but the spider was a tarantula which I should have realised (baboon in Afrikaans is the same as a monkey.. hence monkey spider) and the hissing noise I heard is when it's pissed off and is going to attack. Apparently the bite isn't deadly but will cause vomiting in about 2 hours.
I always thought tarantulas were cute. I've changed my mind.

(, Wed 17 Nov 2004, 1:08, archived)
