Guest NeilEB Posted April 11, 2011 Share Posted April 11, 2011 I cannot belive I just googled what a drop bear is!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You guys are having a laugh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I did that too Thanks to the sensible answers - so basically not much to worry about as long as you are careful and sensible (and carry a big umbrella to ward off those drop bears) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheryl12 Posted April 11, 2011 Share Posted April 11, 2011 lol i googled it aswell!!!!!!! im so glad its fictitious lol x shez x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olly Posted April 12, 2011 Share Posted April 12, 2011 I am a local, lived here most of my life, and while we need to be 'aware' of some of the spiders/snakes and where they hang out, this is more so for the sake of our animals. My boxer dog was on a property yesterday which was a bit overgrown, and she's been at the vet this morning with what my vet says is definitely a spider bite - half her face is swollen up - so keeping grasses mowed and gettting rid of wood piles etc can be much safer for animals (and humans). At least we humans can have a look for these things, animals go bounding in and play with things they find. Whichever spider bit Tahli, let's say that her boxer face today is only one a mum could love:laugh:My sister in laws cat was killed by a snake at Mt. Eliza so she wasn't so lucky (again the property was overgrown). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moirclan Posted April 12, 2011 Share Posted April 12, 2011 ive met a few people bitten by snakes they were all alive lol so it cant be all bad , felt for that child i saw on tv a couple of months ago he was asleep and woke up to find a snake wrapped around his wrist , when he tried to get it off it bit him twice , but it was in an old fibro house with a hole in the wall where the snake got in , the mother ended up moving house and i dont blame her i would too. the worst danger ive found with snakes is your pet dogs had a client at xmas who has three dogs two got bit by a snake and had to have anti venom [ i think its roughly about $800 a shot of anti venom each , then three weeks later another two of her dogs got bitten one hadnt been bitten before and the other had been bitten [ three weeks before ] both again had the anti venom another $ 800 each again the one who had been bitten twice died the other survived it . im care ful with my dog in spring [ the worst time ] and i have her on a lead around water [lakes and such as they tend to be bad around that kind of area, i think the thing is to be just be mindful . there are shark attacks but the reality is more people are killed in a week on the roads than are killed by shark attacks in five maybe ten years so it just has to be put in perspective Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 27, 2011 Share Posted April 27, 2011 Hi all, to be honest I have done lots of research and when I found this felt even more frightenend than I had been :animal-spider: http://www.aussiemove.com/aus/chatConv.asp?t=17382 eek! when I saw this one I panicked, don't tell me you've got to got round your house every time you go out or on hols and find this argh!! http://www.aussiemove.com/aus/chatConv.asp?t=10074 look at the 3 horrible pics down the page Just thought I would show you what I found, and then when I read that you need to brush down everywhere outside and in the shed I was worried that if garden furniture was left out that they are somehow attached to the chair - AM I OVERWORRYING/or not?? I know they exist in OZ and did not let it bother me esp. for my children, but cause I am such a hoarder I was worrying they will be in my shoes in the wardrobe area (what did I tell you, I am a worrier) :unsure: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loubeany Posted April 27, 2011 Share Posted April 27, 2011 dont worry like the blog states to see them around is rare and to be honest you just take a common sense approach to it.... check your furniture outside regular and dont go walking around in long grass without proper leg and foot protection. My friend says she has rarely seen a spider so honestly I think your worrying for nothing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 27, 2011 Share Posted April 27, 2011 I will try to Lou for me, as I know I will have to for the children's sake, and I know OZ is great for teaching you all about it, I will be attending all the classes LOL!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arlene Posted April 27, 2011 Share Posted April 27, 2011 In the year we spent in Perth we saw one dugite snake as we walked along the path beside Burns beach, it didn't come anywhere near us. We saw lots of redback spiders but no bites and you learn to look closely at garden furniture before you use them. We lived beside Mullaloo beach and would hear if the shark alert went off, it went off one day so myself and our 4 boys rushed down to the beach! TV cameras were there and there had been a shark spotted about 150metres from the shore. Eventually the all clear was given and the children who had been in the sea having a swimming lesson at the time were told to get back in and finish their swimming lesson! i would have been a bit nervous about that. Before you move to Autralia I think you wonder what the dangers are really like but in reality when you are there you just get on with it and don't worry about it too much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest NeilEB Posted April 27, 2011 Share Posted April 27, 2011 Is this thread still going? Anyway is it me or are spiders getting bigger in the UK? Saw one in my house the size of a horse last night and semi-freaked out (ok I didn't scream like a little girl, but it made me uncomfortable for the rest of the night). How on earth am I going to cope in Oz? :-( (I may have slightly exagerrated when I said it was the size of a horse) (Maybe more like a Shetland pony) (It was big, ok!