Spider Bites

[pritch]

While overseas I twice had snakes in my bed (kraits both times). I lived for some months within 2 feet of an eight foot king cobra but had assumed, on the basis of no evidence whatsoever, that it was a python. I guess we couldn't face the alternative (we could hear the snake but not see it).

So after years of living in places where most of the plants have spines and even the caterpillars burn you I was pleased to return to Kiwiland where the flora and fauna are generally benign.

It came as quite a shock to me when I found the first white tail in the house, it sort of burst my little security bubble.

In town here now we have both types of Katapo, whitetails and there have been redbacks at the Port end of town for years.

[Charlie]

GROSS! I'm not fond of ANYTHING smaller than a cat. I always have fly spray on hand and I dont just give a quick squirt and walk away. I drown the little beggers and dont leave till I know its dead. (Hmmmm, one day I'll have a terrifying bug story and I might just regret that....)
My only horror story is a minor one. I had a bee fly down my top while cycling along. Almost crashed while thrashing about trying to get it out. Yip got stung!

Snakes ick me out too. Only encounter with one was after being in Aussie 10min. Drove out of Brisbane Airport and one scootered across the road right infront of our car. Eeeik! Was told by my mates you dont drive over them cause they flick up in your wheel arch and hang on till you stop...
Think they just know me too well and were winding me up!

[Hitcher]

Hey Hitcher have you got the article you alluded to last night? From the Dom Post? I don't have a paper or half an arse to find it!

Succeeded in keeping it out of the media. Dubious snake sighting in Lower Hutt. Sniffer dogs (not Beagles) currently at work. Consultant herpetologist thinks it's probably a skink...

[Oakie]

I've only seen one snake up close, a small Python, and it still gave me the creeps. There must be some primal response in humans to hate the bloody things.

It is .. it is! I remember seeing something on TV about it last year. Humans have a hardwired fear of snakes. Doesn't explain why kids go and play with them though does it. Hmmm.

[Sniper]

Used to keep a variety of snakes and never worried about them. Spent a few weeks in hospital after grabbing a snake before Id'ing it. Never made me fearful of them

[Oakie]

I was doing something on the computer at home a few weeks back when I heard a small noise beside me. Something like a plastic paperclip landing on the desk. Looked over and there was a big whitetail strolling across the desk. Yes to make a noise on landing (from the ceiling I guess) it had to be a reasonable size.

When I worked at Mount Cook (the mountain, not the suburb) a few years ago I remember hearing one of the guys saying that he was cleaning his room one day when the biggest spider he'd ever seen ran across the wooden floor. He reckoned he could actually hear it's footsteps as it scuffled across. (Of course Mt Cook ... the Hermitage Hotel to be precise ... was famous for it's staff's use of mind altering substances so perhaps he only thought he heard it)

[Sniper]

Was it almost as big as a 50c coin?

(pt)

[sAsLEX]

, whitetails and there have been redbacks at the Port end of town for years.

Dads had snakes in the filters at work down at the power station, they were going to bash one on the head with a stick, but called doc who informed them it was rather dangerous and they were lucky it was groogy from the cold.

[Oakie]

Was it almost as big as a 50c coin?

(pt)

Dunno but he admitted he was scared of spiders so I guess you can draw your own conclusion. I mean, I was horribly disapointed when I saw the spider the other day that my daughter described as 'huge'. Was probably 10 cents including the legspan.
I suppose the size of the spider is in direct proportion to your fear of them.

[Macktheknife]

I had the experience of living in the great west island of NZ, (oz) and was there for just 6 years. In that time I had meetings with 7 types of snakes and found that I actually like snakes! I also got bitten 5 times by poisonous spiders, the first one was a wolf spider and I was asleep in my bed, not for long. The golden orb spider is a bird catcher and webs are regularly found over 8 feet in diameter, (it is also difficult to run through the webs)
The worst one was the last one, a funnelweb in mating season (the become very aggressive) I was bitten on the ankle and it ended up the size of my thigh in a few hours. I was taken to hospital with a fever of 105 and spent 17 hours there with double dose of anti-venom. the anti venom is actually very unpleasant all by itself, feels like a thousand needles trying to poke their way OUT of your skin.
I dont like spiders. (but apparently they like me plenty)
I even met some nice australians while I was there too.

[Kornholio]

spider cat frog spider deer moose

[Toast]

Nope. I'm not really a feared o' snakes - haven't had experience with 'em so I can't say. But if the buggers can survive here then there's all sorts other bad shit that can.

Wait 'til you come face to face with a real-deal rattlesnake...I saw one in New Mexico once...that whole day, whenever a twig or something touched my leg I bolted 20m...slimy, freaky, creepy little mo'fo's...

[NordieBoy]

I remember wearing an open face helmet a number of years ago and hitting a bee. The damn thing shot down the side of the helmet and into my ear Quite impressive how quick I managed stop and whip that helmet off. I didn't get stung or anything, but it's one those moments I still remember quite clearly.

Same but a wasp...

Tis amazing how quickly you can stop.

[NordieBoy]

Whitetailed spiders need a better PR man. In almost all circumstances where spider bites are alleged, the recipient of the bite has not seen what bit them and merely surmised that it was a spider. Innocent until proven guilty, eh?

Squashed until proven friendly.

[Meanie]

boo hoo you guys dont know how lucky you got it..............
I grew up in Aussie where spiders hunt human's, the tree my mates and i used to play in was infested with funnel webs, everytime i left a toy in the sandpit overnight it would be filled with redbacks next time i went to play with it.
I used to sleep in the same room as huntsman spiders as big as your hand and then some, i still to this day have never been bitten. Whitetails......pfffftt you dont know the half of it

Them spiders and other nasties were put there to keep you aussies from breeding and multiplying too quick