Getting Bit

Telson

Arachnodemon
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Aug 5, 2003
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685
T bites, and Bee bites, and stings, oh my!

In response to this:
"Anytime I hear somebody compare a T bite to a bee sting I just laugh. Let a Goliath bury it's inch long fangs in their hand and tell me it feels like a bee sting. Sheesh.



This started out as a simple Q & A thread regarding the bite of a specific species, namely B. smithi, and the people who provided the A's all seem to have posted from either first hand experience with other NW T's, or have made it clear that they have none and are providing info and opinions based on what they have read from numerous sources regarding bites of similar species or B. smithi itself. Being one of the latter with no first hand experience thankfully, but having read many bite reports and having been bitten by more than my share of true spiders that have wandered into my covers at night, I know that 100% of the time the true spider was never seen or felt at the time of the bite. This in itself leads me to give creedence to the reports that indicate people didn't even realize they'd been bitten by some NW T's at the moment it occurred, though it's obviously not conclusive and I am only offering my opinion. Additionally, to support my opinion, it hurts a LOT worse to be cut by a dull knife than a razor blade, and I can only think that the precision needle sharp fangs of a T would similarly hurt a LOT less than something like carpet tacks.


This discussion is not about OW species that would be likely to latch on and "chew" or repeatedly drive their fangs into the flesh in an aggressive species style. Obviously a T.blodi bite would not be described as "similar to a bee sting". Keeping posts in the context of the thread might help when putting in ones thoughts.


Anyhow, these are the reasons I believe the comparison to a bee sting or a wasp sting is very likely accurate in regard to this subject as it relates to this species. I just can't firgure out why some people have to slam other peoples opinions rather than simply say they disagree, especially when neither party is speaking from first hand experience.... If you doubt the bite reports or think it would be otherwise you have the right to your opinion, but it's tiresome seeing peoples posts come out of the starting gate like an attack on the previously posted opinions and using examples that have nothing to do with the immidiate subject to try to make the previous peoples posts look dumb.

I'm CERTAIN that seeing this kind of antagonistic disagreement doesn't sit well with the newbs reading the threads who are here trying to see "what the experienced keepers think". I wouldn't want to learn ANY subject in a classroom where there were several instructors and a few of them were more interested in trying to make each other look stupid as a way of looking more "intelligent" or "knowlegable" than they were interested in helping the students learn the material they need to know, and I think this kind of biting remark in a post creates a very similar environment to just that.

If someone were to post "Oh, they are deadly! Don't touch it or it'll kill you!!" I can see slamming the ##$&^!! out of them for posting complete BS, but gimme a break here... Let people have their opinions and stick to posting your own with at least a LITTLE common courtesy to those who do not share it with you.

Edit: Upon posting this I looked at your profile to see who you were and discovered that you have only 10 posts on the boards yourself, so my question is what gives you the justification to start slamming others for their opinions in the first place? Just something you might consider when choosing how to word your next post.
 
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FelixA9

Arachnoknight
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Jul 24, 2003
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185
Okay you can climb down off your soapbox now. As for me not having been bit by a T it's true, I haven't. However I HAVE been stuck by things the size of a T fang and contrary to your post T fangs are FAR from "razor sharp". As for T bites being compared to bee stings, venom aside it's a rediculous comparison. You mention that the original poster was talking about a b. smithi. Fine. I've heard the bee sting comparison in regard to Goliaths and the impression I got was that it was somebody parroting what they heard.

"Being one of the latter with no first hand experience thankfully, but having read many bite reports and having been bitten by more than my share of true spiders that have wandered into my covers at night, I know that 100% of the time the true spider was never seen or felt at the time of the bite."

How big were the fangs on the likely culprit? Apparently you missed the fact that I was speaking strictly on -fang size- AND that it was a strong bite. NOT a glancing dry scratch. Not a bite from a tiny house spider.


"indicate people didn't even realize they'd been bitten by some NW T's at the moment it occurred"


Should read "indicate SOME people. . ." Some felt nothing, some it hurt like hell. It depends on the strength of the bite. Just because one person got a glancing scratch you can't ASSUME everybody will.


"This discussion is not about OW species that would be likely to latch on and "chew" or repeatedly drive their fangs into the flesh in an aggressive species style. Obviously a T.blodi bite would not be described as "similar to a bee sting". Keeping posts in the context of the thread might help when putting in ones thoughts."

*This* discussion was about a specific species. I HAVE heard the "it's like a bee sting" comment used as comparison to a T. bloNdi bite. ". . .it wouldn't be much worse than a bee sting but you'd probable have a -heart attack-" This from the talking head on the nature show about spiders.

