Any arachnologists on the forum?

[dennishoddy]

I saw that method tested along with several others for snake bites and it was a major fail. The conclusion was that it could very well be worse using that method. Suction was a giant fail too and that's the method pretty much considered the only one that works but it doesn't.

Yes. I remember when even the boy scouts taught to cut an X on the skin and suck out the poison. Then somebody came out with a kit that included a suction cup to facilitate sucking the poison out.

Modern science says no. Bring em in, and let the medical peeps take care of it.

 

[AKguy1985]

A friend of mine got bit and the doc used electricity on it some how and healed nicely.

I've heard of that before. Shock the bite with some electricity and it will break up the toxins or something along that lines.

 

[SoonerP226]

If you read the fine print on the poisons that say they kill arachnids, it usually says that it only works if you directly spray them, and there are no residual effects. I don't know why they're different than other pests, but maybe it's that they're not social animals--some pesticides, like boric acid and Termidor, supposedly work well on ants and termites because they carry it back to the nest and other ants ingest it during grooming activities.

Supposedly, spiders don't like eucalyptus, so you can put that around the places they'd go to keep them from going there. Can't say I've ever tried it, though.

And I had a long-haired cat get into a glue trap once. That was a freaking mess and a half; I had to take the dog clippers to her...

 

[trickydick]

I have heard that the Fiddleback poison makes the muscle tissue contract to the point that it forces all the blood from the tissue and it dies, I have also heard that bengay or icyhot will bring the bloodflow back to the area if applied quickly.

 

[raeken45]

I have also heard they like to live around wood and cardboard. So if you have a bunch of boxes and stuff that may be where they are hanfing out.

 

[DirtyDawg]

Thanks guys. I'm putting out glue traps and spraying some Tempo SC. Not taking any chances. Hitting them with everything!

 

[SilencerX7]

I actually wouldn't use any chemical substances. Contrary to popular belief, the Brown Recluse isn't naturally aggressive. I know this for a fact because I walked within an inch of one while trying to get a midnight drink.

What makes them them aggressive in the environment are the chemicals we use. Glue traps are fine but don't use anything that could alter their behavior. You might not like what happens since Brown Recluse are hardly ever found truly alone as, also contrary to popular belief, once you find one... You could very well have an infestation in your house. I know this for a fact (for the next few weeks after that incident with the spider, I've been finding big, fat ones in random corners of my parents' house).

 

[subprep]

What is this spider?? Brown recluse?

View attachment 38581

Yes definitely

 

[Danwm]

DE will work but it takes awhile. Keep it out all the time for all kinds of bugs.

 

[tRidiot]

A friend of mine got bit and the doc used electricity on it some how and healed nicely.

I've heard about that, although didn't know it was ever proven. Seems it started in South America when somebody got bit by a poisonous spider or snake, they would use a spark plug wire right on the bite, and it would neutralize the venom. They swore by it, but the FDA said no.

That was years ago. Wonder if the technique was perfected?

I've heard of that before. Shock the bite with some electricity and it will break up the toxins or something along that lines.

I have heard that the Fiddleback poison makes the muscle tissue contract to the point that it forces all the blood from the tissue and it dies, I have also heard that bengay or icyhot will bring the bloodflow back to the area if applied quickly.

Prevailing thought in the scientific community is that the venom attacks the lipids that make up cellular membranes... in exactly what way this happens is up to some debate and new research is shedding light, but the bottom line is, we don't have any way to effectively treat it.

The electrical shock therapy I have seen used, with good result. However, keep this in mind. The theory of electric shock treatment is to use the electrical current to denature (essentially unravel or deform) the proteins in the venom, thereby rendering them less- or ineffective. This must be done early, and with enough voltage to successfully attack the proteinaceous venom. However... while there are many anecdotal stories of this treatment working, keep in mind that the vast vast majority of fiddleback bites are essentially benign. The big rotten holes that some people develop are actually probably more related to an immune-mediated response of one's own body attacking tissue that has been affected by the venom already... so...

When you have a neighbor who tells you he keeps a loaded .45 by his bed and has never had a burglar come in, therefore they must be afraid of his .45, it may well be the same scenario. Burglars don't know a damn thing about his .45, but they have thus far happened not to pick his house... treating every fiddleback bite with a electrical shock therapy (from a taser, usually) may very well still result in the same number of bad outcomes as we have now. The fact remains that most fiddleback bites DON'T result in significant injury... so any home remedy used in anecdotal reports simply can't prove its effectiveness outside large-scale, controlled studies... and which of ya'll is gonna volunteer for that one???