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blobby1000 Posted April 27, 2011 Share Posted April 27, 2011 Neil Hi, we have been in Oz for 6 months. We live in Suburban Melbourne. We have 2 very young kids. I saw a spider in my sons playhouse in the garden and rather foolishly ingnored it (in fairness spiders are everywhere and most do not hurt you, Huntsmen are massive but harmless, scare the s*it out of you tho!) Anyway the next day my wife found 4 redbacks in the playhouse! Yes they could have killed my son and thats scary! She killed and bottled them so we can all see what they look like! Buy yourself some spray (its good) and if anyone gets bitten, so long as you get help you shoudl be ok. As for snakes we have seen 3, 2 sunning themselves on the beach (both potentially lethal) just gotta be aware of them and agian get help if they get you! As for sharks, I have heard nobody has ever dies in Australain waters swimming between the flags. So thats one answer. On our first trip to the beach we ran out the water when a shark spotting helicopter came over very low! I always think if you go in the ocean alone and there is a shark it may eat you. If you go in with 50 other people, even if there is a shark, there is only a 2% chance it will get you, its more likely to eat someone else! They say avoid swimming early mornings and evenings. In reality not many people get attacked, and lots of people swim. My advice is buy a book an dangerous wildlife, at least then you will know what to look out for. Good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest NeilEB Posted April 27, 2011 Share Posted April 27, 2011 Good luck Lol, I was fine till this part! :cry: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newjez Posted April 27, 2011 Share Posted April 27, 2011 Neil - the spiders I find in Sussex are as big as the ones - if not bigger than - most that I saw in Perth. I saw one last year run across our wooden flooring. The only reason that I looked up to see it was that I 'heard' it running along the floor. A spider has to be pretty big for you to hear them walking around. Not wishing to put anyone off, but I did have an experience many years ago in Perth in my old volkswagen beetle which I found quite disturbing. They always say to check under your sun visors before you set off, as spiders can hide under them and scare you when you put the visor down. I did that - no spiders. I then went driving down the freeway - doing 90 km/h, when I noticed the speedo looked fuzzy. I had another look, and I could see something wasn't right. I turned the lights on, and iluminated in the speedo, with legs stretched to the max, desperately trying to hold on, was the largest huntsman spider I have ever seen in my life. The VW beetle doesn't have much of a dashboard - mine was made of metal, and there was nothing between the spider and my legs. I believe I started to emit a low moany sort of whine at this stage as blind panic set in. I had to remind myself that I was in the fast lane driving fast, and the spider wouldn't kill me. I put on my hazzards and very gingerly pulled over to the slow lane and then the hard shoulder, very conscious of every bump in the road. I very carefully got out and flicked the 'little' devil out of the car. This probably wouldn't happen with a newer car as they are sealed better - but if you have an old banger - it pays to check. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest NeilEB Posted April 27, 2011 Share Posted April 27, 2011 Not wishing to put anyone off Hmmm....... Consider me 'eeked'! :eek: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newjez Posted April 27, 2011 Share Posted April 27, 2011 This is a really interesting link. We used to play with these when I was growing up in the bush in Sydney. (not for the faint hearted) http://aso.gov.au/titles/documentaries/webs-intrigue/clip2/ The really interestering things that I find about these fascinating spiders, is that the funnel webs stick to Sydney, the male is more venomous than the female, and that of all the mamals - the venom is only toxic to primates. Bearing in mind that there are no native primates in Australia (aboringines came about 40000 years ago) I find this amazing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobj Posted April 27, 2011 Share Posted April 27, 2011 Why is it that every newchum gets so 'paranoid' about the "dangerous" Australian wildlife??? There are far more people that 'kark it' crossing the road than by any ten wild creatures, far more people choke to death on food, yet everyone seems so blasé about thse things. Familiarity breeds contempt??? Hmmmm? Wouldn't mind betting that I've seen far more snakes and spiders, scorpions and crocs etc than you lot, yet I'm still alive...I think.:wink: Cheers, Bobj. