Ask an Australian

[hobbsyoyo]

How common are those insanely aggressive and dangerous tarantulas in Australia? I think they're funnel web ones and they live near Sydney (they're well known, sorry I don't know their name).

 

[rugbyLEAGUEfan]

How common are those insanely aggressive and dangerous tarantulas in Australia? I think they're funnel web ones and they live near Sydney (they're well known, sorry I don't know their name).

I don't believe they are tarantulas though. But yeah funnel webs are common enough and aggressively dangerous enough to be wary of. Id see one or two a year. One place you want to be wary of them is in the swimming pool, they can survive at the bottom for a while. I'll take a cursory look before jumping in during summer. I'll also give my shoes a quick shake before putting them on.

Since the development of an anti-venom I don't believe a human has died for many years, but you really don't want to get bitten, they'll make you a very sick puppy.

It's probably the animal that would concern me most where I live.

 

[classical_hero]

Thank goodness they don't live over here.

 

[hobbsyoyo]

Oh god, I'm mostly over my fear of spiders, but I don't know if I could handle that. I remember hearing they like to crawl in your shoes.

Do you go out of your way to kill them the way you might with an ordinary spider or do you leave them alone? Do they get into houses and apartments easily? Even if you live on the upper floors?

 

[rugbyLEAGUEfan]

I definitely would proactively kill one. I find it odd though that you mention "like I would kill an ordinary spider"?. I don't kill ordinary spiders in fact right now I'm in bed looking up at a huntsman on the wall maybe four or five inches in diameter and he can live happily ever after, eating the mozzies and leaving me alone. There is probably a big huntsman or two in most rooms.

But if I see a red back or funnel web, he's as good as gone.

Not sure about the ease with which they enter apartments and upper floors. I believe they spend their time outside.

 

[hobbsyoyo]

I kill spiders despite knowing that only brown recluses and black widows are truly dangerous (with a few close but less common relatives) in the continental US. I do this mostly because of habit from when I used to be scared to death of them, I can't tell the difference between brown recluses and other spiders and because they scare my wife to death. Please don't call me a murderer, I know it's bad. And I apologize for assuming you are the same as me, that was dumb.

The major turning point in my fear of them was actually going to the insect house of the St. Louis zoo and reading on a plaque that only those 2 types of spiders are any kind of danger in the US. That blew my mind and my fear dropped significantly.

Edit: Four or five inches is a huge huntsman!
Edit 2: I just looked them up and they do get that big in Australia!

 

[rugbyLEAGUEfan]

Oh it's nothing to do with being a murderer or anything! All good, the olive branch thread is not needed. I never even considered it like that. The only reason that I keep the huntsmen alive is that they do eat mozzies, cockroaches etc. Trust me, if I'm sitting around and one gets too close for comfort, he's as good as gone too!

And yeah, five inches is pushing it but definitely not out of the question. Four inches from the far tips of it's legs is pretty standard.

 

[JohannaK]

For some reason, spiders fascinate me as much as they terrify me.

 

[Borachio]

I don't see why anyone should be terrified of a spider. Any spider really. Though a bite from a venomous one could be very nasty and should be avoided, as long as you keep your eyes open, don't go blundering around and take other sensible precautions like shaking your boots before putting them on; in the scheme of things spiders aren't really a major hazard. But instead, a fascinating and beautiful part of the natural world.

 

[rugbyLEAGUEfan]

I don't see why anyone should be terrified of a spider. Any spider really. Though a bite from a venomous one could be very nasty and should be avoided, as long as you keep your eyes open, don't go blundering around and take other sensible precautions like shaking your boots before putting them on; in the scheme of things spiders aren't really a major hazard. But instead, a fascinating and beautiful part of the natural world.

I don't have to be terrified of a spider to decide that the best course of action is to kill a red back or funnel web should it enter my house. To not do so would be ridiculous. We are talking about a seriously dangerous animal here. Get bitten and you'll be in a world of hurt.

 

[hobbsyoyo]

@Borachio - Brown recluses have the nasty habit of crawling on you in your sleep and biting you (I hear it's how most get bitten). Which sometimes months later develops into a giant bleeding ulcer that never heals and can spread or rot if it doesn't outright kill you or rot immediately.

I mean, yeah I agree with you in principle. But some spiders are just dangerous period and should be killed in most settings (particularly the home).

This does not forgive my habit of killing all spiders in my home though.

 

[Borachio]

I appreciate what you're saying. But it's seriously dangerous in a slightly different way from say a polar bear.

I think a polar bear in Australia would be rather strange though.

People, now, they really are dangerous in every sort of way imaginable. At least, I know I am.

 

[rugbyLEAGUEfan]

I appreciate what you're saying. But it's seriously dangerous in a slightly different way from say a polar bear.

I think a polar bear in Australia would be rather strange though.

A simple cost benefit analysis dictates death to all funnel webs and red backs. I promise you, if you saw a big, hairy black funnel web arched up on it's back legs aggressively staring at you you would be disgusted. I honestly don't believe you are aware what a morbid creature it is.

 

[hobbsyoyo]

At least you'd see the polar bear coming. The brown recluse that ambled over your back in your sleep, not so much.

 

[rugbyLEAGUEfan]

God damn you guys! I'm treading on egg shells now getting ready for work in fear of bloody funnel webs.

 

[Borachio]

Human beings aren't actually prey for funnel webs, though, are they? The venomous bite is actually a defence mechanism against being attacked themselves. But perhaps they use it to immobilize their prey too.

Whereas polar bears naturally predate on mammals which are sort of human being sized.

Still, you'll soon set me straight if I'm wrong.

Link to video.

 

[rugbyLEAGUEfan]

No we aren't prey you are correct. But unlike many creatures, stumble into their domain and they are not going anywhere, the old adage "they're more frightened of you than you are of them" simply doesn't apply. They will aggressively defend themselves.

 

[hobbsyoyo]

The males also like to wander long distances in search of poon. This leads to them getting into your home and declaring it their home they will 'defend' to the death (of you) despite the distinct lack of spider poon on the premises.

 

[rugbyLEAGUEfan]

The males also like to wander long distances in search of poon. This leads to them getting into your home and declaring it their home they will 'defend' to the death (of you) despite the distinct lack of spider poon on the premises.

Exactly, and on the odd occasion where I may have poon on my turf I assure you I too shall aggressively defend my domain.

 

[hobbsyoyo]