Use in Linz – drug victims have inherited scorpion and tarantulas

A man from Linz may have recently been the victim of a drug overdose in an apartment on Rudolfstrasse in Urfahr. His shocked partner not only alerted the emergency doctor and funeral director, but also had to ask ICARA’s animal protection department for help. The reason for the request: The deceased had been hoarding several exotic arachnids in the bedroom – on a shelf opposite the bed.

Seven live tarantulas and one scorpion were housed in terrariums and plastic boxes, but had to be removed at the woman’s request. “Until then she had hardly had anything to do with the animals and she was clearly afraid,” ICARA commander Lukas Riedl said.

Another tarantula was already dead, a cannibal of the same species had already eaten half of it when the rescuers arrived. “This leads to the conclusion that the owner did not have extensive knowledge of his animals. Otherwise he would have kept them separate,” Riedl explains. Among the spiders were a Usambara Red Tarantula, a Yemen Blue Tarantula, three White-knee Tarantulas and a Martinique Tree Tarantula. The seventh specimen was still so young that it could not be identified for the time being.

“It was difficult to use at first because the scorpion and spiders weren’t labeled and we didn’t know what species they were and how dangerous they were,” says the animal rescuer. Fortunately the containers were all closed. It turned out that all specimens are poisonous, but hardly dangerous to humans. Riedl: “We carefully collected the animals and transported them to the animal shelter in Linz.” Just to be sure, the apartment was also searched for any escaped copies before departure.

The rescued caterpillars are now being taken care of at the animal shelter. There they hope for experienced spider experts who are interested and who have the right terrariums to accommodate some of the exotics.