This is a rough guide, especially for newbies as to what to do if you get bitten.
IMPORTANT: Please this is just a guide, not to be taken as the be all and end all as there have been no Cochrine studies or review articles on the subject that I could find.

A few important facts:
1) Tarantulas have a series of other defenses and warnings, biting is the last resort (usually). So pay attention and be careful and you will most likely never need this post
2) contrary to popular belief by some newbies and non-keepers, tarantula venom is not known to be cytotoxic(destroying tissue) in humans and only mildly neurotoxic(damaging to nerves). This means that a tarantul bite does not cause the black, necrotic holes in human tissue that people always fear from spid bites.
3) Tarantula bites are usually not considered "medically significant", except for certain species like Heteroscuria maculate and Stromatopelma cal datum which are considered to have a more potent venom more likely to cause severe forms of known symptoms.

SYMPTOMS:
First of all, tarantula fangs are big and thus the physical bite itself can be quite painful. Within 10-25 minutes the area surrounding the bite will start showing signs of histamine release into the tissue:
- redness
- swelling
- localized pain
Up to this point it's a lot like a bee/wasp sting, just more painful because of the size of the fangs.
Usually after the acute phase symptoms, which include the above and severe cramping when the bite is in the area of smaller muscles like the hand, symptoms subside slowly over a few weeks. In some tarantulas like Poecilotheria these basic symptoms may last longer, even up to 3 months according to some. Others report arthritic type joint-pain and stiffness from a few days after the bite lasting a few weeks.

Like with any other protein/peptide a person can be allergic to tarantula venom, much like bee stings. If you are an allergic person by nature, I.e asthmatic, allergic to foods/iodine or prone to skin rashes read the next paragraph carefully.

Allergy to tarantula venom can cause anaphylaxis, if you experience any of the following symptoms GET TO A HOSPITAL ASAP, THIS LIFE THREATENING!!
- Breathing difficulty
- puffing of the eyelids
- severe and sudden itchiness of entire body
- headrests above 120 beats per minute
- skin rash progressing from bite site to rest of the body
- severe nausea and dizziness
- swelling of lips and throat
In these cases patient will need to be treated in an emergency department as specialized medication and possible ventilation could be needed.

HOME TREATMENT:
1) The peptides in tarantula venom denature(break up due to heat) at a lower temperature than the proteins of human tissue, thus a not entirely proven but very likely helpful first step is to hold the affected area in water as warm as you can stand without burning( don't burn yourself with boiling water and end up with a skin-graft please!). Hold it there for about 10 minutes, this should cause the peptides in the venom to denature and thus minims the effect of the venom.
2) DO NOT apply a tourniquet, the effect of blood loss to the tissue can be far worse than than the venom spreading a bit.
3) wash the bite site with Detol/Savlon to prevent infection to prevent infection
4) now apply ice to the area in a pattern of 10 minutes on 10 minutes off to prevent excessive swelling
5) take the following 3 types of tablets as indicated until symptoms subside:
- an anti-histamine like Diphenhydramine, Chlorpheniramine, loratidine or cyclinzine
- a non steroidal anti-inflammatory like Ibuprofen(Brufen), Diclofenac(Cataflam) or Naproxen
- Paracetamol like Panado for pain relief and to prevent a fever.
6) lastly, if you haven't had a Tetanus-booster in the last 10 years it could be a good idea to get one as the tarantula's fang could be contaminated by soil from it's enclosure( soil, rocks or pieces of wood in it's enclosure)

People have also reported a low-grade headache lasting for days to weeks, this can usually be managed by over the counter analgesia(Panado)

!!!!!!!!! again this is guide, if you experience any adverse affects or feel very ill/weak please seek medical attention immediately as you could be the unlucky person to be allergic to tarantula venom.....please!!!!!

Now enjoy your tarantulas and don't get bitten, hope this helps
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