So is keeping a black widow easier than keeping, say, a venomous snake?

[darkhelmet]

i would also rather get bit by a widow than most venomous snakes anyway...

 

[Motzo]

You have a higher chance of dying with a pit viper bite then you would with a black widow bite-IF it isn't a dry bite.
As a child, I read somewhere that there's an 8% chance of death if you get a widow bite, on the off-chance that you are allergic to either the venom or the antivenom (or you fit in to the 'really young, or very old' category)
I'd be much happier with a widow bite. Easier to diagnose and treat.
But I also like pit vipers.. I'll probably get one when I'm older...

 

[GiantVinegaroon]

Not to mention that pit vipers have hemotoxic venom..

but are you aware that a black widow's venom is 7 times deadlier than a pit viper's?

 

[GiantVinegaroon]

This is simple: a black widow is far easier and safer to keep than any venomous snake. Why? Think about it: which is easier to get tagged by, a 1-inch lump that hangs upside down in a web, or a lithe, 3 foot viper that can strike from half its body length away? The snake can get to you much more easily than a spider, i.e., the snake has the ability to "reach out and touch" someone, whereas the person must, essentially, reach out and touch the spider to be bitten.

Add speed, size, ability to escape versus ability to contain, and lifestyle: a snake is a hunting predator, mobile. A spider sits and waits. The snake obviously has more of a tendency to "want" to get out of its box. There are members on here who have kept Latros free in their homes: setting up a web in a corner, and leaving it there. The spider stays put once its web is assembled, providing the site is successful, and nothing disturbs/ wrecks the web.

In short, widows are smaller, slower, and lazier than any snake.

some comments on your thoughts. not trying to be a jerk, just throwing the info out there:

not all snakes are mobile predators. many pit vipers, boas, and pythons are sit and wait predators.

and widows being lazier than snakes? my friend, you must have never owned a ball python then :}

 

[Motzo]

but are you aware that a black widow's venom is 7 times deadlier than a pit viper's?

The venom may be deadlier, but don't you think the issue with their bites is more about quantity than quality?
Snakes and black widows both kill people, but black widows don't have as high as a death-per-bite rate as most pit vipers do.
But that's interesting information about the venom. I didn't know that.. Thanks!

 

[cjm1991]

but are you aware that a black widow's venom is 7 times deadlier than a pit viper's?

I really didnt know that. But still like Motzo said and I said earlier, a widow can and most likely will give a dry bite while the snake would unload its venom glands into you on the first bite if it felt threatened enough to strike at you. 1 small drop of venom, or a small tablespoon of still very toxic venom.

 

[crpy]

I really didnt know that. But still like Motzo said and I said earlier, a widow can and most likely will give a dry bite while the snake would unload its venom glands into you on the first bite if it felt threatened enough to strike at you. 1 small drop of venom, or a small tablespoon of still very toxic venom.

Snakes dry bite more than not, but in a captive environment ,true you will probably get invenomated.

 

[GiantVinegaroon]

The venom may be deadlier, but don't you think the issue with their bites is more about quantity than quality?
Snakes and black widows both kill people, but black widows don't have as high as a death-per-bite rate as most pit vipers do.
But that's interesting information about the venom. I didn't know that.. Thanks!

of course that would make sense, wouldn't it? :} . i suppose that's why not so many people die from coral snake bites since they're so tiny.

Glad I could teach you something new! most people say it's deadlier than rattler venom, but that's just way too vague for me lol.

 

[cjm1991]

I keep sicarius and some other very toxic inverts but I would never really consider getting a highly venomous snake or even a potentially threatening one at that. Spiders may be small and can fit through some small spaces but that doesn't mean they are going to sit and try every aspect of the enclosure. A snake is always on the move looking for prey as Venom said and would probably be more likely to escape than a spider.

