Guest JRC93 Posted December 5, 2008 Share Posted December 5, 2008 Hi, I am moving to my new home in Warburton (Yarra Ranges) next week and expect I'll see more Huntsman spiders up that way than down in the Melbourne suburbs. Trouble is, I suffer from acute arachnophobia!!! Can anyone please advise me on any proven steps I can take (besides moving back to SE London) to reduce my encounters with Huntsmans? My uncle (who was a 10 Pound Pom and who shares my phobia) swears blind that the ultra-sonic plug-in devices (PestXit Duo - from Dick Smith Electronics) DO work. I have also read that spiders dislike citrus oil and chestnut wood. I am most worried about encountering a Huntsman in my car... it could lead to an accident! How the hell do they get into cars and, once again, anything I can do to prevent this? All advice VERY welcome. Ta, Justin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petals Posted December 6, 2008 Share Posted December 6, 2008 You can take courses to help overcome your fears. My best friend's husband is afraid of spiders too and my daughter's boy friend and they are both Aussies so its not just Brits its a common thing. Fortunately I am not at all frightened of them its snakes for me I just freeze and if anyone is going to see one its me. Even managed to see an Adder last time I was in UK. Did my Achilles tendon on holiday one year jumping because I saw a snake. I know its easy for me to say but the spiders will get out of your way as will snakes they do not look to come and bother us. I have just had a white tail crawl across my desk so just moved him on a piece of paper. Huntsmen I just sweep them into a dustpan and put them outside. Huntsmen like to get into window frames and wood piles etc. Red backs are shy and live in dark damp places and you know they are around as they have very untidy webs. Please just get some help as its not nice to suffer this way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Marty Posted December 6, 2008 Share Posted December 6, 2008 hit em with your tv if you can't get it working !!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KazzE Posted December 6, 2008 Share Posted December 6, 2008 We have just had our first encounter with a white tail - it was bigger than I thought, I think it was a male so we now need to find the female!!! I am sorry to say we blasted it with Mortien (sp?) spray I am not yet at the stage where I can just put them outside,the little beggers would probable just come back!! But I did not freak out, surprisingly calm, we were sorting through boxes in the garage and hubby took some tarp off the top of a pile of boxes, I was just about to say 'don't flick it' when he felt the spider run up his arm, he knocked it on to the floor and it ran under the wheely bin, then made a break for the garage again where we sprayed it. We have sprayed all around the house with a surface spray and hope that that has done the trick as far as them coming into the house but even I cannot begrudge them living in the garden. Huntsmen - hmmm not come across any yet and one of my biggest fears is one hiding under the sun visor, I guess the way to stop this is not to leave your windows open?? I think I will be ok if I see one (yeh right!!!!) because I know that they get rid of the other more dangerous spiders and do not bite (??) Seriously tho, if you are that worried you need to get some help, otherwise you will be a nervous wreck all the time. good luck with the move :wink: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JoanneHattersley Posted December 6, 2008 Share Posted December 6, 2008 Getting help is the way to go because I seriously dont think you can avoid them out here!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Eindhoven Posted December 6, 2008 Share Posted December 6, 2008 I also have a major fear of spider and have taken to living in a flat. To date (touch wood) we have only had a couple of tiny spiders in the house nothing more. I can cope with them living outside it's when they are in my home I cannot bear it I just turn into this loud hysterical mess. My Aunt has been here 20 years, she also has this same fear and used to live in Melbourne. She swears you can get not only tour house fumigated but also your garden and everytime she found a cobweb she would get rid of it therefore they give up and move on. Although she did confess recently that she had been bitten by a white tail! Other than that I can assure you that in the 11 months I have been here my fear is getting better but only out side, still not ready to move to a house yet! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JRC93 Posted December 6, 2008 Share Posted December 6, 2008 We have just had our first encounter with a white tail - it was bigger than I thought, I think it was a male so we now need to find the female!!! I am sorry to say we blasted it with Mortien (sp?) spray I am not yet at the stage where I can just put them outside,the little beggers would probable just come back!! But I did not freak out, surprisingly calm, we were sorting through boxes in the garage and hubby took some tarp off the top of a pile of boxes, I was just about to say 'don't flick it' when he felt the spider run up his arm, he knocked it on to the floor and it ran under the wheely bin, then made a break for the garage again where we sprayed it. We have sprayed all around the house with a surface spray and hope that that has done the trick as far as them coming into the house but even I cannot begrudge them living in the garden. Huntsmen - hmmm not come across any yet and one of my biggest fears is one hiding under the sun visor, I guess the way to stop this is not to leave your windows open?? I think I will be ok if I see one (yeh right!!!!) because I know that they get rid of the other more dangerous spiders and do not bite (??) Seriously tho, if you are that worried you need to get some help, otherwise you will be a nervous wreck all the time. good luck with the move :wink: KazzE, Thanks. Could you please tell me more about the surface spray you mentioned? What's it called? Where can I buy it from? Is it for all spiders? Many thanks, Justin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JRC93 Posted December 6, 2008 Share Posted December 6, 2008 Thanks, You are not the only one here to mention that I need to 'get help'. LOL!!! Do you mean 'hypnotherapy'? The only help I can think of is 'aversion-therapy' - where you are hugely exposed to what you're scared of in order for de-sensitisation to occur. I couldn't handle that! Thanks again. Justin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest The Pom Queen Posted December 6, 2008 Share Posted December 6, 2008 KazzE, Thanks. Could you please tell me more about the surface spray you mentioned? What's it called? Where can I buy it from? Is it for all spiders? Many thanks, Justin Mortein is sold in all supermarkets. Mortein has a wide range of products available have a look on their website: Mortein - Surface Spray Spider Control Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnxiousMum Posted December 6, 2008 Share Posted December 6, 2008 Hi Justin, We are hoping to move to Melbourne some time next year, I too have the same fear as you. We are coming over to Melbourne in March to have a look round for places to live and I have just started to have dreams about spiders!!!! I am absolutely terrified of the little loves!!!:confusedxmas: I too am starting to think some sort of therepy may be in order but I cant come face to face with one so god knows what I am gonna do. Anyway I heard that spiders dont like a certain spice, Cumin, and if you bake some seeds in the oven then put them in little bowls around your house they wont come in!!! I also heard that the spider in the car scenerio is that they get in by the air conditioning unit!!! Or through the grills at the front of your car, so dont think you are gonna be able to do much about that really. To be honest if you are already living in OZ you have done better than me, not even sure I am gonna make it just for a looksy if I keep dreaming about them like I have been. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KazzE Posted December 6, 2008 Share Posted December 6, 2008 Hi Justin - you can get the surface spray almost anywhere, supermarkets etc we got ours in Bunnings Oz B&Q you can also get 'bombs' that you let off in the house or garage we let some off before we moved in and we bought some more today, in Bunnings, that release a constant fine mist until the can is empty, 3 for $12 we are going to do the Garage, the loft and under the house as we did not do these areas before we moved in and my DD and DS arrive next weekend, I don't want to risk anything putting my DD off !! But Jo is right there is no avoiding them here - we need to 'deal with it' as they say and the reality is I don't think you encounter them that often (well I hope not anyway!!):wideyedxmas: Karen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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