Black Widows...

[Endugu]

Would anyone out there ever consider having a black widow as a pet???
(I apologize as i currently can not provide readers with any aceptable Scientific info like names and such)

 

[Windchaser]

Many folks here have widows as pets. I myself have several.

 

[JPD]

Widows are great captives. 5 species to choose from here in the US. They don't require much attention and are very interesting to watch.

 

[xanadu1015]

I have three of my own and I adore them.

 

[strat321]

black widows

I have three of my own and I adore them.

I have 2 females. I have them on my office desk. I love watching...

 

[cacoseraph]

i had oen in the corner of my room for a good couple weeks... thought it was a baby madagascar hissing cockroach that escaped (i have BAD eyesight at distance)

then one night it crawled towards me and i was like... oooh, that's not a hisser!

also, welcome to the list

also, i grew up in part in Fallbrook.... there should be some AWESOME places to find bugs!!!

also, we have Latrodectus hesperus here, the "western widow"

 

[intrepidus6]

Can black widows kill a human if bitten?

 

[spydrhunter1]

I have 15 Latrodectus hesperus (Western widow) and approximately 150 L atrodectus mactans (Southern Widow).

 

[cacoseraph]

Can black widows kill a human if bitten?

it is possible

much more likely in the very old, very sick, and very young

 

[Bayushi]

hasn't it been like a really long time ( like 100 years) since there was a recorded death from a widow bite? i think i remember reading that somewhere

 

[Gemein]

Does anyone have a rough idea of the value of a female. I found one in some grapes that I had boughten from the store. I love the little girl, however, my girlfriend doesn't much adore it like I do lol ... How much could these little guys be sold for?

 

[surena]

Does anyone have a rough idea of the value of a female. I found one in some grapes that I had boughten from the store. I love the little girl, however, my girlfriend doesn't much adore it like I do lol ... How much could these little guys be sold for?

Some dealers would sell them for around $12. I personally sell mine for around $3 each .

 

[Venom]

hasn't it been like a really long time ( like 100 years) since there was a recorded death from a widow bite? i think i remember reading that somewhere

Can black widows kill a human if bitten?

Short answer: Yes.

Longer answer: It depends.

The death rate from Latrodectus sp. envenomations has been dropped significantly by antivenom etc., but it is still possible. Just last year (I think it was last year), a fella died in the Balkans from an L.tredecimguttatus bite, and there can always be deaths in tropical places that aren't reported. That said, I have read that no death in the USA has occured for several decades, though that doesn't mean it can't or won't happen again in the future. Like Cacoseraph said, children, the elderly, and people with cardiac or breathing problems are at a higher risk from widow bites, as are those with elevated chance of allergic reaction to widow venom ( it is NOT non-allergenic, like T venom). Overall, I think the percent of widow death is about .5% ( 1/2 % ).

However, even a non-fatal widow bite can be a total nightmare. Even bites of moderate severity can be agonizing, not to mention expensive $$ wise. So don't buy a widow with an "O well, if it bites me I'll be fine" attitude. If you do buy one, your attitude should still be one of extreme caution.

 

[insect714]

Short answer: Yes.

However, even a non-fatal widow bite can be a total nightmare. Even bites of moderate severity can be agonizing, not to mention expensive $$ wise. So don't buy a widow with an "O well, if it bites me I'll be fine" attitude. If you do buy one, your attitude should still be one of extreme caution.

very well put Venom:clap:

 

[LadySharon]

Quick widow question. Though from your responces to the "can a widow kill you" question I think I know the answer. I was going to open another thread but saw this one so I hope it's ok.

Anyway I brought in my new T (rosie) pic as a bring your pet's pictures day... and somehow a co-worker and myself started talking about spiders in general and she asked if it (the T) was dangerious. Which led us to widows... and she said she had heard that you can only be bitten by a widow once... a second time and there was "nothing anyone can do for you. " (I persume she meant that the antivenum wouldn't work the second time you were bitten. ) I figured that was wrong but told her I'd ask the question here.

--- she's more likely to belive an answer from experts...

thanks

- Sharon

 

[cacoseraph]

LadySharon

i hate to give this kind of answer cuz it makes me sound insane

but i've never heard that... and i reckon i would have if it is true.

 

[heyjeyniceid]

what kind of Widow is this?

 

[Sheri]

Just so you know... they are not usually very fast, and tend to stay totally on the webbing they've built. Though of course, things can happen, I am not at all worried when working with my widow - very predictable behaviour. Unless of course, defending an egg sac.

According to this site, in 1997 there were 13,000 recorded cases of widow envenomations, and less than 1% resulted in fatalities.

I saw the same stats elsewhere for the same year on another site, but cannot find it now. But the organization said that there is an average of 1.7 fatalities/year in America.

So very rare, in other words.

 

[intrepidus6]

In the summer time there are usally atleast one widow webs around where I live (atleast I think they are widows... I'm no expert.) Is it OK and safe for me to capture one and keep it as a pet?

 

[Venom]

had heard that you can only be bitten by a widow once... a second time and there was "nothing anyone can do for you. " (I persume she meant that the antivenum wouldn't work the second time you were bitten. ) I figured that was wrong but told her I'd ask the question here.

Well, I'm not sure how accurate this is, but I have *heard* that you can only have Latro antivenom once, and that if you are bitten a second time, it is unsafe to use again because it will cause an allergic reaction. It isn't completely without a basis in fact, because if you watch Venom ER, you'll remember that Dr. Shaun is reluctant to administer antivenom in widow envenomations unless it is truly necessary. I saw an episode in which he advised the parents of a small child (who was bitten by a widow), that using the antivenom carried its own risks, and that he recommended holding off on administering it. If you are given the antivenom, then it would seem logical that if there is a risk of allergic reaction the first time, there is a greater chance the second time round, especially since the first time might have a sensitizing effect ( like a scorp sting can ), thereby setting you up for a reaction if you had the antivenom again. This is largely speculative on my part, and I certainly wouldn't say you 100% "can't" have the antivenom a second time, but it seems reasonable that there would be a higher risk of allergy associated with a second dose.

Anway, my 2 cents.