centimeters (1.5 inches), but when it comes to spiders, that is still quite large.

It gets its name from the long bands of dark colors across its body, especially on the females. The males tend to be more of a bright beige or olive green.

Either way, in addition to being surprisingly common pets in many places around the world, the wild spider loves to live in the trees of the rainforest. It is known to be quite quick. While it could run away from predators and even humans, it is known to be surprisingly aggressive, choosing to defend its territory rather than run in many cases.

That being said, as humans have moved in and around its habitat, this spider has also been seen making a home under bridges and other manmade structures, so you really have to watch out.

Like all tarantulas, this species is indeed venomous, but its venom isn’t considered deadly to humans. Instead, the venom is used to subdue its prey, which consists of small animals and insects.

If a human is bitten, it can cause severe pain at the bite location as well as muscle cramps and spasms. Symptoms of the bite can persist for as much as two weeks, so getting medical attention is advised, even if the venom almost certainly won’t kill you.

Overall, this massive spider is one of the many interesting members of the tarantula family, and for most people, it is best to just avoid them.

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