Spider problems...

[XsquaredequalsX]

Our house is full of spiders, and it has been since we moved in - we live in Oregon, it's expected.

The problem is that now, we have a ton of brown recluses! We've killed three or four of them this week - and just lost a battle with another. I am very VERY NOT OK WITH THIS!!

Has anyone had to deal with these nasties?! We've been smashing them individually as we find them, but (as my roommate just pointed out to make me squirm and whine a little bit) we don't know how many others there are, or where they are.

EW EW EW EW EW WHAT DO I DO?!?!?! :greencry:

[lobsternoob]

Well, we have a bunch of spiders here, and i keep my windows open so... Black widows are real common here, so i understand not liking the poisonous thing. Specially since I've been bitten before, it SUCKS! I dont like to use any sprays or poisons because of my dogs/fish so basically the best thing to do is to kill them when you can and try to provide them as few hiding spaces as possible. Spiders aren't big fans of being out in the open all the time. Also eliminating their food sources as much as possible helps (think non poison insect traps). Spiders are pretty hard to control without poisons to my knowledge, you could try getting some house geckos LOL then you'd just have another pest problem though:hmm3grin2orange:

[XsquaredequalsX]

I'd rather have geckos than spiders, any day!

My roommate has decided that he's going to call an exterminator and have the house bombed while my boyfriend and I are camping this week, so my question has changed - how do I protect my fish?!

I'm planning to have him turn off the air pump and seal the top of the tank off with plastic and tape - is that enough?

I wish we could just bring the tank with us! ><

[robflanker]

Exterminators may be your only option.

There must be a nest somewhere

[lobsternoob]

I would turn off the filters, and air pump, and seal the tank as best as possible, like you said. That's pretty much all you can do, I would also take the filters, pump, anything that's going to contact the water later outside while the fumigation is done, any of your tank tools, including nets, siphon, etc. Amping up your waterchanges for a few days afterwards probably wouldnt hurt also.

[XsquaredequalsX]

Exterminators may be your only option.

There must be a nest somewhere

*shudder* Yes, both of these statements are, unfortunately, true.

I would turn off the filters, and air pump, and seal the tank as best as possible, like you said. That's pretty much all you can do, I would also take the filters, pump, anything that's going to contact the water later outside while the fumigation is done, any of your tank tools, including nets, siphon, etc. Amping up your waterchanges for a few days afterwards probably wouldnt hurt also.

Yeah, that all sounds like good advice... I hope my roommate follows instructions well!!!

[robflanker]

I wont tell you about the "I was bitten" episode featuring brown recluses then huh?....lol

[XsquaredequalsX]

I wont tell you about the "I was bitten" episode featuring brown recluses then huh?....lol

*stabs morbid curiosity in the eye* NO - you can tell me once they're all dead.

[robflanker]

Ok :hmm3grin2orange:

Just lemme know lol

[XsquaredequalsX]

Though I am very glad to see that you are alive and posting after that episode! I've heard they can be quite deadly...

Not these ones though... these aren't poisonous... if I get bit by one of these ones... it'll give me three wishes... *rocks back and forth*

[robflanker]

Oh didnt involve me it was on Discovery channel, featuring horrific bites by various animals, mostly snakes and then the brown recluse...

I thought they were poisonous. Not like tarantulas but still poisonous

[jackson17]

I got bit by something in mexico...let a huge and I mean HUGE hole/open sore in my back, don't know what kind it was. All I know is that it hurt, and I have weird bubble scarres on my back LOL

[Wild Turkey]

Their bite can make your flesh literally rot off the bone.

Can you describe the spider? Having so many recluses in one area is unusual, and if they are recluses its probably a nest and I wouldnt even stay in the house until the exterminator came.


Heres why:

[Only Registered Users Can See Links.]

I didnt use the IMG tags because its pretty graphic (youve been warned)

[XsquaredequalsX]

Glad to hear your incident was thru the Discovery Channel. Yes, they are very poisonous, sometimes deadly (which makes lying to myself about magic spiders while rocking in a corner much more appealing than accepting the truth).

jackson17 Ew! I'm glad that you are alright now!

