# Has anyone actually been bitten by a Trapdoor spider?



## CoinJar (Oct 22, 2015)

I have read and heard contradicting reports (usually a-friend-of-a-friend kind of reports) of Trapdoors being harmless, deadly, or anywhere in between. Do any of you know of any valid information as to how potent the venom of these spiders are? Anyone here actually been bitten and experienced the effects? What kind of effects are there? Is it a rotting recluse-like bite, a painful OBT-like bite, or a harmless mosquito-like bite? 

I currently own an African Red Trapdoor and an African Grey Trapdoor. Would either of these kill me or cause me to lose a limb?


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## Chris LXXIX (Oct 22, 2015)

Well, starting from the point that here on Arachnoboards there's all sort of bite reports, including a lot delivered from those T's always depicted as "good beginner" or "docile" ones, well, IMO, to be honest, i think that only a complete bungler could been bitten by those folks.

I mean, Trapdoors. Save for the attack, they are the quintessence of annoying, so reclusive (that's their nature, not their fault uh) that an _Hysterocrates gigas_ or a _Pelinobius muticus_ are registered sex offenders stalker, compared to those.

Basically a 32 oz full of substrate and you're done.

About the venom, depends. African Trapdoors venom, i assume, could be more or less like _Pterinochilus murinus_ (or at least, should be considered, for remain in the safe side, like the OBT one) i personally was never been bitten by a _Theraphosidae_ nor from a _Mygalomorphae_ but i view African Trapdoors as spiders that you wouldn't want to been bitten by.

Bad like a bite from a full grow female _Poecilotheria ornata_? No, but still nasty.

Probably also that a lot of Trapdoors spiders doesn't carry a medically significant venom as well 

I doubt that their venom is able to kill an healthy man.. now, seriously. _Sicarius hahni_ (your example about limbs) could be a different story, but it's another thing, of course.


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## The Snark (Oct 22, 2015)

Ctenizidae venom is not considered to present a medically significant hazard to humans. But don't discount their (rare) bites which are reputed to be serious chomps. Potential to the bone stuff ala the Myg musclebutts.

Thanks for the small humors to start my day by. Doing a little search I came up with some interesting supposed authority citings such as:

"Ctenizidae - a family of venomous spiders. It contains Atrax spp., the funnel-web spider." (Hexathelidae)

Ctenizidae was also confused with Ctenidae in an effort to draw a relationship to Phoneutria. There was even one reference that related them to the Hobo spider, Agelenidae.

With horse poop like that floating around the web, no wonder people get confused!


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## Chris LXXIX (Oct 22, 2015)

Do you have, btw, a genus _Gorgyrella_ Trapdoor? Those are IMO very, very cool as spiders per se to view.. too bad they are Trapdoors :-(

Here in Italy there's some Trapdoors (someone swear to have spot Trapdoors even here in Northern Italy woods) genus _Cteniza_. Mostly in Sardegna and Sicilia islands.


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## CoinJar (Oct 22, 2015)

Chris LXXIX said:


> Do you have, btw, a Genus _Gorgyrella_ Trapdoor? Those are IMO very, very cool as spiders per se to view.. too bad they are Trapdoors :-(
> 
> Here in Italy there's some Trapdoors (someone swear to have spot Trapdoors even here in Northern Italy woods) Genus _Cteniza_. Mostly in Sardegna and Sicilia islands.


Yes, I have a Gorgyrella sp. and a Cyphonisia sp.


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## Chris LXXIX (Oct 22, 2015)

CoinJar said:


> Yes, I have a Gorgyrella sp. and a Cyphonisia sp.


I guessed man  both are class Trapdoors. Yeah, i think, as i've said, that their venom could be a bit nasty, just like the average African Baboon T's at least, even if that scenario would be extremely rare, those are always under the substrate.


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## Beary Strange (Oct 22, 2015)

Someone summon spiderengineer! (I wish AB had a quote notification like some forums so you could quote someone, essentially summoning them to your thread.)

For what it's worth, it's the bite itself that I've heard is problematic and it makes sense. They can chomp down on their lids and successfully resist a human trying to get into their home; imagine that same strength applied to your hand? Ouch.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Smokehound714 (Oct 24, 2015)

Been bit by Bothriocyrtum californicum.. Venom was weak, but the female was large and managed to puncture me good..

   Gorgyrella and ctenolophus have pretty strong venom and get much bigger.. Wouldnt want a bite from those two genera..


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