Friday, October 5, 2012

Tarantula...it's what's for dinner

It was around 5:30 Wednesday evening. I was sitting with the herd while they ate their dinner,
fortifying myself with an adult beverage in preparation for watching the big debate. 
No sooner had I sat down when a big fat tarantula (BFT) came waltzing across the corral. 

I could have sat back and watched him pass by, but of course I did not. The scene had blog post written all over it. 
I went back to the house to fetch my camera.

By the time I returned, the BFT was still in the corral, heading west.



I've witnessed so many tarantulas living here that they cease to surprise me, 
yet they still give me the heebie-jeebies. So I was pretty darned glad that 
I was photographing the BFT from the opposite side of the fence.




George gave him a passing glance, but being a strict vegetarian, he left the BFT alone and went back to his hay.



The BFT continued his way westward, and I was ready to bid him adieu as he headed off into the sunset.



But then he made a very bad decision. 




He turned north and crossed into the chicken yard. I could have bet the ranch on what would happen next, 
and it was in my power to stop it, yet sadly I could not. 
Saving the BFT from my carniverous chickens would have meant *gasp* touching the BFT.
I couldn't bring myself to do it. Call me a coward. I'll get over it.



Clara: The way I see it, he's got 8 legs and there are 4 of us. We each get 2.



Eugenia: NFW. I'm keeping all 8 for myself.



Eugenia tossed the BFT in the air to keep him away from her sisters.



Then she squashed him like a bug.




Clara: She can be such a selfish bitch. At least I got one leg out of the deal.




I wonder what a chicken thinks about while devouring a BFT...how it tastes? 
How those leg hairs are getting stuck on her beak? How she'd better floss?




Eugenia didn't stop to think for long. 




She ran off with the main course with Peach in pursuit.




They rounded the corner and ran into Clara, who had made an end run.
But wait...who is that hiding in the shadows? Why, it's Honey Bunny!




Honey Bunny: I can't believe your chickens eat tarantulas.
Me: Me neither.



Honey Bunny: I'm outta here. Wouldn't want them to think I'm dessert.

27 comments:

  1. I definitely had the hair on the back of my neck stand up looking at the photo of the BFT in the sun. But I still feel bad for him, but hey, he made that choice....survival of the fittest and all. He gets the Darwin Award for entering chicken territory!

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  2. Yet another reason to get chickens. I hate spiders.

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  3. Oh, those multi-tasking ladies! They took away the BFT so YOU didn't have to! Yea chickens!

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  4. Omg! I'm just freaking out over the spider, thinking how on one hand I'm so envious of your life out there and then on the other, well...I couldn't handle snakes and big hairy spiders when I realize I could get me some killer chickens! Ha!
    Yep, I'm envious again!
    I still want to move and live with adorable burros and CHICKENS!

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  5. ROLF at this story and no way would i pick one up even though i am told they are harmless

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  6. I suffer arachnophobia. My mouth goes dry, I suffer genuine nausea, goose bumps, and what I call 'whimwhams' over eight legged things. Thanks for including the bunny pictures at the end...that got me restored from the creepy spider. I'm glad he got eaten! Makes me want to get some chickens...

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  7. I'm no longer surprised that your chickens eat tarantulas, but their enthusiasm for the hunt takes me aback a little bit.

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  8. EWE, ICK! ;-)
    No resting for a blogger eh! ;p
    Are the girls eggs safe to eat after they have consumed a BFT?
    I envy you warm weather, but it is to gosh darn COLD here for BFT, and snakes. Our rabbits are starting to put on their white coats here which means.....snow is around the corner.....sniff

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  9. OMG OMG! This is so crazy good!

    I'm thinking that must be/have been an egg sac on the tarantula's back so Eugenia has likely spared you a bunch more. My daughter said, "Yum! Huevos Tarantularos!"

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  10. So you get the heebie jeebies from a BFT but don't mind picking up snakes? It's official you're a little crazy! Give me a spider anytime over a snake.

    Glad the girls had a tasty if hairy dinner. Honey Bunny is adorable but I'd have left those killer chickens if I was him too. Just to be on the safe side.

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  11. Although I am a little bit horrified (could have done without the shot of poor mangled BFT), I was ROTFLMAO :)

    OMG your chickens are brutal! Run, Honey Bunny, RUN!!!

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  12. Aw yes, the beautiful yet deadly carnivorous chickens, ewwwwwww. The spider had no idea what a little wrong turn was going to bring about...po spider. We had a pet BFT when I was a kid, or I should say my brother did. Harry (I know how original huh?) was kinda cool as I remember, not that I'd like to experience one now. But heck when your 6 anything your older brother does is cool.
    Honey Bunny is a very wise young rabbit, run Honey, run.

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  13. I thought of you the other day as I was photographing a BFT at my house. I know where her hideout is, and stalk her constantly.
    I do wonder how your hens deal with those stinging leg hairs, but then I also wonder about donkeys and cholla spines. Oh well, some things can't be understood. :)

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  14. Eugenia, did you really say "NFW"?!! And I thought you were a Classy Chick! Ahh, but when it comes to BFTs, I can't say I blame you. Not that I would want to eat one, but I might say the same if someone tried to make me share a bar of really, really good chocolate.
    Great post. Great laugh. Love the shot of Eugenia walking away with the spider in her beak.

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  15. Oh, the carnage.

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  16. I think that BFTs taste like chicken. I've never eaten one, but since allegators, snakes and a multitude of other creatures are alleged to taste like chicken, I stand by my comment. I'm so totally in your corner...I would watch and not do anything. I will gladly escort a spider outside, but on something, like a piece of paper. No touching allowed!

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  17. Can I just say....I love this Blog!

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  18. no bft's here, but plenty of spiders. maybe i should get a house chicken to kill those that get indoors =o)

    comments...

    learned a great new word "whimwhams"...love it!

    "Are the girls eggs safe to eat after they have consumed a BFT?"...a little hairier perhaps?

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  19. You go, Eugenia Braveheart. BFTs must be tasty cause she is after it. Eewwwww. I'm imagining you snapping pictures in that 45 second flurry after the fateful wrong turn.
    Honey Bunny looks a little freaked out.

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  20. Ahhhh! not again. BFT, mice, what next? Nevermind i don't want to know. LOL Well, Really i do.

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  21. YUK!!!! can't believe that chickens like those things....glad that it wasn't that snake you post about...I would have gone into shock and then who knows....Love the pictures of the desert setting and all that intrigues me, but snakes NO NO NO...
    Love from NC

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  22. You guys knock me out! LOL

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  23. One more of many reasons, I really want chickens. E-GAD! I'd be a wreck after seeing a ginormous spider like that. You are One.Cool.Lady. I have no remorse for it's demise whatsoever.

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  24. http://petspeopleandlife.wordpress.com10/5/12, 11:41 PM

    I love those rabbits that hang out in the barn or chicken yard, or where ever. I am with you when coming across that kind of spider. I saw one in my back yard central Texas)last week but it was moving on like it was in a big hurry.

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  25. Fantastic post!

    It's the time of year for them to be moving. If one drifted toward the chickens I have not witnessed it.

    Fantastic series of photos.

    Sandra sent me to your place.

    I had a series of BFT's encounter with the dogs last week.

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  26. Oh. my. god.
    And, gee, how did I know it would be Eugenia leading the voracious pack? :-)

    (CeeCee....really? Their leg hairs *sting*??!!!) gack.

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  27. Spiders give me the heebie jeebies bad. Of course you know what the F stands for in my version of BFT. :o)

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