What to do with a stowaway black widow in the UK?

[basin79]

You cannot keep it. Latrodectus spp are a Dandmgerous Wild Animals Act 1976 Schedule 1 species, which means you need to have a licence to keep them. It is a criminal offence otherwise.
You could try to find a reptile shop that has experience with such species as they would be able to take it on.
You could also try to find a licensed keeper but this will be very hard.
And you cannot keep it while you find a legal keeper.
Ultimately it will need to be euthanized.

That's the 100% legal stand point though Ian which I know you have to state.

But let's be honest. There's zero chance of anyone knocking on their door. And even keepers who are found to have hot snakes without a licence have just had to sort one out when they've been caught.

 

[Ian14]

That's the 100% legal stand point though Ian which I know you have to state.

But let's be honest. There's zero chance of anyone knocking on their door. And even keepers who are found to have hot snakes without a licence have just had to sort one out when they've been caught.

Not true. A licence cannot be retrospectively granted. No licence = animals seized and disposed of plus a nice fine to go with it.
And yes, it does happen. Not often, but people do get caught out.

 

[basin79]

Not true. A licence cannot be retrospectively granted. No licence = animals seized and disposed of plus a nice fine to go with it.
And yes, it does happen. Not often, but people do get caught out.

Could have sworn I've seen posts on RF in the hot section stating licences HAVE been given out retrospectively.

I don't deny some get a knock on the door but it won't be anyone with a single black widow who has made a post on a forum.

 

[VaporRyder]

The other thing to bear in mind is the cost of a licence (several hundred) and the specific requirements of holding one; including inspection and modification of premises to meet conditions.

When I kept my dwarf croc, it was fairly straightforward with regards to the inspection. Snakes and spiders are far more of an escape risk, however.

Probably not viable for the OP.

 

[basin79]

The other thing to bear in mind is the cost of a licence (several hundred) and the specific requirements of holding one; including inspection and modification of premises to meet conditions.

When I kept my dwarf croc, it was fairly straightforward with regards to the inspection. Snakes and spiders are far more of an escape risk, however.

Probably not viable for the OP.

Each local council has their own charges and requirements. Another reason our DWA is a joke. 1 might be happy with you keeping hot scorpions/spiders in their enclosures on a shelf and charge £125 for 2 years whilst another might require you to have their enclosures locked inside a larger enclosure and a double door system and charge you £400.

Anyway fingers crossed you get the spider somewhere safe OP.

 

[VaporRyder]

This post has triggered me to make very early enquiries about keeping my all time ‘unicorn’ spider P.nigriventer.

Should be getting a call back in the next 5 days.

 

[basin79]

This post has triggered me to make very early enquiries about keeping my all time ‘unicorn’ spider P.nigriventer.

Should be getting a call back in the next 5 days.

Would love one. One of those, a black widow because they're just so iconic and a Androctonus bicolor.

 

[VaporRyder]

I know what’ll happen though…

They’ll insist I keep it in a triple locked enclosure within an enclosure, in a bunker resilient enough to withstand 10 thermonuclear explosions, having first attained enlightenment and 20 years of hands on experience in Brazil under the tutelage of an Atlantic Forest shaman.

 

[Albireo Wulfbooper]

Your best bet would be to contact a local university with an entomology department or a natural history museum with a robust entomology collection. Explain the situation and they'll likely take it off your hands. You'll also want to fumigate the car, inside and out - there was probably an eggsac and there are likely more spiderlings. I'm very surprised they didn't do this automatically on import.

As far as Latrodectus not being able to survive the British climate, I assure you that at least some Latrodectus species would have no trouble with it at all - we have Latrodectus variolus up here in Ontario where the winters are far colder than what the UK ever sees (although presumably an Arizona species would not do so well).

 

[VaporRyder]

Just had a thought. Might be worth contacting the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine. They may be interested in studying it and milking its venom for research purposes.

 

[The Snark]

Trying to recall all the hoops of fire my Brit buddy jumped through when he was keeping and breeding imported tropical birds. Others have summed it up. I do recall he had two visits from the RSPCA along with a long dark expensive tunnel through the burrocracy.
And meanwhile thousands of shipping containers arrive in the isles every day with only the most cursory inspection and or fumigation.
Don't ask, don't tell seems the order of the day. And if the person without a license accidentally happens to get caught chances are a slap on the wrist. Or the rare chance the constabulary has got heat from on high and they decide to make an example and nail you to a cross.

 

[Cecelias lair]

Each local council has their own charges and requirements. Another reason our DWA is a joke. 1 might be happy with you keeping hot scorpions/spiders in their enclosures on a shelf and charge £125 for 2 years whilst another might require you to have their enclosures locked inside a larger enclosure and a double door system and charge you £400.

Anyway fingers crossed you get the spider somewhere safe OP.

Jeez, it's really that bad here? Not surprised but it still sucks.
I was really wanting to get a black widow some time soon but it sounds way too much of a drain for my bank account.

 

[basin79]

Jeez, it's really that bad here? Not surprised but it still sucks.
I was really wanting to get a black widow some time soon but it sounds way too much of a drain for my bank account.

You've absolutely nothing to lose in asking. For all you know your council might charge £75 and require you to keep the widow in an enclosure that can just be on a shelf.

Just email them and state you're just looking into it and ask them what criteria they have.

 

[NQmygalo]

More than freezing it?

Freeze to kill it humanely, then burn the carcass.

 

[Joey Spijkers]

I’m willing to take it off your hands if you have no other options.
I am in the Netherlands though. Not sure how regulated overseas shipments are now with brexit and such.