"I'm CERTAIN that seeing this kind of antagonistic disagreement doesn't sit well with the newbs reading the threads who are here trying to see "what the experienced keepers think". I wouldn't want to learn ANY subject in a classroom where there were several instructors and a few of them were more interested in trying to make each other look stupid as a way of looking more "intelligent" or "knowlegable" than they were interested in helping the students learn the material they need to know, and I think this kind of biting remark in a post creates a very similar environment to just that. "

In contrast to your six paragraph tirade?


"Edit: Upon posting this I looked at your profile to see who you were and discovered that you have only 10 posts on the boards yourself, so my question is what gives you the justification to start slamming others for their opinions in the first place? Just something you might consider when choosing how to word your next post."


Which means absolutely nada. Unless you feel like since you post so much that it somehow means you know how to read a bite report better than me? On the contrary, judging by your response I suspect you feel like anything that could be construed as an attack on your hobby must be defended to the death regardless of how rediculous it looks. If you'd actually READ my posts objectively you'd have seen the only point I was trying to make was that people use a little common sense. Saying "feels like a be sting" without differentiating between venom potency and the mechanical aspects of the bite/sting is a little misleading. That's all. Was I trying to scare someone away? No. And I specifically SAID that I was not trying to do so.
 

Telson

Arachnodemon
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Messages
685
Originally posted by MrFeexit
sighhhhhh...this thread started out innocently enough....
This was my whole point, yet it was obviously missed since he responded with yet another antagonistic post.

By the way...

How big were the fangs on the likely culprit? Apparently you missed the fact that I was speaking strictly on -fang size- AND that it was a strong bite. NOT a glancing dry scratch. Not a bite from a tiny house spider.


thanks hes only a quarter inch right now so theres no reason for me to worry anyway.


True spider sized fangs as compared to spiderling should denote some relevence to the post. Once again, context of the thread...

As stated in my "tirade" it's merely my opinnions and I'm cramming them down no ones throat, nor am I trying to make anyone look dumb for having a differing opinion. So far I don't think you've made a post in this thread that didn't come off as attacking someone elses opinion. If you feel that certain points were not made in previous posts you are more than welcome to point those issues out, but you do not need to come off like they are idiots for not including what you think should be included in the response. That was the point of my "tirade", but I'll "get off my soap box" now thanks.

Have a nice day.
 
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MrDeranged

He Who Rules
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Jul 16, 2002
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2,001
Okay, enough.

Have to put my 2 cents in here.

@ Telson

I didn't see anyone arguing until you jumped on Felix A9. He was just stating that in some cases he thinks the comparison of a bee sting to a T bite is unrealistic. I don't see where you see that as argumentative. Even Code Monkey was not fighting with Felix, which is a very good sign that there was nothing to fight about ;P

@ All

What's always been my understanding in the comparison of T bites to Bee stings is that the reaction to the venom is similar, NOT that the physical aspects of the bite are. How could anyone possibly compare a bee sting to the penetrating bite of two 3/4 inch fangs from a T. blondi? Simple answer is that you can't

To be honest with you, I think that a Bee sting has the potential to be worse than a T bite in most cases. At the moment, I can't remember hearing of anyone going into Anaphylactic shock from a T bite while with Bee's it's quite possible.

In short, everyone is entitled to their own opinions and post counts stand for NOTHING in regards to experience level. There are many people on these boards with negligible post couts that I would take advice from long before someone who has 10,000 posts on the board.

Scott
 

Telson

Arachnodemon
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Fair enough, and I agree with the post count matter regarding knowlege of T's. My only point in that regard was that it seemed the whole flavor of the posts I was refferencing was fairly aimed at saying "You're all idiots for comparing T bites to bee stings!", and the issue I was responding to was the way it was presented, not the fact that he disagreed. That was all.

Nothing personal feex, and as I said before, you're certinaly not required to agree with what is posted, it's just that a lot of threads I've read recently are all fairly relaxed until some particular indiviadual disagrees and they post that disagreement in a manner that slams everyone who posted previously, and this just happened to be the thread I was reading when I hit my tollerance limit for that kind of thing.
 
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MrFeexit

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Aug 11, 2003
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THank U MrD for putting the fire out. Flame wars are not fun for anyone.
 

MrDeranged

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Telson,

It seemed that your arguments were more with Felix A9 than Mrfeexit.....?

Scott
 

Telson

Arachnodemon
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Messages
685
Definately so.

Got cross threaded when I saw the next post was from MrFeexit was all. Orignially posted "We kewl Felix?" and then changed it. Should have left it as Felix. My bad! :?
 

Mister Internet

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<several posts edited out of thread...>

okaaaaay..... let it die already.... if you all want to kiss and make up, do it in PMs. No offense intended, it's just that this is supposed to be an informational thread in an informational forums, and it doesn't need 20 posts saying, "we cool?" "oh yeah, we're cool" "sorry man, I just get a little carried away sometimes" in a thread about T bites... it's counterproductive, and I'm counting on you all to be helpful enough to continue in the expected manner.

Thanks, please continue.
 
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