A spider advocate feared her three new tarantulas were dead when they arrived in plastic bags. Then she learned why they came that way

Ambasspooders, a content creator known for advocating for spiders, recently faced a shock when three tarantulas she ordered arrived in individual zip-top bags. In an emotional video on Instagram and TikTok that gained more than 2 million views, she shared the unboxing of spiders she first thought were dead. As she noted in the overlay, “I have a LOT to say about this shipment. I haven’t ever seen spiders shipped in baggies.” 

She wasn’t the only one upset and scared. Many of her viewers were quick to label the packaging as animal abuse. One Instagram user commented, “No, you definitely should put a bad review for whoever shipped those because that is animal abuse insect abuse that’s just abuse.” Another TikTok user noted, “no living thing deserves to be treated like that.”

As she opened the bags, her initial fears were proven wrong. As the first stepped out, she whispered to it, “Ah! I’m so sorry, sweetheart.” Each bag held an active, calm spider. One immediately even made a bid to escape their enclosure. Once she calmed down enough and noticed these details, she contacted the seller and did more research before uploading a follow-up video.

She says the method is common in China but unusual in the US

When she had all her information, Ambasspooders called it a “culture clash” rather than cruelty. She said her research showed it is an accepted shipping method in China.

In her caption, she noted “This is a legit shipping method that utilizes the spider’s natural positive thigmotaxis (the thing that makes them hug walls instead of standing in the middle of a room) to induce a torpor-like state during shipping, preventing escape and reducing respiration and metabolism. instead of using a hard cup to protect from crushing, soft material is used as shock absorption.”

She also shared screenshots of what she claimed was her conversation with the seller. The text noted, “The reason they were packed in zip-top bags was intentional. They were secured so they could not move around inside the bags.” He also mentioned that he included a damp paper towel to maintain moisture. 

Ambasspooders still felt it was important to address the lack of context. As she wrote, “The science checks out. But I also handled the fact that this never should have been my experience based on shipping [Terms of Service].” Alarming unboxings have gone viral before, as one woman’s smashed Starbucks mugs showed.

In the United States, the standard for shipping tarantulas is quite different. According to Fear Not Tarantulas Inc., spiders should be placed in a size-appropriate container, like a condiment cup, with small holes for ventilation. This allows the animal to stay in a natural position while remaining protected. 

The shipping box around the container is then packed with insulation, like foam board and crumpled newspaper. The site notes that animals should always be shipped through services like FedEx Priority at the start of the week.

Ambasspooders said that she was glad she took the time to investigate before jumping to conclusions. She emphasized her motto to “squash the fear, not the spider,” and in this instance, she chose to “squash the anger and not the human.”