Thread: Watch where you put your hands

Originally Posted by Jack E

Nonetheless the white tail spider does exist in Australia and it's bite can have a necrotic effect .

This article seems to suggest different, but perhaps you have a better reference?

The Australian Museum also seems to disagree with you.

Again, I would be very interested in your source for your assertion.

I don't have a source but I have seen the bite, the spider that bit, and the after affects over a few months.

You won't get a better source than that

It's not an assertion, it's a fact.

I think the message is getting lost in a discussion of whether it was a white tailed spider, brown recluse or whatever. The simple fact is that *something* causes it and it is wise to be careful of where you stick your hands. If you are bitten by *something* then watch the bite carefully and don't hesitate to run to a doctor.

The guy I spoke about earlier had a large chunk of flesh and muscle cut out of his arm from the knuckle to halfway back to the elbow. I don't think he really cares what it was that bit him, maybe it was a mosquito, whatever, the point is that he needed immediate medical attention but didn't know it. He said his arm just felt numb.

The message is an important one and if you need any more persuading about keeping your hands away from spiders that can cause such necrotic effects type brown recluse into youtube - some of the most disgusting videos you will ever find.

I stumbled across them a few months ago and consequently spent about two hours looking into them and their effects. Definitely only found in the US and I think southern - Mexico Tijuana

I did some reading when I first got that hoax email (many months ago) and it seems that bacteria in the wound can also cause necrotic effects that often gets blamed on the spider venom (this may? explain what Jack E witnessed).

So the bottom line is that any bite can get infected and cause these types on effects, but I believe these types on effects are quite rare.

Well I haven't read all this thread but in 1991 I was leading a retraining project in Launceston. The group was about 20 adult foundry workers. I was making some points on a white-board and one of the workers asked me what I'd done to my arm. I replied nothing and her said well mate it doesn't look too good from where I'm sitting. I twisted my arm to check out what he was looking at and there was a vivid red stripe up my inner arm from my wrist to my armpit......The previous Saturday I had been pruning an apricot tree and was stung/bitten on the thumb (knuckle thereof) by some unseen bug. It hurt for a minute then I forgot about it. The next day it was red and swollen. I didn't feel ill though. On Monday I drove to Launceston and all the way (a 2 hour drive) the thumb itched like buggery. I noticed the skin was drying and cracking open and the flesh underneath was wet and shiny. By Monday night my thumb was a bit swollen so I packed it with some antiseptic cream and put 3 band-aids over it. Fast forward to Tuesday afternoon and the aforesaid worker pointed out my red welt. About 10 minutes later I collapsed and they called an ambulance. I woke up in hospital with very large syringe in my thigh which was loaded with a strong antibiotic. The surgeon who scraped away the dead flesh said he suspected a white-tail spider.
I almost lost my thumb and the scar is still visible 17 years later. I'm very careful among the trees and my wood stock these days....It was no hoax as far as I'm concerned.
Cheers

Clean any spider bite asap. One theory on these necrotic ulcers is that it is not the venom but rather the unclean living environment (rotten meat etc) that these spiders feed on that cause the ulceration. Cleaning with warm soapy water and then terating with a betadine type treatment is a good start and then medical attention if very painful or heavy swelling.

We have only one deadly spider in Australia the Sydney Funnel Web so don't need to leave venom on skin as may be suggested with snake bites to help id the culprit (for antivenom reasons).

I was recently stung on the face by a bee. Prompt 1st aid meant little pain and fast recovery.

First aid is ofetn underestimated but it can mean a huge difference. All the best medicine and treatments in the world often cannot match immediate and correct first aid.

Cheers
SN

Originally Posted by Shannon Nash

We have only one deadly spider in Australia the Sydney Funnel Web ...

How about the redback spider?

Originally Posted by Wongdai

How about the redback spider?

Painful but not deadly, although it may kill a small child.

http://amonline.net.au/spiders/dange...back/index.htm

"Before an antivenom was available, Redback bites caused about a dozen known deaths."

There is quite some disagreement among variuos groups about the exact cause of necrotic ulcers associated with spiders.....the fact is the condition exists.

At to poisonous spiders.....large redbacks can kill..... the head master of my primary school spent a few days in hospital and a couple of weeks off due to a red back spider bite....I think it was possible he had a dodgy heart.

there are redbacks and redbacks.....I have seen them in a cieling with a body as big as a 10c piece....this particular cieling was lousy with them.

Aparantly there is also the tree or forest funnelweb....which is huge and agressive and only recently discovered..... by a bloke who was bitten by it..... many meters up a tree in a forest.

being bitten by stuff in your wood heap is a real and possibly deadly danger....all sorts of things can hide there.....red backs.... definitely funnelwebs, .. centipedes....ants......all sorts of bityies..... definitely snakes...... disturb a king brown in your wood heap and you are in big trouble.

I always wear long trousers, long sleves boots, gloves and a hat when working arround the yard and any heaps of stuff.

In the north just getting bitten by a mosquito can cause you months of suffering from ross river or dengie......I copped a dose last year and am still not 100%.

remember this is australia... evrything bites

cheers

Oh BTW there are funelwebs in Brisbane.

cheers

I'd recognise that blokes hand anywhere, it's Daryl Jones. He got attacked by a Bufo marinus from 20' away - absolutely terrible what happened to him

I used to love it back in Brisbane and I'd be asked by a tourist, "Are those cane toads venomous?", "Hell yeah", I'd reply and go into a big story of how they ambush you in packs of 20 or more...

There's 4 things to be scared of in Queensland:

• Bufo marinus;

• Fire ants;

• Mexicans; and

• you lot from down here.

you forgot

box jellyfish

iricanji jellyfish

king browns

tipans

crocodiles

casawaries

stone fish

bull sharks... dont swim in the canals

and

southerners towing caravans

cheers