Funnel -web spiders

ballpython2

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I was interested in buying one of these but I wanted to make sure they weren't medically significant...I also had other questions:

How big do they get?

How much do they cost?

how dangerous are they?

Does anyone have them for sale if who?

How many colors do they come in?

are they secretive or usually out in the open?
 

beetleman

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funnelwebs are definitly not to muck with. they are very interesting spiders,i have a chinese giant black funnelweb(raveniola sinsensis spelling)mean son of @#$%&{D you can look this sp. up. i keep her moist/substrate deep,she webs up the entire container and sits in the middle(funnel) very high strung.there are alot of different sp. i think botar has a type on his website right now,it may be a trapdoor though(goldenleg) i got mine from a person here on AB that was selling them sometime ago manny lorras(MRL)i think that's his last name.but he had them,and they sold quick,but keep checking the boards and all you might be surprized what's a brewin out there.good luck:)
 

Drachenjager

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"I dont mean to talk down your black widow, but a funnel web spider can kill a man just by lookin at him." Crocodile Dundee
 

Drachenjager

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hmmm just where would you actually post questions or announcements on funnel web spiders? i mean arent they myglamorphs not true spiders
 

Crotalus

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hmmm just where would you actually post questions or announcements on funnel web spiders? i mean arent they myglamorphs not true spiders
This section is called "True spiders & other arachnids" so here is the place to post funnel questions
 

ballpython2

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"I dont mean to talk down your black widow, but a funnel web spider can kill a man just by lookin at him." Crocodile Dundee
so basically stay away from these spiders?..... i dont get the quote.. i'm tired so can be slow from time to time.. lol
 

Venom

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Do you mean funnel weavers? ( Agelenidae )
 

beetleman

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so basically stay away from these spiders?..... i dont get the quote.. i'm tired so can be slow from time to time.. lol
not at all, they are very interesting,definitly worth working with them,just like any critter that has venom,treat with respect.:worship:
 

Crotalus

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not at all, they are very interesting,definitly worth working with them,just like any critter that has venom,treat with respect.:worship:
With all respect, if you dont know how venomous some in this family are you should definitly not keep them no matter how much you respect them.
Atrax and Hadronyche possess a very potent venom and a bite is a very serious matter. So, yes he should stay away from them (even though the chance of finding them for sale outside Australia is next to zero). The hexathelid Macrothele calpeiana, if he manage to find one, would be more suitable.
 

Bastian Drolshagen

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hi,
as far as I know not all funnelwebs are significant lethal - I´ve never heard of any deads from a bite of Macrothele calpeiana. Additionally there are more spiders building funnelwebs than just Hexathelidae. Dipluridae also build funnelwebs and are much more colorful than Hexathelidae.

i have a chinese giant black funnelweb(raveniola sinsensis spelling)
Well, R. sinensis is actually a Nemesiidae, which are mostly considered to build trapdoors (although not all of them do). I also got one of the spiders sold as R. sinensis and mine is a 100% Macrothele sp.
 

EK2

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I was interested in buying one of these but I wanted to make sure they weren't medically significant...I also had other questions:

How big do they get?

How much do they cost?

how dangerous are they?

Does anyone have them for sale if who?

How many colors do they come in?

are they secretive or usually out in the open?

Ballpython
I am not qualified as an expert on spiders. I am very interested in them, and attempt to learn as much as I can. Have had to limit my direct experience to what is around locally. I live in Sydney and like others in the Sydney to Brisbane strip, have grown up with them. My views are are just an opinion, and the opinions can vary between people. Some are adamant that Hadronyche and Atrax are not particulary hard to deal with and are reasonable to handle with care. Others maintain they are unpredictable and aggressive in the extreme. Depends somewhat on the specific encounters, and how much specialist knowledge you have, and accumulated experience. They are extremely venomous however.

A) How big do they get?

They are small compared to the large Tarantulas that they are related to. But as spiders go generally, they are large. Around the size of large Trapdoors, Mouse Spiders etc. Like small tarantulas, with little hair. About 1 inch in body length on average. But can get quite big. Close to 2 inches is not unheard of. They do possess enormous fangs, for a spider of their size.

B) How much do they cost?

