Is this a tarantula?

[Medusa]

Good god in heaven! I would've been out that door so fast you would've seen my smoke! That's the one thing that concerned me when I lived in AZ; I was scared to death that I'd come face to fang w/a tarantula but I never saw one, thank goodness. And for the record, yes, they do bite but their bite is similar to a bee sting so it will hurt you only if you're allergic to the venom. Wouldn't matter. If a tarantula bit me, I'd die of a heart attack or stroke anyhow. I've also heard that they're jumpers but I don't know if that's an urban legend or not. No one in AZ that I talked to seemed to know. All they told me was that when the monsoons came, tarantulas walked in hordes down the main street in Sedona. Tarantulas and hordes. Two words I really don't like to hear together in a sentence. Ever. Ever. Ever. (Did I say ever?) I stayed indoors during the monsoons and nervously peered out my window til they passed.

The person who put that thing in a manila envelope is beyond brave. I'd have to quit my job just in fear of another tarantula appearing. Just the word is scary; it looks like it has legs w/out even knowing what it is. Good grief, why did I read this thread??? I'll be up all night now.

[Karen]

I've also heard that they're jumpers but I don't know if that's an urban legend or not.

It is an urban legend. From

http://www.amazingtarantulas.com/tarantulafacts.htm

"Can tarantulas jump?" - Ahhh, you've been watching "Arachnophobia," haven't you? Granted, I've heard the rumors that tarantulas can jump a few feet in the air long before that movie came out. The biggest problem is that tarantulas are very fragile, and a fall from even a few inches could injure or kill the spider. So why would a tarantula take such a dangerous leap? That is assuming that they physically CAN leap that far. Most tarantulas will "pounce" on their prey, moving a half-inch to a couple of inches forward.

With that said, there are arboreal species (tree dwellers) that can and will jump from branch to branch if necessary. If they live in trees over water, such as a brook or stream, they have been known to jump out of the tree and into the water to avoid an approaching predator. People that keep some of these arboreal species, such as the common pink toe tarantula (Avicularia avicularia), report that they will take a leap from your hand onto your chest or face - or unfortunately, the floor. (That is why you need to be careful when handling these guys!)