 Some tarantulas are well known to give "dry bites", i.e., they may defensively bite some animal that intrudes on their space and threatens them, but they do not pump venom into the wound.Most New World tarantulas are equipped with urticating hairs on their abdomens, and almost always throw these barbed bristles as the first line of defense.These bristles irritate sensitive areas of the body and especially seem to target curious animals that may sniff these bristles into the mucous membranes of the nose.