The price of one will be decided by what the market will bear. Never heard of any for sale, as the usual goal is to kill them asap. Some of the Hadronyche species may somehow be available, to someone with the $$$ to spend. This could be the H.Infensa etc that are less likely to attract attention, and comparitively easier to deal with in sourcing and moving around.

C) Does anyone have them for sale if who?

A specialist may be able to provide you with more info on this, but as far as I know, they are not for sale. They would require a hell of a lot of safeguards for live examples, and they are not terribly easy to keep alive in captivity. They are robust, and will sometimes settle in, once located in a suitable environment, but apart from short hauls, they can stress from being transported.

D) How many colors do they come in?

They are all black, with coal or very dark brown abdomens. Sometimes the abdomen, particularly on females, is a deep plum colour, most notably on the Hadronyche Versutus Blue Mountains species, which can grow very big. However there is some thoughts on whether it has changed over the last 30 years, and there may be variations. This is unconfirmed.

E) are they secretive or usually out in the open?

Mixed. Depends on which gender, what time of year, and what they are doing. Generally speaking they remain in their burrows. But the males wander for a few months a year, living an opportunist, nomad life. Females can also move around a bit, but it doesnt seem to be the norm.

F) how dangerous are they?

Extremely. This cannot be emphasized enough. Perhaps only the Brazilian Wanderer is as dangerous, in terms of toxicity, and perhaps aggression. The Wanderer is the source of a vastly greater death toll, due to it's widespread distribution. The Funnelwebs occupy a small area of the continent, and the 2 most lethal, the H.Formidabilis around the wilds of North New South Wales, and the A.Robustus a tiny area around the Sydney metropolitan suburbs and surrounds. H.Versutus around the Blue Mountains, west of Sydney, H.Infensa west of Brisbane. Could not tell you how they stack up to the Wanderer, but the Funnelweb is about as aggressive as a spider can get. They have a nasty disposition, which belies their otherwise placid bearing. The funnelweb will sometimes appear like an average hunting, or trap door spider, stalking prey etc. But this can change rapidly. Some feel that this is actually an "evil" or mean spirited creature, and it can be hard to argue sometimes, though of course it only does what it does naturally. It does not take much to set it off. If it feels threatened, it becomes extremely hostile. Most encounters, and deaths, have been due to accidental cornerings, or coming into direct contact. But it is not at all shy when it comes to striking. Legend has it that teh Funnelweb will "stalk", "jump" or "seek you out". Not quite, but when the situation has arisen it will attack, and even charge a target. Do not get it cornered. It takes on a very distinctive pose, by rising up, it's front legs splayed, and body in a near 90degree angle. The large fangs will be displayed prominently, ready to bite. The Funnelweb will strike downward, with a hell of a lot of force, for a spider of it's size, and penetrate muscle very deeply. It is capable of piercing clothing, gloves, shoes, if the material is not sufficiently thick (always use leather). It is a very very risky proposition to even approach these spiders, let alone handle them. Have dealt with them a number of times, but many, even those tolerant of spiders want them killed, or at least removed from the place, and out of built up areas. They are just too dangerous, and far too likely to enter the home, to ignore. One neighbour came home after the pub closed, and went to crash straight away on his bed, being rather intoxicated. A funnelweb was waiting for him on his pillow, but luckily he spotted it. Groundlevel homes are open to invasion, like his. 2nd storey levels, or having your home on stilts is a good insurance. A male Robustus crawled all the way into our living room, at night. As we were sitting still, watching TV, it made it's way onto the 12 year olds back, and proceeded to crawl onto his collar. Fortunate indeed that I looked in his direction at that time. Swatting it off and covering it with a army jacket, it managed to bite through several folds before neutalizing it. I know of others who describe similar inklings when unknowingly coming into close contact. Most people are cautious when in the garden, and aware. It is in the home where it becomes the greatest threat.

Keeping them requires a hell of a lot of effort. And most of all security. Should they escape, the problem would be great. They can kill very quickly. Most often an hour or 2. But depending on the injection, the amount of toxin, and the size of the victim, between about 20 to 30mins worse case scenario. Hadronyche and Atrax should only be kept by an expert and specialist.
 

beetleman

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hi,
as far as I know not all funnelwebs are significant lethal - I´ve never heard of any deads from a bite of Macrothele calpeiana. Additionally there are more spiders building funnelwebs than just Hexathelidae. Dipluridae also build funnelwebs and are much more colorful than Hexathelidae.



