RebeccaMatt Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 I personally don't have a big fear of spiders and I hate killing them, if I see a spider I pick it up and put it outside . however , I know this won't be the case in Oz. I know some people make them sound a lot worse than they really are, my dad was in Oz for 6 months and seen only one huntsman and another family member was there for two years and seen nothing. My worry is having a curious toddler running around , he is very curious he tried to befriend a bee the other day (luckily a friendly one ha) my question is, if you do find any huge or venomous spiders , is it just a case of moving them outside, or should you avoid them completely? Can't say I fancy picking up a huntsman or any possible venomous ones before my son does but I wouldn't like to squish one either . I'm probably over thinking it but it cant hurt to ask Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parley Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 You can put a glass over it and slide paper underneath and take outside. The only spiders I seem to get inside are Daddy Long Legs. Don't think I have ever had a venemous spider in the house. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bungo Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 I saw one huntsman in five years, just ignored it and it went away. Didn't see any of the dangerous spiders, to be honest we saw no more spiders in Australia than we ever did in UK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PomCop Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 I saw one huntsman in five years, just ignored it and it went away. Didn't see any of the dangerous spiders, to be honest we saw no more spiders in Australia than we ever did in UK. I echo this. When I've been in Aus I hardly saw any spiders. In fact, I see more spiders here in England than what I did in Perth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bristolman Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 I must admit we saw loads more spiders in Australia, mostly Huntsman and Wolf Spiders. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LKC Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 To be honest I was worried about the spiders before we came (we came with 1 and 2 year old daughters), and was worried that the kids would be bitten and whotnot, but we rarely see spiders. In the first house we lived in (more suburban) we had a couple of huge huntsmen (I will never forget OH's line "Honey, can you please get me something bigger to catch this in"!), but since we moved to a house backing on to the bush we rarely see them. I suspect it is because we have lots of lizards in the garden, and because we have house cats. We do get redbacks, but you get to know where they like to hang out (the garage and down by the pool) but other than those we've seen maybe two smallish huntsmen, a couple of house spiders, orb weavers in the garden (which make massive webs between our house and next door), and no funnel webs. We are fitting our garage with shelving at the moment and I have seen a few redbacks in there (which were swiftly dispatched by OH - I can't do it), but the kids don't go in there so I don't worry. Plus they have grown up here (they are 7 and 9 now), so they just know what they can/can't touch. ETA: We have been here for a bit over six years, and I rarely think about spiders now, just to give a timeframe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest90395 Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 In 19 months we have had only 3 spiders in the house, all white tails, including 1 in a pair of my pants which had been out on the washing line! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mungbean Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 On my first morning at work here I was introduced to my new colleagues and we chatted for around 15 minutes about where everyone was from. They then spent the next 45 mins telling me all kinds of stories about crocodiles, sharks, snakes and spiders! Only later did everyone admit that nobody they know has ever been attacked by any of them (and my boss has been here since 1955). I've seen plenty of spiders in my house or garden here in Sydney, but mostly very big garden spiders, or small ones I somehow assumed were harmless, flitting around inside the house. None of them looked like these anyway... http://www.spiders.com.au/ I guess I should start learning the dodgy ones! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RebeccaMatt Posted May 27, 2015 Author Share Posted May 27, 2015 This is very reassuring, like any mother, especially as he's my first child I worry about absolutely everything lol I'm sure the spiders are something we will learn to live with. Will probably spot loads in the beginning because I'll be looking out for them ! I've heard they can be a real pest in the car, are there ways to help prevent them in the car?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mungbean Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 TBH mosquitoes are by far my biggest concern... I had a very bad reaction to them when I first arrived, with big welts coming up and having to take anti-histamines for the first time in my life (they made a big difference). I'd been living with mozzies in India for 4 years before that and never had any kind of reaction like it. And the buggers are still flitting around in the garden today, even though we're only 3 weeks off the winter solstice! But at least there are loads of anti-mosquito options. