HOUSTON – It happens: Sometimes people leave things behind when they move.
But what one tenant left in an apartment in southwest Houston was anything but normal.
Tarantulas and scorpions were found in 20 containers scattered in an apartment on South Wilcrest Drive and Rockley Road.
Of the 13 tarantulas found, three of them were dead. There were also 59 scorpions, 54 of them were babies. All but one of the species were venomous although not strong enough to kill someone, according to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
From there, the tarantulas and scorpions were taken to the SPCA.
The tarantulas and scorpions will be held there and go through the process of any other type of abandonment case -- although even the SPCA admits this is a bizarre one.
VIDEO: Tarantulas, scorpions found in abandoned apartment
The Winding Trail apartment complex staff was just trying to inform a tenant he was in the process of being evicted when they gained access to the home. They not only noticed the man moved out, but he also forgot some things.
While Harris County Pct. 1 and the Houston SPCA secured the containers, the apartment complex can't be too sure they're all accounted for before they exterminate the unit.
"There's definitely a chance there's still some crawling around, we don't know," Harris County Pct. 1 Chief Deputy JC Mosire said. "They can hide, they can really hide."
The SPCA said the arachnids can survive weeks without resources, but it's unclear if these ones were abused or just forgotten. Under the law, neglect falls under the cruelty to animals category.
The identity of the man who lived at the apartment has not been released, but what investigators did say is that they did not find any evidence that he was selling them.
No charges have been filed in this case but a court hearing to determine custody of these insects will take place in about 7-10 days, according to the SPCA.