Well, R. sinensis is actually a Nemesiidae, which are mostly considered to build trapdoors (although not all of them do). I also got one of the spiders sold as R. sinensis and mine is a 100% Macrothele sp.
before i purchased mine i looked it up,and it's not very dangerous,though it's bite is painful(the info i got)but it is very aggressive,mine made a huge web aound the container,and she sits at the bottom,very cool.
 

beetleman

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With all respect, if you dont know how venomous some in this family are you should definitly not keep them no matter how much you respect them.
Atrax and Hadronyche possess a very potent venom and a bite is a very serious matter. So, yes he should stay away from them (even though the chance of finding them for sale outside Australia is next to zero). The hexathelid Macrothele calpeiana, if he manage to find one, would be more suitable.
ofcousre very true, should always research first,and know what you have,and for someone to start out with a less venomous sp. i always research before,as many others on this board.
 

Crotalus

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They are not the most agile of spiders and frankly, if you kept Pterinochilus murinus then a funnel, no matter what species, are not to hard to move or maintain.

Thanks for a interesting reading! I wish there were some aus. hexathelids available.
 

EK2

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They are not the most agile of spiders and frankly, if you kept Pterinochilus murinus then a funnel, no matter what species, are not to hard to move or maintain.

Thanks for a interesting reading! I wish there were some aus. hexathelids available.

True. What I was getting at with effort of keeping, is as an underline of "security". It would be wise to allocate them special attention, caution and constant awareness. Dont know of any complicated shipping or transport, first hand. Most movement has involved makeshift endeavours, sending them to the Hospital for milking, or a couple of blokes that keep them locally. This can sometimes lead to them stressing or getting knocked around. If you really know your stuff, and are properly equipped, then they may prove no problem to transport. Other species of Funnelweb other than Atrax and Hadronyche would certainly be the place to start. Have heard that the foreign funnels are likewise ill tempered and prone to bite. Also quite venomous. Export is intriguing. But they are nasty buggers, and one would have to be vigilant against cavalier trade and ensure they dont pose a threat of entering the local ecology. Not sure that trade is a good idea. Bites are associated with the fellows that keep them, and the antivenene is not readily available overseas.
 

Venom

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I agree EK2--Atrax / Hadronyche really aren't suitable for the "pet" hobby as they are simply too venomous, unless we could somehow regulate their distribution to experts only. But I would LOVE to see some Macrothele and / or Missulena get into the US hobby. Venomous still, but not at the level of the Aussie f-webs. We seriously need some more non-theraphosid mygales in the US hobby that aren't trapdoors.
 

Crotalus

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I agree EK2--Atrax / Hadronyche really aren't suitable for the "pet" hobby as they are simply too venomous, unless we could somehow regulate their distribution to experts only. But I would LOVE to see some Macrothele and / or Missulena get into the US hobby. Venomous still, but not at the level of the Aussie f-webs. We seriously need some more non-theraphosid mygales in the US hobby that aren't trapdoors.
Missulena from Australia (not sure on all species) are highly toxic, compareble to Atrax and Hadronyche - atleast from what I have heard.
Macrothele calpeiana is readily bred in Europe.
 

Arocknid

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Might I add that it is Hadronyche Infensa that is the most dangerous. Formidabilis is *only* as potentially dangerous as Atrax Robustus, though there are many many undescribed species out there currently it is Infensa that poses the biggest threat, strangely though, once antivenin is administered the symptoms clear up in under an hour in most cases.
 

Venom

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Yes, I know Missulena are pretty hot, just not as hot as Atrax/ Hadronyche. Their bites respond to Sydney f-web antivenom, and symptoms are homologous, though apparently not quite as severe. In any case, no fatalities have been reported, to my knowledge, and only one severe envenomation. Personally, I would keep one with less trepidation than if it were Atrax / Hadronyche.

Macrothele calpeiana is available in Europe, yes, but my point was that I want it HERE, in the USA. With all the species of Macrothele, from Asia and Europe, you'd think SOME at least would make it into the American hobby? I can't wait til they eventually do become available on American shores :} .
 
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