Man greeted by huge tarantula after opening package at new home

A man was left horrified after finding a large and potentially aggressive tarantula inside a parcel left at his new address.

The package, which had return to sender written on it, had been outside the property in Bristol for up to three weeks when the new occupant of the home opened it.

Upon opening the parcel, the man was shocked to discover a Brazilian Salmon Pink Birdeater sitting on a bedding of mouldy tissue.

The spider, which is the third largest in the world, was taken to Highcroft Veterinary Group in Whitchurch, where a vet confirmed it was “very unwell” and showing signs of dehydration.

Sonya Miles, a veterinary surgeon at Highcroft, said: "Mould can affect tarantulas very negatively so, with the exposure to the fungus and being stressed after circulating in the post for so long, I'm surprised it even survived.”