close call with Brown Recluse

[Bigboy]

Ever been emptying cricket boxes into tupperware containers only to find a brown recluse inches from your fingers as you grab at crickets? Well I've had this happen to me a few times now. So my most important question is... How the hell can I slow the destruction of tissue caused by their bites before I get to a hospital if one of these buggers ever nails me? I'd very much like to keep all my fingers and I'm quite fond of my hands as well. My Gf's dad works in an er and he's seen entire legs that needed to be amputated as recluse venom simply ate its way down through the bone and center of legs. Really doesn't make me feel too happy about these lil hitch hikers. Your input is greatly appreciated.

 

[Lycanthrope]

I'm not even going to touch the venom issue, you can do a search to find all the debates and conversations that have taken place on that on the boards. What I will ask, is are you sure they are L. reclusa? We get two cricket deliveries a week from timberline, and there is a small species of huntsman that comes with every delivery. To the untrained eye or someone not really looking they do somewhat resemble a brown recluse.

 

[Bigboy]

Hmm

I was relatively positive but now having read what you posted I have reason to second guess myself. This ought to give me plenty to research.

 

[Spider-man 2]

The deterioration of the tissue is not instantaneous, IMO. It usually takes 24-48 hours (depends on the person) after the bite to notice something is wrong with your epidermis and dermis. It best to get to the hosital ASAP if you know you have been bitten by one. That was you can get treatment for it.

Don't confuse the Hobo spider from the brown recluse. We have LOTS of Hobo spiders here and people think they are brown recluse. Hobo spiders still have a nasty bite though, but not as bad.

 

[Elizabeth]

People "see" brown recluse everywhere. Sort of unremarkable spiders, easily confused with other little brown/tan spiders.

Bigboy lives in RI, which I think is the abbreviation for Rhode Island. No need to warn about hobo spiders in his area.

 

[Spiderfoot]

Nail you

You dont have to worry about "Nailing you" because it wont attack you. Just don't push against your skin and you will be fine. If you do just keep the specimen and take it with you to the doctor asap and you will be fine. Just don't have a heart attach.

 

[Spiderfoot]

Nail you

You dont have to worry about "Nailing you" because it wont attack you. Just don't push against your skin and you will be fine. If you do just keep the specimen and take it with you to the doctor asap and you will be fine. Just don't have a heart attach.

 

[Bigboy]

Nope

I've looked up some pics of Hobo spiders and they are definitly not what I saw. Not saying it was still yet another similar looking spider as it could have very well have been the real deal or a look alike in my opinion now. As far as "getting nailed" can be interpretted in the language of me... I mean accidentally grabbing it up along with a handful of crickets and getting a bite from a very frightened spider.

 

[becca81]

I have been bitten once by a Brown Recluse (confirmed bite - spider sent off for ID) because it was trapped against my body and the spider was killed in the event.

I didn't go to the doctor for about 8-12 hours, and then I received some shots (mainly, I think, to prevent infection) and something else. I ended up with a couple of huge blister-type things and when they started going down, the skin turned black. I've still got a scar on my back where it happened. I think a lot of the major cases are ones that are left untreated and become infected.

 

[Venom]

I take it that R.I. stands for Rhode Island? If so, I don't believe that state has an established population of recluses. Where are these shipments coming from? Go to hobospider.org for a map on the actual range of L. reclusa (link to map is on the recluse page on the site ). Also consider the fact that there IS a species of spider known to frequently be shipped/ boxed with crickets: the philodromid crab spider Thanatus vulgaris, I believe. See these sites:

http://www.xs4all.nl/~ednieuw/Spiders/Philodromidae/Philodromidae.htm

http://dermatology.cdlib.org/DOJvol5num2/special/recluse.html

 

[Elizabeth]

I think a lot of the major cases, nasty reactions to a brown recluse bite, are ones in which the immune system of the individual isn't as healthy as it should be (very young, very old, chronically in ill health).

