myTobago – your questions, review and comment about Tobago

I am going to Tobago on the 8 November 2004, can anyone tell me if I am likely to encounter any
spiders?

Hi Michael

Welcome aboard!

Well, you get spiders everywhere, but I can't say that they're any worse in Tobago than anywhere elsewhere (particularly compared to here in the UK at the moment). There are, I believe, no noxious or poisonous spiders on Tobago.

Thanks Steve

I hate spiders. I'm not phobic, but have to call a neighbour in to dispose of anything that you can hear walking across the floor, if you know what I mean

I didn't see a spider on either of my two trips, so I think you'll be OK.

Rachel

I don't want to worry anyone - but while we were staying in a villa at Mt. Irvine a few weeks back - we had a little incident with a spider..... During the evening I suddenly heard screams from my partner and her daughter from the kitchen - which not only brought me running but the night security man too - and the cause of the noise was there walking (strolling) across the kitchen floor - a large spider - getting on for the size of a saucer .
Anyway, this was quickly escorted outside by the security man - but the thing that amused me was the comment from him of "It's only a baby!!". Well if that was a baby - I'm glad we didn't meet Mother!

I must admit the things I wasn't too keen on were the very small lizards which occasionally ran across the tiled floor. I tried once to scoop one on a paper to pop him (or her) outside - but it moved at lightning speed under the nearest chair.

At least these "little" creatures are harmless - and we are a lot bigger than they are!

Terry

Lizards? ... they keep the nasty mossies away !!

Spiders? ... the size of saucers?

Think about it ... that spider was probably keeping all the rodents away ... Eeeeeek !!

I suppose now is not the time to tell of my encounter with a 6-foot-plus long rainbow boa constrictor near Speyside .....

Hi Cornelia,
Our taxi driver told us the caught a boa a while back in that area that was taking goats, I think the basic jist of the story was the guy was accusing people of stealing his goats, kept watch to catch the culprit and ended up catching a dirty great snake.

Think I stick with barracuda.


Regards
Kevin

Erm ... I think I'd rather take my chances with the Boa, Kevin !!

An aside: Our favorite taxi driver once told us that we were mistaken in thinking that all the goat-like creatures you see everywhere in Tobago are actually goats.
He said some are sheep. Sheep?, I said skeptically. They have no wool. He said that tropical sheep have adapted to the heat by not growing much wool. Then he explained how to tell the difference: One of them has a tail that goes up; the other's tail goes down. Damn if I can remember which is which.

Hi Cornelia,
I'll check with some of the Welsh guys that I work with they are bound to know.

Regards
Kevin

Sheep Down - Goats Up

Oddly enough it was a Shetlander who knew, it’s just started a very interesting conversation in the coffee shop.

Regards
Kevin

Cornelia, methinks you're trying to pull the wool over our eyes.

I was about to reply "Ba-a-a-a-a-a-ah humbug," when I came across this site:
http://www.sheepandgoat.com

You'll find info about Tobago sheep several paragraphs down. Photos, too! It's amazing all the info out there on the internet.

Hey!!! All I ever wanted to know about sheep on Tobago but was afraid to ask!!

Jane

Its wonderful how this thread has taken on a Darwin theory if you look at its evolution.
Spiders
Lizards
Mossies
Boa constrictors
Goats
Sheep
Welshman
Iwonder what Ann Robinson would make of it

Me thinks this thread has opened up a whole "new can of worms!"

Terry the spider

Could it be we have all missed the reason we are offered wellies for rain forest walks?

Terry I thought the spiders name was Boris

I'm afraid I didn't ask the spider what his or her name was - when I go back next year I will do so

Terry (spider talker)

Quite fascinating ... I will now observe such phenomena with considerable knowingness and wisdom.

Has anyone actually met a manicoo ? ... that could produce a few cans of worms ... and you would need a good set of trainers if you did !!