skittish, running away from danger rather than acting defensively, but it may also raise its front legs and present its fangs in preparation to defend itself. It can act especially defensive for days after moulting; this may be innate in the spider's behavior. As with the majority of tarantulas from the Americas, it has small, spine-like urticating hairs on its abdomen that it kicks off or releases when threatened as a defense. In February 2009, a British man was treated for tarantula hairs lodged in his cornea. The urticating hairs were thrown from the man's pet G. rosea while he was cleaning its tank. Medical authorities urge owners to wear protective eyewear when handling G. rosea. The venom of the Chilean rose tarantula contains multiple toxins, which may help it immobilize and digest prey, as well as deter predators. A specific peptide found in this venom, termed GsMTx4 (Grammostola rosea Mechanotoxin 4) has been shown to inhibit mechanosensitive ion channels in living cells. References Further reading External links Grammostola rosea at care-sheet.com (WikiPets) Grammostola rosea photography Tarantula breeding, site of Czech Ondrej Rehak Theraphosidae Tarantula, Chilean Rose Spiders of South America