I wrote uaeinteract.com with your exact question. I was also wondering if it was true after having read an article in Combat & Survival magazine. This is what they had to say:

Dear Angel,

Thank you for your e-mail.

Camel-spiders can move fast, and they also have a rather nasty bite. They don't jump as far as ten feet, though, and are certainly not as large as serving plates. More like a large fingernail, really, (with the legs added on).

They do not feed on camels, but can be often found near them, because of the food (invertebrates etc) to be found around them.


Ministry of Information & Culture
P.O. Box 17, Abu Dhabi, UAE