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loubeany Posted April 27, 2011 Share Posted April 27, 2011 Neil Hi,we have been in Oz for 6 months. We live in Suburban Melbourne. We have 2 very young kids. I saw a spider in my sons playhouse in the garden and rather foolishly ingnored it (in fairness spiders are everywhere and most do not hurt you, Huntsmen are massive but harmless, scare the s*it out of you tho!) Anyway the next day my wife found 4 redbacks in the playhouse! Yes they could have killed my son and thats scary! She killed and bottled them so we can all see what they look like! Buy yourself some spray (its good) and if anyone gets bitten, so long as you get help you shoudl be ok. As for snakes we have seen 3, 2 sunning themselves on the beach (both potentially lethal) just gotta be aware of them and agian get help if they get you! As for sharks, I have heard nobody has ever dies in Australain waters swimming between the flags. So thats one answer. On our first trip to the beach we ran out the water when a shark spotting helicopter came over very low! I always think if you go in the ocean alone and there is a shark it may eat you. If you go in with 50 other people, even if there is a shark, there is only a 2% chance it will get you, its more likely to eat someone else! They say avoid swimming early mornings and evenings. In reality not many people get attacked, and lots of people swim. My advice is buy a book an dangerous wildlife, at least then you will know what to look out for. Good luck Red back spiders cannot kill anyone and as far as I am aware ... there are no sharks in oz waters that are lethal predetors ... sorry but this post may just frighten people on here to death, I know you state that there are no deaths from shark attacks but really its a little dramatic saying only swim at certain times of the day !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest NeilEB Posted April 28, 2011 Share Posted April 28, 2011 Why is it that every newchum gets so 'paranoid' about the "dangerous" Australian wildlife??? There are far more people that 'kark it' crossing the road than by any ten wild creatures, far more people choke to death on food, yet everyone seems so blasé about thse things. Familiarity breeds contempt??? Hmmmm?Wouldn't mind betting that I've seen far more snakes and spiders, scorpions and crocs etc than you lot, yet I'm still alive...I think.:wink: Cheers, Bobj. I think part of it is that I'm petrified of spiders, and that's here in the UK where they can't actually do anything harmful. The little (and not so little) critters just freak me out. Plus there's an element of "it's a new risk that we don't currently have to deal with". We know about crossing roads, and driving too quickly, but in the UK we don't have to check garden furniture before plonking out lovely bottoms down, or checking shoes before putting them on, or not walking in long grass without long trousers etc. These dangers just don't exist in the UK, so when we hear stories about Huntsman hiding under sun visors, (or on speedometres - thanks Newjez!) then consider me panicked! :unsure: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
northernbird Posted April 28, 2011 Share Posted April 28, 2011 I think part of it is that I'm petrified of spiders, and that's here in the UK where they can't actually do anything harmful. The little (and not so little) critters just freak me out. Plus there's an element of "it's a new risk that we don't currently have to deal with". We know about crossing roads, and driving too quickly, but in the UK we don't have to check garden furniture before plonking out lovely bottoms down, or checking shoes before putting them on, or not walking in long grass without long trousers etc. These dangers just don't exist in the UK, so when we hear stories about Huntsman hiding under sun visors, (or on speedometres - thanks Newjez!) then consider me panicked! :unsure: You know I don't do any of those things on a regular basis. I keep the outdoor furniture free of webs and ensure that shoes are not left outside. I can honest say that in 6 years I have seen 4 redbacks and 2 huntsman and a a few dozen daddy long legs. I wouldn't make too much of an issue of it because it really isn't anything to be too concerned about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest siamsusie Posted April 28, 2011 Share Posted April 28, 2011 Red back spiders cannot kill anyone and as far as I am aware ... there are no sharks in oz waters that are lethal predetors ... sorry but this post may just frighten people on here to death, I know you state that there are no deaths from shark attacks but really its a little dramatic saying only swim at certain times of the day !! Great White Shark Great White Sharks, the ocean's most feared predator, are found on all coasts of Australia and throughout the World. They range between 3.5 to 5 metres long, and weigh on average 1,300kg. The Great White is grey in colour from the top, and white underneath. The Bull Shark inhabits fresh water and is considered to be a very dangerous shark because of its aggressive nature and liking for shallow habitats. Australia has more than 160 species of shark which make up nearly half of the worlds species which the majority of these pose no threat to humans. http://www.list-directory.info/lists/deadliestanimals.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newjez Posted April 28, 2011 Share Posted April 28, 2011 Red back spiders cannot kill anyone and as far as I am aware ... there are no sharks in oz waters that are lethal predetors ... sorry but this post may just frighten people on here to death, I know you state that there are no deaths from shark attacks but really its a little dramatic saying only swim at certain times of the day !! Sorry - but this post is misleading and needs qualification. A red back will probably not kill a healthy adult, but they can kill children, elderly and the unwell. If you get bitten, it is NOT like a bee sting. You NEED to seek medical attention immediately. Pressure bandages and limb immobilization are the normal first aid to be applied to any bite from a spider or snake. Spider bites can be extremely painful though, and it may not be possible to apply a pressure bandage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
