What kind of spider is this, and should I release it or dispatch it?

[HorseFeathers]

Spiders rock. I'm trying to let my mom let me get a tarantula but this is the conversation that follows:
ME: "Hey, mom, can I have a tarantula?"
MOM: "Are you kidding?"
ME: "But they're FUZZY! and I'd get it de-poisoned."
MOM: "Yeah, right. You can have one when you move out of the house."

Don't smoosh spiders! Here's why:
a) they're cute in their little arachindy way- would you smoosh a butterfly?
b) they are living things! If one of your chickens was spider-sized, ould you smoosh it?
c) smooshing a spider is BAD LUCK!

Whatever you have there is probably not happy in captivity. Let it go in a field or something where less arachnid-loving people won't smoosh it.

That's me, the crazy girl who likes spiders and snakes.

However, I do have unexplainable phobias of pigs and lakes. Go figure.

 

[chickens4jojo]

OK~~I know spiders are great at eliminating a lot of other ugly insects & bugs, but still...all those legs...I just don't know.

Envirogirl!! Those are good reasons to keep the spider alive! I still do not care for them, but maybe all my present "bad luck" is because I smooshed a whole egg sack of them a few years ago??!!

Also, I can understand the fear of pigs...When visiting a pig farm in South Dakota of some very distant relatives, the guys there thought it was great fun to pick me up & dangle me over their enormous pigpen! Oh my~those things were HUGE!!!! And, I thought they wanted to eat me (I was 14 then) Well, I survived, obviously, but I am not sure I have ever forgiven them???!!!!

(I'm going to try though)

 

[robinaggie]

I used to fear all kinds of bugs and snakes. Then I started studying them. Sometimes we just fear what we don't understand. But if someone is afraid of dogs, spiders, snakes, etc because they have already been hurt by one, their fear is perfectly justified. BUT, perhaps a better understanding of why the young man reacted so badly, and some information about just which types of spiders are likely to harm him, and how common those spiders are, might help. There are many universities with entomology departments and web sites. There are also government sites about spiders. URLs with .edu, .gov, and .org are good. Avoid .com when looking for information. Good luck.

 

[HorseFeathers]

jojo, yes that yould spur a phobia of pigs BIG-TIME! I have seen two spiders in my room the past 2 days. I don't care- they're cute and can't hurt me!

 

[Aneesa's Muse]

I've noticed a few times that people make the claim of some spiders not being "poisonous", but in reality, ALL spiders have venom and are venomous. Whether or not their venom is medically significant or not, is the question ..and 98-99% of the spiders we encounter are completely harmless in that context. This is not to make light of the "mechanical" bite of a spider ..teeth sinking into your delicate skin is painful ..by any standard.

 

[Sparrow]

^^This is why I use the terms "harmless", "medically significant" and "dangerous" when talking about spider venom. All are venomous, but if they will not endanger your health besides a little bit of localized stinging or pain, they are considered harmless. Medically significant will definitely make you wish you hadn't been bitten, and will have unpleasant effects, but generally not dangerous to your overall wellbeing. Dangerous will send you to the hospital and may have lasting effects such as necrosis, severe cramping and it is potentially deadly in some situations.

 

[Justino]

Quote:
im right there with ya

i get the heeby geebies just lookin at that thing!

 

[Aneesa's Muse]

I am not trying to start an argument here ...not my sole purpose in life.. but your use of "dangerous" and "medically significant" are actually reversed, and can be misleading to folks... and being misled is definitely dangerous.

Medically significant implies just that ..you will need medical attention, if bit by such with "medically significant" venom. A Wolf spider's venom is "dangerous" while a Widow or a Recluse spider's is "medically significant".


I am sorry if my presence ruffles feathers, but I have a couple of peeves about misleading info regarding various reptiles and arachnids, etc. One example being the blue tailed skink that I was told all my childhood years ..was a scorpion and it would bite me. It would've bit me, probably ..but it was NOT a scorpion! And it did not deter me from playing with lizards, snakes, scorpions or anything else "creepy and crawley".


Too many times, people use the good ol' "fear factor" to prevent someone else from broadening their mind a little ..too many times, it works... look at the world today..



~Aminah

 

[Sparrow]

Generally, the reptile/spider keepers and and herpetology and entomology specialists around that I know here use the terms I used to indicate the potency levels I mentioned in that order. Meaning-

Medically significant-you may need treatment for pain/localized reactions/nausea/etc but it does not pose an immediate danger to one's life.
Dangerous indicates that it the bite DOES pose a danger to your life or wellbeing. You will need medical treatment, but also need to be monitored for neurological damage or organ failure. Severe necrosis/infection posing the risk of amputation or septicemia included.

I realize that your passion is to dispell misleading information...but so is mine. It's what I do for a career, as a hobby, and a lifestyle. I have a wide range of exotic species that I use for educational talks, and I refuse to keep an animal without knowing as much as I can about it. If I am talking also about animals I don't currently have, I make a point of learning as much as I can about it and I would rather admit to not knowing a fact as opposed to saying something incorrect.

This absolutely does not need to be an argument, to me it's great to find out that there are more people out there doing what I am intensely passionate about. I have gotten into disagreements over information with other educators, and certainly seen other educators argue amongst themselves over similar concerns, it's a fairly common thing. I feel that although the information may be delivered in somewhat different ways from person to person, as long as it is getting the same message across it's a wonderful thing.

 

[Aneesa's Muse]

I guess it's come to who will have the last say.. I strongly disagree with your information and I have several herpetologists and entomologists to back me on it, but this is a chicken forum ...and I digress