Review: Tarantula Planet’s Creepy Crawlin’ Pets

Written on Apr 25, 2011 by RuthJS and filed under Reviews, Uncle Milton

Here they come! Sound activated tarantulas from Uncle Milton are ready to race, chase and scare. While these toys are entertaining, we don’t see them holding a child’s attention for a long time, so we would classify them as a fun diversion or novelty. Additionally, while they are definitely creepy, we had some performance and reliability issues that are not characteristic of most of the Uncle Milton toys we review, though these did not get in the way of the fear factor, so read on.

Overview

The Tarantula Planet Creepy Crawlin’ Pets are designed for children ages five and up. They require three 1.5 V batteries, which are included, and they are made out of plyable plastic. The spiders retail for $10 to $14.50, and there are additional play sets available. We reviewed two spiders, Tango and Red Beard.

Out of the Box

The design is pretty basic: a plastic spider with motorized wheels under its abdomen and a sound sensor that activates the wheels to make the spider cruise across any flat surface. Adding to the creep effect, when you turn on the power, the tarantula’s eyes light up with red bulbs, and they start speeding across the floor. I’ll be honest, I jumped back and screamed the first time this happened.

Disclaimer: I HATE creepy crawly things of all shapes, sizes and materials. That said, I am not the only adult who jumped back doing a double take after seeing the spiders.

Characters

So far, there are four different creepy characters: Octane – The Racer, Spike – The Rocker, Tango – The Soldier, Red Beard – The Pirate. Each character has its own styling and personality. For example, Tango is all decked out in camo with a battle helmet . . .

And, Red Beard has a Jolly Roger on his abdomen, a three-cornered hat, a hook on one leg, and the requisite parrot companion . . .

Since Uncle Milton has included batteries, the spider games can begin immediately. However, when you need them, both the battery compartment and the On/Off switch are located under the spiders’ abdomens.

Play Time

So, after I recovered from opening the box and turning the spider on (see above), I started testing it on various flat surfaces. Basically, the smoother the surface, the better faster the spider moves. These little guys don’t do well with dips, bumps or carpet. Nor do they turn when they encounter an obstacle (unless one leg brushes the edge of something and changes the direction of the body). So, for the best results, give them plenty of room to “crawl”.

To start any of the spiders moving, all you have to do is flip the switch to On and it down. The wheels will start spinning, and the spiders will take off. Claps and shouts will make them keep moving, though we didn’t find any difference in speed based on the volume of the claps. If the room gets quiet, the spiders will stop moving momentarily until they “hear” another sound. This can be fun if you are trying to scare someone since the spider will sit, inactive for a fair amount of time.

Speaking of scaring, the Tarantula Planet web site has these tips for getting the most from your arachnid:

1. Put your pet tarantula under the kitchen table during dinner. When your family sits down to eat, make a really loud noise so your tarantula starts crawling under their feet. Someone will definitely jump!
2. Put your pet tarantula in the Creepy Crate and hide. When mom comes around push the release button on the crate and scare her!
3. Bring your friends into your room. Tell them you want to show them your new pet. You can say, “He’s a little shy, but let me see if I can get him to come out of his crate.” Push the crate button and let him go. You’ll be sure to scare them!
4. Show your friends the Creepy Crate. Then say, “Do you know whose wooden box this is? It says something here on top, but I can’t read it.” Push the crate button and let your tarantula go. You’ll be sure to surprise your friends.
5. Introduce your friends to your new pet tarantula. Tell them, “Shhh, my pet is sleeping. Be really quiet.” When they are relaxed, make a loud noise and start your tarantula. We’re sure you’ll scare someone!

Beyond startling parents, friends and siblings, the spiders can also race if you give them plenty of room. It is impossible to “steer” them, and they turn when they feel like turning, so we recommend building a narrow track if you truly want to see which is fastest.

As you can see in this video, Red Beard got stuck. This was a problem he inconsistently but frequently ran in to, and nothing I did changed this fact. Tango didn’t have this issue.

In a Nutshell

The creep factor is definitely there with these spiders. However, they are not very sophisticated, so don’t expect any responses to voice commands or programmability. While $14.50 seems steep for one insect, we found individuals for as little as $10. But the best value by far was the four-pack for $23, particularly since it had one spider of each design.

Overall, we give these spiders:

3.5 out of 5 stars

Tarantula Planet on Amazon.com

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