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RebeccaMatt Posted May 27, 2015 Author Share Posted May 27, 2015 On my first morning at work here I was introduced to my new colleagues and we chatted for around 15 minutes about where everyone was from. They then spent the next 45 mins telling me all kinds of stories about crocodiles, sharks, snakes and spiders! Only later did everyone admit that nobody they know has ever been attacked by any of them (and my boss has been here since 1955). I've seen plenty of spiders in my house or garden here in Sydney, but mostly very big garden spiders, or small ones I somehow assumed were harmless, flitting around inside the house. None of them looked like these anyway... http://www.spiders.com.au/ I guess I should start learning the dodgy ones! Only since watching 'I was bitten' last night have I been researching spiders like crazy. I knew to expect spiders and I know there are venomous ones, but its silly programmes like this one that got me worrying about how to keep them away from a small child, or more keep him away from them ! However, I think the man in the programmes bite was a very worst case scenario situation My house is coming down with books/magazines on Oz with only a very small section on spiders so it really mustn't be as big a problem as some people think, unless you have a terrible fear Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LKC Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 TBH mosquitoes are by far my biggest concern... I had a very bad reaction to them when I first arrived, with big welts coming up and having to take anti-histamines for the first time in my life (they made a big difference). I'd been living with mozzies in India for 4 years before that and never had any kind of reaction like it. And the buggers are still flitting around in the garden today, even though we're only 3 weeks off mid-winter! But at least there are loads of anti-mosquito options. Same here. Mosquitos and those 'no-see-ums' (midge-like things) are a pain. I'd never been bitten by a mozzie until we came to Aus. I get huge welts too, and when I get bitten again the first ones come back up! I have actually got a couple of scars on my legs from this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RebeccaMatt Posted May 27, 2015 Author Share Posted May 27, 2015 TBH mosquitoes are by far my biggest concern... I had a very bad reaction to them when I first arrived, with big welts coming up and having to take anti-histamines for the first time in my life (they made a big difference). I'd been living with mozzies in India for 4 years before that and never had any kind of reaction like it. And the buggers are still flitting around in the garden today, even though we're only 3 weeks off mid-winter! But at least there are loads of anti-mosquito options. I was bitten my something (still to this day don't know what it was but they suspect some sort if insect) when I was 15 in Gibraltar. It made me terribly ill, legs swole up and couldn't walk for weeks, still covered in scars from what looked like gun shot wounds at the time. Anyway, all sounds very yucky eventually I just got over it. I hope I don't come into contact with whatever it was again , but I'd imagine I will probably have problems with mosquitos as any little bite since causes me problems , suppose I will find out when we get there ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RebeccaMatt Posted May 27, 2015 Author Share Posted May 27, 2015 Same here. Mosquitos and those 'no-see-ums' (midge-like things) are a pain. I'd never been bitten by a mozzie until we came to Aus. I get huge welts too, and when I get bitten again the first ones come back up! I have actually got a couple of scars on my legs from this. Now I read this maybe it was a terrible reaction to a mosquito bite ! Lol my brother had the exact same problems in Iraq Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mungbean Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 I wish I'd known about the anti-histamines before this happened. I just thought "oh yeah, mosquitoes - done that". In the end I was staying in Bondi shortly after arriving and I had such a bad reaction and a bite on my wrist that looked like it might actually be going septic, so I went into a random pharmacy and asked what to do. They gave me anti-h (basically same as hay fever tablets) and some antiseptic creme, and that made a big difference. Now I always carry the antihistamines with me and if I get bitten I take one straight away, and so far the welts didn't come up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johndoe Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 Do Not wipe out Daddy long legs.............they eat other spiders such as red backs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RebeccaMatt Posted May 27, 2015 Author Share Posted May 27, 2015 Do Not wipe out Daddy long legs.............they eat other spiders such as red backs Really?? Im guessing the daddy long