[XsquaredequalsX]

Their bite can make your flesh literally rot off the bone.

Can you describe the spider? Having so many recluses in one area is unusual, and if they are recluses its probably a nest and I wouldnt even stay in the house until the exterminator came.

I didnt use the IMG tags because its pretty graphic (youve been warned)

I can't watch that right now - I know they're very dangerous spiders, I don't need to freak myself out further.

I wish that describing the spiders would produce results to make me feel better, but I have compared them against a Google image search for "brown recluse" and, unfortunately, that is what we are dealing with.

We are fairly certain there is a nest somewhere, probably in the basement (where my roommate lives). I REALLY don't want to stay in the house, but don't know what other options I have until Tyler gets home from work.

[Wild Turkey]

I can't watch that right now - I know they're very dangerous spiders, I don't need to freak myself out further.

I wish that describing the spiders would produce results to make me feel better, but I have compared them against a Google image search for "brown recluse" and, unfortunately, that is what we are dealing with.

We are fairly certain there is a nest somewhere, probably in the basement (where my roommate lives). I REALLY don't want to stay in the house, but don't know what other options I have until Tyler gets home from work.

Go see a movie or something? Theres a million places I would rather be than there:hmm3grin2orange:

If you are bitten though, go right to the hospital, no doctor, no delay.

[robflanker]

Agreed if u get bitten - go immediately

Or go to a chinese buffet place and try and eat as much as humanly possible.... ive done that to "get out of the house from spiders"... yeahh....thats my excuse

lol

[XsquaredequalsX]

If you are bitten though, go right to the hospital, no doctor, no delay.

No health insurance, no transportation.

I think NOT GETTING BIT is still the best plan, lol! I'm gonna call some of my friends, see who wants to get me the hell out of here...

[robflanker]

If u get bit, you might lose a limb - i think its worth whatever the cost is to keep my limbs attached

[Lady Hobbs]

Generally they'll stick to dark areas. Shoes, gloves, wood piles, etc. You probably should spray in the closets, under the cabinets, etc. Also around the outside near the house. Sounds like you may have had a nest in the house. I know lots of people that's been biten by them and it hasn't been pretty. It could be mating season, as well, so they're moving about more.

Do not open this link if you are squimish!

[Only Registered Users Can See Links.]

THAT is someone who waited too long for treatment!

[XsquaredequalsX]

Squeamish doesn't even begin to cover how I feel about this right now - I can't look at any of those links.

I'm normally quite level headed about bugs - but not the ones that can do SO much harm with SO little effort!! If something's gonna kill me, I want it to have to try really hard...

In the event that I do get bit, I'm not going to put my pocketbook ahead of my life - I will go to the hospital immediately if it becomes necessary... I just hope to avoid the need!!

[Sharon]

I'd move into a hotel! Holy Cow, Hobbs...that does look nasty!!!:ssuprised:

[cocoa_pleco]

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GOD that hand is nasty!

[Lady Hobbs]

Wild turkey has the same pic I later noticed. Different link. I was looking for some miracle to kill them.

I do believe I'd head for Home Depot and get a bug sprayer that is the wand sprayer. You don't need it in the air but down where the spider lives so the wand would be better than a fogger. Also since you have fish!

I would also get a box of this! [Only Registered Users Can See Links.] Very cheap, in most all grocery stores and just sprinkle it on your carpets and throw some in the closets. You can pick it up the next time you vac and then throw down some more. That Borax will get 'em and not cost you a fortune. Absolutely great for killing fleas, too. I used it in Florida where fleas are horrible.

Could it be that a box was recently brought into the house that had been stored elsewhere? Or you have a pile of wood too near your house? Spray all dark areas and check your shoes each morning.

Didn't mean to scare you with the picture. This is a clear case of someone not seeking medical help!