Spider Bite

I figured it would be one of mine when it happened, but it turns out my first spider bite was from some random spider that rode in on my eggcartons.com box. I never saw the critter, and apparently it was on my shirt, right where I put my hand. It bit me right on the little wrist bone at the base of where my thumb starts where there is very little in between he skin and bone. It was not fun. I don't usually kill spiders, but this one is no longer with us LOL. I have no idea what kind it was. Little spindly spider with a speckled abdomen. Definitely not a widow or recluse, so that's good. It still had enough venom to cause some decent pain for about 10 minutes, and it still hurts a little.

Bummer! I saw a news clip or something about one doctor here in Oklahoma that does electric shock to the bite (of black widow or recluse) and it changes the chemical compound of the venom and heals right up. I even wrote down his name in case I would ever need it. Apparently other doctors don't use the method because it hasn't been approved by the FDA or studied further, something to that affect. The treatment is not expensive either. I thought it was pretty interesting. If I remember right it is supposed to be able to work on venomous snake bites as well.

that sucks man. luckilly it wasn't a bad one. i was bit by a recluse when i was stationed at Camp Lejeune. i had to go into sick bay every day for a week to have the wound cleaned out and repacked with ointment and gauze. sucked!

Yeah, I'm glad it wasn't one of the 2 "bad" ones. It still hurt though, and it was just perfectly aimed at a really painful spot.

Glad you're ok and no one here will call PETA. LOL. Could it have been an American House Spider? They are mottled and shaped like a female black widow.
Tandy

No, it didn't have the fat butt like they have. I have those all over the garage, and they pretty much stick to their webs. This one seemed terrestrial. It had kind of transparent legs and a spotted abdomen. The legs were super thin and fairly long as well. The overall color was kind of gray. It wasn't a wolf spider.

Michael, we used to have those kind in the warehouse all the time. I can't remember what kind they were though.

I'd love to know what it was. Anybody?

Tandy

Have no idea but I have heard from an exterminator years ago that the daddy long leggs has crossed with the brown recluse. Who knows.

Spider Woman wrote:Have no idea but I have heard from an exterminator years ago that the daddy long leggs has crossed with the brown recluse. Who knows.

i'm gonna call BS on that one. daddy long legs are not spiders and would not be able to hybridize with a recluse. that guy was either on crack or just didn't have a clue what he was talking about...OR trying to scare you into having him come back buy and paying for his services again!

You do have to be careful with some exterminators.
I canceled my contract with one company, when their representative tried to tell me a male carpenter ant was a male termite.
You would think of all people they should know the difference.

Michael,

Can you find a picture of it here:

http://search.aol.com/aol/image?page=1&v_t=keyword_rollover&q=pictures+of+common+spiders&count_override=18&oreq=196d6922af4a4700b64195b8b9592321

Okay, I guess it must have been an American House Spider. That is the only species that looks similar, although the transparent legs reminded me of cellar spiders, and since they can be variable in color, I guess a gray one is possible. Most of these at my house are dark brown. Also, the abdomen was much smaller than the others I've seen, but maybe it just wasn't eating enough.
My hand is still a little red and itchy today, but it is much better. I definitely got some venom with that bite. It instantly made my whole hand throb and felt a little like "boiling water in my veins" for a few seconds. I definitely never want to take a hit from a rattlesnake if a little spider hurt that much.

" I definitely never want to take a hit from a rattlesnake if a little spider hurt that much."

Speaking of rattlesnakes, my wife and I went down to Mountain Lake yesterday afternoon to check it out prior to our herp hunt there on the 16th.

The couple in the office verified what the fishermen told us and the terrain looks like there could be a lot of rattlesnakes in that area.
The woman in the office said there were three "dens" in the area, that they knew of and she said they also have a "ton" of copperheads around there.

As was to be expected (I guess), she also had a interesting rattlesnake story to support what we've heard about the size of the rattlers there.

Snakeman wrote:" As was to be expected (I guess), she also had a interesting rattlesnake story to support what we've heard about the size of the rattlers there.

Well, they are breeding with the cold-tolerant Burmese pythons to produce giant man-eating, venomous, constrictors. I wouldn't be surprised if that was mentioned in the next wonderful paper by those super smart guys at the USGS.

How far is Mountain Lake?

On a weekday afternoon, it took us an hour and a half to get there.

Cool, so it is pretty close to the metro then.

I got bit by a recluse spider once. Not gonna say where. But they had to pack it ...

South side of the Arbuckle Mountains and just
west of I-35.

Spider Woman wrote:Have no idea but I have heard from an exterminator years ago that the daddy long leggs has crossed with the brown recluse. Who knows.

Think he might have been inhaling too many pesticides since they belong to different Orders. He was probably seeing cellar spiders that have legs similar to a long-legs but also show the violin marking of a recluse.

Isn't it funny what we hear through the years. We may need to go in groups for safety in numbers when we hunt the Burmese rattlers.

Tandy

Well, the exterminator wasn't mine. I wouldn't need one unless I get roaches!!! Love spiders to much to kill them. I had actually heard it from someone I use to work with. He had been talking to an exterminator. I didn't want to call him a liar to his face because he was "always right about everything", wasn't worth my time arguing with him I thought it was a little far fetched and I've never heard about it from anyone else. Imagine that!