legs must be a lot bigger than they are here lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tina0101 Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 Daddy long legs spiders just chill out quietly and munch what the gecko's dont get!! We've had a couple of decent sized spiders in the garden but again, most just chill out in their web. I wouldn't worry too much :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mungbean Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 Really?? Im guessing the daddy long legs must be a lot bigger than they are here lol Daddy Long Legs is a kind of spider here, not the same as the Crane Fly that gets the same nickname back home. http://australianmuseum.net.au/daddy-long-legs-spider Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quinkla Posted May 28, 2015 Share Posted May 28, 2015 We have had loads of spiders - mostly huntsmen and house spiders. We leave the huntsmen alone as they are good for killing flies, etc. and are harmless to us. In fact, we like them. We had a favourite badge huntsman in our old house and relocated him outside when we left so the new owners wouldn't hurt him. The house spiders get moved on by vacuuming their webs (which are annoying) except in the laundry where they catch flies. House spiders bite but are not poisonous. I have found a couple of whitetails and they did not live long. You don't want to take chances with them. My parents in law have funnel webs and they kill them for the same reason. I think daddy long legs are not really spiders - we get plenty of them too and leave them alone. Spiders generally are on the side of the angels. I wish we could get rid of the moths, rats and cockroaches though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starlight7 Posted May 28, 2015 Share Posted May 28, 2015 We don't get that many spiders- a lot less than we used to. Probably dying out because of all the toxic chemicals around. Only thing to remember is not to actually touch them- even huntsman spiders can make you itch etc even though they are not supposed to be poisonous. Whitetails are quite common and if they bite it can fester and go on for a long time. Rarely see redbacks these days, about 2 years since I saw one and that was up the bush. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RebeccaMatt Posted May 28, 2015 Author Share Posted May 28, 2015 We have had loads of spiders - mostly huntsmen and house spiders. We leave the huntsmen alone as they are good for killing flies, etc. and are harmless to us. In fact, we like them. We had a favourite badge huntsman in our old house and relocated him outside when we left so the new owners wouldn't hurt him. The house spiders get moved on by vacuuming their webs (which are annoying) except in the laundry where they catch flies. House spiders bite but are not poisonous. I have found a couple of whitetails and they did not live long. You don't want to take chances with them. My parents in law have funnel webs and they kill them for the same reason. I think daddy long legs are not really spiders - we get plenty of them too and leave them alone. Spiders generally are on the side of the angels. I wish we could get rid of the moths, rats and cockroaches though. I really don't like to kill spiders , although spiders here are a lot smaller lol but I really wouldn't have the heart to kill one if I could help it. Especially if it was a harmless huntsman, I still get phone calls from my mum asking me to come over and get a spider for her , she's terrified but still wouldn't kill one . is it easy to identify the posinous ones when you do see them ? Will have to start educating my son on staying clear of spiders well before we go lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VERYSTORMY Posted May 28, 2015 Share Posted May 28, 2015 We have come across the odd redback but only about 3-4 in 7 years and at least two were taking up residence in the letterbox. But we live semi rural. I have been been bitten by a white tail which can be serious. It put me in bed for a day on oxygen. But, I was bitten by crane spider in the UK - a daddy long legs - still have a huge scar today and was off school for weeks. As as for other wildlife. Don't worry. We see snakes a lot in summer, but they move away fast as soon as they see us. Just do not go in long grass in summer. In most capital cities even long grass is fine in winter. If if you do decide to live in a more rural location, then just get a fridge magnet with the local snake catchers number on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tina0101 Posted May 28, 2015 Share Posted May 28, 2015 I can confirm that Whitetail bites go on for a while - 6 months ago I got bitten and it still flares up occasionally!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrownEyedGal Posted May 28, 2015 Share Posted May 28, 2015 Urgh..I am no fan of spiders. Just tonight for the first time ever, there were 2 - I think - baby huntsman right by my front door. They got sprayed, after I rushed in petrified. When you work in childcare, you are forever checking every piece of equipment for spiders, with the childrens help - cannot afford for a child to be bitten. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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