Spiders

[The Wizard]

AAAAAAGGGGGGHHHHHHHH. You had two in your ROOM?

How big were they?

1 was in my room, 1 in the corridor, though it was over 6 or so weeks.
Not huge, but they might be poisonous so you have to call to get someone to get rid of them.

If you go to cities, you won't see many though.

 

[South Yarra Seagull]

have lived in Oz for nearly 8 years. seen maybe 3 spiders. mostly in the sticks. dont look for them, they wont look for you.

 

[Barrel of Fun]

Oh dear god - you saw more than two snakes in a day?? That's two more than I could deal with in a lifetime. Similar questions apply BoF. How big are their snakes? And are they likely to attack? Where were you when you met the little bastards?

The one thing I'm hoping would be massively in my favour is that I couldn't give a shit about the countryside whether it be England, Australia or India. I'm purely a cities man. So in Australia, I'd be sticking to cities 100%. Would that remove the threat of any combination of me/a snake/a spider being in the same room or space?

Apparently one of them was a Death Adder (Good name!). I wouldn't have seen any at all, but I managed to come across four different snakes. I was on a cycling trip in Byron Bay and got seperated from the pack. The Park Ranger found me after 3 hours of looking. We were supposed to cycle about 25k's, but I managed to rack up an impressive 65k's whilst trying to find a way out of the park and head to relative safety. One of them was about 1.5m long, but the rest were tiddlers.

I am not sure sticking to cities will rule out any meetings. They are prevalent all over the place. I am sure Tedebear will fill you in on that. I have some relatives who live in Sydney and they are frequently visited by various snakes.

There is a 'myth' that if you see one snake, then 10 snakes see you. Australia houses some of the most menacing creatures that reside in our wonderful world, but if you are careful, they will not bother you. Just avoid outdoor dunnies and putting your hand somewhere out of sight (i.e. post boxes and so on).

My group got attacked by a Boomslang, in Malawi, and you have about 10 minutes to live if it bites you. We were trekking, looking for an Elephant. Thankfully, we were all out of range and it slithered back up it's tree. The guides did forget to bring the anti-venom with them and we never found the fecking Elephant.

The Boomslang...

 

[The Wizard]

May I ask where you were when you had your run-ins with them?

And how likely is it a convict spider will be poisonous?

Don't particularly remember the first time as I was drowning my sorrows after the thrashing we got in the 1'st test, though I seem to remember it was crawling up the wall on the wall just by the balcony door (which we/I accidently left open.)
Second one was in the hallway just casually walking along.

Not totally sure what the likelihood of it being poisonous is, though there is thousands upon thousands of poisonous species of spider, likewise thousands of non-poisonous types but it isn't worth risking going near it, most hotels we stayed in had someone you could just call to come and get rid of it.

 

[Barrel of Fun]

BoF, you almost sound like you enjoy meeting these weird and dangerous creatures! That was an interesting post though. I'd no idea a simple cycle ride could put you in such close proximity to SNAKES. I think I might have to invest in a suit of armour if I go to Australia!

Just to go slightly off topic, you say Australia houses "some of the most menacing creatures" in the world. What would you say is THE worst place for killer/scary animals? If you had to be lost and stranded in one place, where would you least want it to be? I'd have always said the Amazon rainforest, but I'm no expert as I said. Are you saying Australia is possibly WORSE than that?!

It is an experience and quite interesting to meet such a dangerous creature face to face. I, too, am not an expert on the matter, but I am positive I watched a programme that pointed towards Australia housing the most/largest variety of venemous creatures.

From my experience in South America, most dangerous things tend to stick to the forests, so they can be easily avoided. Whereas, Australia mixes urban with nature. I seem to recall that there was some sort of venemous underwater shell that fires toxic darts at you, but that may have been an Aussie trying to mess with the mind of a Pommie.

 

[happypig]

I was in Australia in 2004 (going back next Christmas) and saw one or two huntsmen spiders. They are big fuckers, about 4 inches across their legs, but harmless. Apparently the Funnel Web is about the same size, maybe a bit smaller, and quite "shiny". They will rear up at you on their back legs if approached/cornered. I never saw any of them.

IIRC, Australia has 8 of the top 10 most poisonous creatures living there including Funnel Webs, brown snakes and Blue ringed octopus; even the Duck Billed Platypus is poisonous !

I have bugs, so f*** knows why we're going there again...

 

[OzMike]

You don't mess with the spiders here you just have to assume that they are all poisonous, I have to bug proof the property twice a year and set off insect bombs inside as well as remember to renew the roach baits.
As long as I keep this up I never see anything indoors, plenty outside though.
Huntsman spiders the size of your hand in the shed last year, they are pretty harmless but really make you jump when they jump, even the Daddy longlegs here have a nasty bite.
I live in the Hills area and regularly have to chase the Roos of the vegetable patch, Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!
Love the peace and quiet though.

 

[Gwylan]

My group got attacked by a Boomslang, in Malawi, and you have about 10 minutes to live if it bites you. We were trekking, looking for an Elephant. Thankfully, we were all out of range and it slithered back up it's tree. The guides did forget to bring the anti-venom with them and we never found the fecking Elephant.

The Boomslang...

[Pedant alert]While the boomslang is poisonous, it's an exceptionally slow-acting venom and a human victim would have hours to live: it's very, very rare for adults to die from boomslang bites. The boomslang is part of the same family as grass snakes and, as such, has no front fangs, slowing down the delivery of poison. [/pedant alert]

As for spiders, I really like having them in the house; keeps the flies down.

 

[Barrel of Fun]

[Pedant alert]While the boomslang is poisonous, it's an exceptionally slow-acting venom and a human victim would have hours to live: it's very, very rare for adults to die from boomslang bites. The boomslang is part of the same family as grass snakes and, as such, has no front fangs, slowing down the delivery of poison. [/pedant alert]

As for spiders, I really like having them in the house; keeps the flies down.

Good to hear. The leader must have been telling us porkies in that case. Certainly upset all the girls in the group as they were all in tears. Not quite an exciting story now, being partially threatened by an irate, yet relatively harmless grass snake.

 

[defrocked priest]

Love spiders have millions in the back garden.

 

[bigbadbonkingbob]

Spiders are great, it's wasps I despise and fear.

Been to Oz a few times and not seen any spiders; it isn't the big ones you've got to worry about, some of the worst ones are really small. As has been said, though, if you don't bother them they won't bother you. Don't go sticking your hands into dark corners of basements and sheds, check toilet seats when you're out in the boonies, and you'll be fine.

 

[ali jenkins]

Spiders in this country are poisonous, but its not strong enough to kill you!

I got bitten a few years ago by a spider on the end of my finger and it made half my hand go numb for about 10mins!!

 

[fire&skill]

I put them in a glass and slide a postcard over it and throw them out in the garden.

I then shudder uncontrollably (a la Jack Douglas) for about five minutes.

 

[BRIGHT ON Q]

It must be the time of year they come in cause i have put loads out.I would just leave em but my mrs and the kids hate them so out they have to go.NEVER KILL them though!

 

[Andrew]

NEVER KILL them though!

Why?

 

[toktok]

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[SULLY COULDNT SHOOT]

Dont mind spiders just hate getting close to them. If they are big then I will attempt to get them out of the house if not I elave them to get on with things unless the wife has an epi. Occasionally if they are in the sink or bath I will water them down but am told this doesnt kill them.