 

[smokejuan]

There are more than enough here in central Missouri. They love boxes or any dark areas like storage. I feel asleep on a couch in the unfinished basement of our old house a couple years ago. lots of boxes and great spider hide outs. Thankfully I was wearing a fairly thick shirt and jeans. I woke the next morning to find a rather large recluse dead from me rolling on it in the middle of the night. I thought it a bit large compared to others I have seen. I work for the department of health and had access to some closeup photos and other information about them. As far as I could tell it was indeed a recluse but larger than average that I have seen. It was a Sunday so I bottled it up and took it to our lab for verification and they indeed confirmed it. They also mentioned it was fairly large for a recluse. Then they decided I should raise my shirt and check for any discoloration or visable marks. None where found. They told me even with the population we have of them that alot that is brought in by the public are not recluses. They can end up traveling with people that are moving. Wether they can colonize the new home in areas were they are not usually found is uncertain to me. This one would have made any recluse collector happy had it still been alive.

 

[MysticKigh]

Ever been emptying cricket boxes into tupperware containers only to find a brown recluse inches from your fingers as you grab at crickets? Well I've had this happen to me a few times now. So my most important question is... How the hell can I slow the destruction of tissue caused by their bites before I get to a hospital if one of these buggers ever nails me? I'd very much like to keep all my fingers and I'm quite fond of my hands as well. My Gf's dad works in an er and he's seen entire legs that needed to be amputated as recluse venom simply ate its way down through the bone and center of legs. Really doesn't make me feel too happy about these lil hitch hikers. Your input is greatly appreciated.

I was bitten by a recluse (yes, it was definitive) many years ago. I was bitten early in the day and made it to the hospital that night due to the fever more than anything. The damage to my tissue was minimal... I have a small scar that's maybe .25-.33 inch... so, don't panic, you're not likely to lose any limbs if you don't let it go too long

 

[FRAZE01]

I think the tissue destruction depends on the person.I was bitten last year and it has left a scar about the size of a quarter.My boss was bitten and spent 3 days in the hospital,2 surgeries and 15,000

 

[baboons24]

my moms boyfriend got bit by a recluse 3 years ago. he had to go down to the hospital at the university of washington. he had a few skin grafs. has a huge scar on his inner thigh, where they had to scrape out the area of the bite. the toxin in the venom had ate a huge whole in his leg about 2 1/2 inches deep. very nasty. one of my good friends installs heating and air conditioning, he cralws underneath houses and says they like to sit in the rib joists where it's moist. i've also met one other person about 6 months ago that said she got bit by one. she also had a scar, but it was on her stomach a little bigger than 50 cent piece. they are common here in washington and oregon. develish spider. don't know why anyone would want to keep one. i've seen the on dealers price lists for about thirty dollors.

anyways there very dangerous

 

[Spider-man 2]

my moms boyfriend got bit by a recluse 3 years ago. he had to go down to the hospital at the university of washington. he had a few skin grafs. has a huge scar on his inner thigh, where they had to scrape out the area of the bite. the toxin in the venom had ate a huge whole in his leg about 2 1/2 inches deep. very nasty. one of my good friends installs heating and air conditioning, he cralws underneath houses and says they like to sit in the rib joists where it's moist. i've also met one other person about 6 months ago that said she got bit by one. she also had a scar, but it was on her stomach a little bigger than 50 cent piece. they are common here in washington and oregon. develish spider. don't know why anyone would want to keep one. i've seen the on dealers price lists for about thirty dollors.

anyways there very dangerous

Correction....there are no wild recluse spiders in Washington or Oregon.

Click this link blow and scroll down and you will see....

http://www.hobospider.com/brownrecluse.html

I keep them because they are an interesting spider and unique in its own way. They are truely a docile spider and handleable, but I don't handle mine. they are only dangerous if you are bitten and injected with venom.

You are probably thinking of the Hobo spider (Tegenaria agrestis) which is very common in Washington and Oregon. They can have the same symptoms of a brown recluse bite if untreated.

 

[Lycanthrope]

Also consider the fact that there IS a species of spider known to frequently be shipped/ boxed with crickets: the philodromid crab spider Thanatus vulgaris, I believe. See these sites:

Thanks venom, the spiders coming in on my cricket are identical with Thanatus sp.