The chances of being bitten are so slight that one has little need to worry. Upon seizing its prey, it kills with its venom. Through the wound made by the fangs, it injects an enzyme from its mouth which digests the victims outside the spider's body. This fluid reduces the prey to a consistency where it may be sucked in by the spider with the aid of its strong stomach muscles. It is then absorbed in the tarantula's stomach.
Tarantulas are normally long-lived creatures.
They do not reach sexual maturity for about 10 years. During this time they undergo a series of molts, and until they reach maturity you can't tell the male from the female. The mature male is quite dark, nearly black, while the mature female is brown. The degree of coloring varies with the species and geographical location. Upon maturity the males abandon their burrows and go forth to seek a mate.