 

[MaartenSFS]

A venomous snake is like a two metre long centipede, but it has heat sensors and can strike up to one half of its body length (depending on species). I have encountered and caught many snakes in the bush. Here in China I have seen several species, including cobra. When given a choice of fight or flight, the latter is always chosen.. HOWEVER, if not given a choice...

 

[Widowman10]

id rather have a rattler bite me than a black widow

i sure as heck would not!!!

i'm pretty sure there is spider antivenom as well

there is, but ya don't need it

I would say that keeping a black widow would be easier.

much easier. you have to work to kill the things...

i would also rather get bit by a widow than most venomous snakes anyway...

me too, as stated above...

but are you aware that a black widow's venom is 7 times deadlier than a pit viper's?

and 15 times deadlier than a rattlesnakes. we've heard it before, but then again we all know that rattlesnakes inject a much higher quantity than widows.

widows are not aggressive/defensive at all like hots can be. rattlers will get angry and bite for you just being near. widows, well, i hold them a lot and they never care

WIDOW. period.

/discussion

 

[What]

but are you aware that a black widow's venom is 7 times deadlier than a pit viper's?

Where did you get that statistic?

 

[Widowman10]

Where did you get that statistic?

wikipedia?

haha, i don't know if it's true or false, but i'm sure compared to some pit vipers venom that may be correct. if it's 15x as toxic as crotalus venom, it has some feasibility.

 

[What]

Well, according to this LD50 value chart, cross referenced to this chart, the venom is less potent than some vipers, and more potent than others...

Eh, whatever... I dont think the potency is really an issue. IMO, barring allergic reactions, a venomous snake will almost always be worse to take a hit from than a latro (not to mention easier to get tagged by).

 

[GiantVinegaroon]

Well, according to this LD50 value chart, cross referenced to this chart, the venom is less potent than some vipers, and more potent(up to ~13x) than others...

Eh, whatever... I dont think the potency is really an issue. IMO, barring allergic reactions, a venomous snake will almost always be worse to take a hit from than a latro (not to mention easier to get tagged by).

Ah ok. I guess people just rounded the statistics to 15 times more. I tried to procure it from my stored memory in my brain

 

[Motzo]

I'm pretty sure you aren't going to find a Widow in anyplace too conspicuous.
Well, not in southeastern Texas anyway... Darn blue mud daubers got to 'em.

 

[crpy]

I'm pretty sure you aren't going to find a Widow in anyplace too conspicuous.
Well, not in southeastern Texas anyway... Darn blue mud daubers got to 'em.

I used to find them there in Tex along any bayou when I lived in Alief and Missouri city area ,but that was long ago.

 

[Motzo]

I've seen one once as a child. I haven't found any since, though I suppose it's just the wasps in this area (specifically the blue daubers)
They'd be in less open, harder to find places I bet..
Who knows, I might go looking someday..

 

[8+)]

I'm really surprised this is even being debated, it just seems like there is no comparison! A venomous snake (most any snake really) has much greater demands on a keeper. They need a much larger cage that fastens very securely, they need species specific substrate, they need heat gradients, they are much more expensive to feed, their cage needs to be cleaned much more frequently (increasing the chances of a bite), and IMO they are much more dangerous.

As far as the likelihood of biting you, the snake wins hands down. I think in addition to what others have mentioned, it really boils down to awareness. A snake has much better eyesight, and is so much more aware of and able to react to your presence. Widows can only react to you if you touch them or their web, and even then you can easily evade them. Widows are very clumsy anywhere but their web. Seems like a spider of the genus Phoneutria, would be one to close the gap a little, as they appear to have better eyesight and be more reactive.

All you need to keep and deal with widows is a jar, some sticks, maybe a fan brush, and a bug once or twice a month. The only thing harder about widows is that you either have to acquire more or breed them, if you want to keep them for any length of time.

 

[cjm1991]

Most Latros arent very expensive and they lay sacs like crazy if they are WC. So the debat is over, if thats even what you want to call it.