Creepy crawlies are Animals of the Month

By Ben Rodgers

Editor

SUAMICO – In addition to being creepy and crawly this month’s Animals of the Month at the NEW Zoo are also misunderstood.

With Halloween around the corner, the NEW Zoo boasts more than a few critters that might make your skin crawl, but none probably as much as Villi, a 12-year-old Chilean rose-haired tarantula.

“She could bite and she does have venom, just her venom is not as potent and would incite a human reaction like a bee sting,” said Brent Koerner, zookeeper.

Koerner has never been bit by Villi and has no plans to. He avoids all contact with her because of the venomous bite.

“In addition to her bite, they do have these hairs on their back legs that they can shake off on a predator and they are super fine, so you can’t see them, but they will burn and itch, they are an irritant,” Koerner said.

Villi also uses those hairs as feelers as eyesight is not a strength for tarantulas.

“She doesn’t have very good eyesight, despite having eight eyes,” Kroener said.

The Chilean rose-haired tarantula is native to the deserts of Chile, Bolivia and Argentina.

They typically spend the daytime hours under a cool spot, like a log or rock, and come out at night to hunt their prey, which are insects.

Because they don’t have teeth, the way in which they eat those insects is unique.

“They basically have protein shakes all the time,” Koerner said. “Their fangs have a venom that liquefies their prey’s insides.”

The NEW Zoo has close to 100 Madagascar hissing cockroaches, most of which are used to educate people who participate in the VIP program.

Although the way they consume their food sounds disgusting, tarantulas and other spiders play an important role in the ecosystem.

“They play a huge role in insect control and fly control,” Koerner said. “Spiders in general help with flies, mosquitoes, all the pests we don’t like.”

About 100 other misunderstood crawly creatures also call the NEW Zoo home, Madagascar hissing cockroaches.

Reaching 2-3 inches at maturity, these bugs often spook people because of TV shows like “Fear Factor.”

But the cockroaches don’t bite, don’t fly, quietly hiss and most importantly, poop dirt.

The bugs live on the ground in rainforests in Madagascar. By eating decaying plants and turning them into dirt, they provide an invaluable service.

Plus, they serve as a nice food source for other animals.

“It’s almost one of those things where it’s disgusting, but you have to look at it,” Koerner said.

The male cockroaches have horns and tend to battle other male cockroaches to assert dominance.

Male tarantulas don’t last as long. Once done mating, the female goes in for the kill.

“They are like pitbulls,” Koerner said. “People give them a bad rap. People and shows give spiders and cockroaches a bad rap by portraying them in a bad light, but once you look at all the facts, they are pretty cool.”

These creepy, crawly critters are also part of the VIP programs at the NEW Zoo, so children and adults can get up close and personal and learn more about them.

More information on the VIP programs can be found at newzoo.org.