northernbird Posted April 28, 2011 Share Posted April 28, 2011 Sorry - but this post is misleading and needs qualification. A red back will probably not kill a healthy adult, but they can kill children, elderly and the unwell. If you get bitten, it is NOT like a bee sting. You NEED to seek medical attention immediately. Pressure bandages and limb immobilization are the normal first aid to be applied to any bite from a spider or snake. Spider bites can be extremely painful though, and it may not be possible to apply a pressure bandage. No deaths have been reported from a redback bite since anti-venom was introduced in 1984. You do need to seek medical attention but your post is equally misleading and is scaremongering. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newjez Posted April 28, 2011 Share Posted April 28, 2011 I think part of it is that I'm petrified of spiders, and that's here in the UK where they can't actually do anything harmful. The little (and not so little) critters just freak me out. Plus there's an element of "it's a new risk that we don't currently have to deal with". We know about crossing roads, and driving too quickly, but in the UK we don't have to check garden furniture before plonking out lovely bottoms down, or checking shoes before putting them on, or not walking in long grass without long trousers etc. These dangers just don't exist in the UK, so when we hear stories about Huntsman hiding under sun visors, (or on speedometres - thanks Newjez!) then consider me panicked! :unsure: Hi Neil - I grew up in the bush north of Sydney - and I'm fine with snakes (my son even wants a pet one) - but I'm petrified of spiders. The kids nextdoor (in Sussex) play with the damn things. They pick them up from the garden and let them run all over their hands. It sends shivers down my spine. If my wife sees a spider, I use the vacum cleaner to remove it. I wouldn't dream of letting any spider touch my skin. The easiest way to think about it is this - if you went to do some gardening in the UK, and put on your gardening gloves from the shed - you would look inside first and squash all the fingers to make sure there was nothing inside? It's no different in Oz. In fact it's easier - because most houses have a laundry that people use to store garden gloves etc. (I've never seen a redback inside a house) You just learn to be careful. It becomes a habit. You don't need to be paranoid about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newjez Posted April 28, 2011 Share Posted April 28, 2011 No deaths have been reported from a redback bite since anti-venom was introduced in 1984. You do need to seek medical attention but your post is equally misleading and is scaremongering. Yes - I agree, you do need to seek medical attention - sorry - but that did need qualification - it is not scaremongering. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest NeilEB Posted April 28, 2011 Share Posted April 28, 2011 You don't need to be paranoid about it. Of course I need to be paranoid, this is spiders we're talking about! What on earth do they need 8 legs for anyway - that's just greedy. And how is it that when you look at them they freeze and the moment you glance away they disappear? I swear they are like Weeping Angels from Dr Who. Me? Not paranoid at all *shuffles off muttering about arachnids plans for world domination* :arghh: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loubeany Posted April 28, 2011 Share Posted April 28, 2011 Of course I need to be paranoid, this is spiders we're talking about! What on earth do they need 8 legs for anyway - that's just greedy. And how is it that when you look at them they freeze and the moment you glance away they disappear? I swear they are like Weeping Angels from Dr Who. Me? Not paranoid at all *shuffles off muttering about arachnids plans for world domination* :arghh: I think what we need here is a little prespective !!!! There are little or no reports of people being bitten by spiders and dieing !! I understand that you are a little scared of them but honestly this thread has the potential of getting out of hand... it is scare mongering because there are members on here that are terrified of the little critters and what is needed is a common sense approach.. Not paranoid. Definition of paranoid: { mental disorder with delusions of persecution and self importance- abnormal suspician and mistrust} Therefore I would suggest to be educated and no nonsense approach to these matters ... educate your children and allow them to understand what they need to do to deal with any such event. As many have said time and again the chances of coming across them on a regular basis is miniscule. I have had plenty of family and friends living in oz and honestly they say this is just not an issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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