Bats, Cats and Spiders: Halloween's Animal Kingdom Quiz

Estimated Completion Time
3 min
Bats, Cats and Spiders: Halloween's Animal Kingdom Quiz
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About This Quiz

How much do you know about the skin-crawling creatures that stalk the night? Take our Halloween animal kingdom quiz and find out!
In one superstition, a bat entering a house is a sign that what is going to happen?
Someone is going to die.
A severe storm is imminent.
The plague is coming.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Bats have garnered unreasonable fear for centuries. Some believe that bats flying into a home means that someone will soon die.

In one superstition from Nova Scotia, what does it mean if a bat flies around in the house and then lands?
One of the children will die.
The wife will die.
The man of the house will die.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A bat that comes to rest means a man will die. If it keeps flapping around, ladies ... well, sorry, your time has come.

Including the leg span, how big are giant huntsman spiders?
12 inches
18 inches
24 inches
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Considered one of the biggest spiders in the world, this species can be more than a foot wide when you factor in leg span.

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If someone in your home is sick and a bat enters the house, what should you do?
Drink some whiskey.
Throw some salt into a fire.
Whack it with a stick.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Quickly toss some salt into a fire and hope for the best. If the sick person dies, at least you can say that you tried.

Where is the giant huntsman spider found?
Laos
Brazil
under your bed
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In spite of its huge size, the spider was unknown to science until 2001, when it was found in a cave in Laos. Never, ever go into that cave.

What should a bride do if she witnesses a cat sneezing?
Give it to an enemy.
Kill it.
Consider herself lucky.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A soon-to-be-married woman should consider a sneezing cat a sign of good fortune to come.

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One superstition states that if you walk through a spider's web, what will happen?
You'll be rich.
You'll have bad luck.
You will die.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Stumble into a spider's web and you may wind up with a lot of bad luck -- starting with the fact that you walked into a spider's web.

Why are bats often associated with Halloween?
They frequently attack humans, particularly people with lots of hair.
They are most active in autumn.
Some of them drink blood.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

One reason bats are often considered creepy is because a few species drink blood, and vampires are definitely a subject for Halloween.

In the Middle Ages it was rumored that cats could do what to beer?
Make it go sour.
Turn it to poison.
Change it into blood.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Throughout the centuries, cats have had all sorts of terrifying myths surrounding them, but none is scarier than their supposed ability to make beer go bad.

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True or False: Some snakes can hypnotize human beings.
true
false
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

It's a common myth that some snakes are able to hypnotize people. Fortunately, this creepy tale simply isn't true.

The Darwin's bark spider is best known for what?
its long legs
its huge webs
its potent venom
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

These spiders make the biggest webs in the world. One huge web can span dozens of feet, meaning you'll need hours to untangle yourself from the sticky mess.

Owls are often credited with which supernatural capability?
They can carry messages to and from the dead.
They can see dead people.
They are the souls of deceased humans.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Some people believe that owls can carry messages to and from the dead. So if you want to communicate with your ancient ancestors, that barn owl in the backyard might be your best option.

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If you dream about a spider that bites you, what will happen to you in real life?
You're going to lose money.
Your spouse will cheat on you.
Your child will die.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A spider bite dream is bad news for your bank account. You may wind up with some real-life debts.

What should you do if your cat sneezes three times in a row?
Get a flu shot.
Dig a grave.
Find a weapon to protect yourself.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Three cat sneezes means that your family is about to be struck by disease. Best to start the disinfection process while you can.

In Europe and North America, barn owls are often associated with what?
bad luck
death
good luck
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

With their eerily silent flight and mysterious nature, barn owls have often been considered bad luck for people who encounter them.

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How do boa constrictors kill their prey?
bursting blood vessels
cutting off blood flow
choking them
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

If you stumble upon a large boa constrictor while out treat-or-treating, don't get too close -- large ones are capable of killing creatures by grabbing them and cutting off blood flow in the body.

How long can Goliath birdeater spiders live?
25 years
8 years
three years
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

These huge spiders can weigh up to 6 ounces and live up to 25 years. Fortunately, their venom isn't all that dangerous to humans, but their sheer size may give you a heart attack.

True or False: During the Halloween season, many animal shelters in the U.S. suspend adoptions of black cats for fear that the animals will be used in evil rituals.
true
false
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In very rare situations, shelters have suspended black cat adoptions, but this is almost entirely urban myth.

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In 16th-century Sweden, how did people treat snakes that appeared in their homes?
with ritual sacrifices
with horror
with respect
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

At that time, snakes were considered a sort of god of the home and hurting them was a deadly sin.

If a cat licks its fur "against the grain," what is going to happen?
Crops will fail.
A child will die.
The weather is going to be very bad.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Supposedly, if a cat licks toward its head instead of toward its tail, the weather will take a terrible turn.

In 2010, how many people were bitten during a vampire bat attack in Peru?
500
five
none
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

500 people were bitten, and the government rushed to vaccinate people for rabies. At least four children died.

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In a two-year span, how many people in the same Peruvian communities claimed to have been bitten by vampire bats?
3,500
9,000
12,000
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

3,500 said they'd been bitten or attacked by vampire bats. Officials said that rampant deforestation and unusual temperatures may have triggered the attacks.

Brazilians wandering spiders are also commonly called what?
banana spiders
death spiders
choking spiders
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Regarded as one of the most venomous spiders in the world, these creatures sometimes wander into shipments of bananas and wind up in places they shouldn't.

If a spider begins spinning a web right in front of your face, what will happen?
You'll become ill.
An enemy is setting a trap for you.
You'll have a visitor.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The spider's web supposedly means that you'll have a visitor. Hopefully not a creepy visitor from a scary Halloween movie.

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True or False: Cat bites are often more dangerous than dog bites.
true
false
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Cats have sharp, long teeth that can send a high number of bacteria into the human body. Untreated cat bites can lead to serious infection.

How many different species of spiders are there on Earth?
about 8,000
about 43,000
about 72,000
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

With more than 40,000 species of spiders, you'll never have to wander far to find one of these eight-legged creatures.

True or False: Snakes are deaf.
true
false
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Snakes don't have goofy earlobes, but they do have inner ears that help them detect soundwaves. So if you're out on Halloween night and see a snake, don't speak ill of him.

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What happens if you kill a spider in your house?
Your life will be five years longer.
You'll have bad luck.
You'll make a mess.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In some stories, killing a spider is bad luck. Better to catch the spider and then set it free outdoors.

If a cat sitting in front of a fire suddenly stops washing its face and begins staring at you, what will happen?
You are going to have a painful death.
You'll receive an important message.
You are going to have allergies.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

You might be creeped out by the cat's sudden interest, but he's really just telling you that you're about to receive a vital message.

If you hear a raven cawing at night, it means what?
Someone was murdered.
A witch is nearby.
An army will attack.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Some superstitions say that a raven cawing at night means that someone has been murdered.

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