# Brown Recluse Spiders



## SHIVER ME TIMBERS (Jan 12, 2004)

and bites


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## SHIVER ME TIMBERS (Jan 12, 2004)

In case you've never seen what one of these nasty little brown recluse spiders look like, take a look at the first Picture. The following 6 pictures show you what will happen within 10 days if a brown recluse bite is left untreated in the first few days. (The venom actually works from the inside of the bite out - which is why it almost looks like the finger is getting better around day 5.)


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## SHIVER ME TIMBERS (Jan 12, 2004)

further days


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## Manic (Feb 18, 2004)

damn  

is that your hand?

in the desert/iraq we had this camel spiders they were big, and had giant fangs but where harmless, other than the little pain from the bite, no venom at all... but they were scary to some people..


ouch


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## SHIVER ME TIMBERS (Jan 12, 2004)

Manic said:


> damn
> 
> is that your hand?
> 
> ...


no.....my sister sent some medical pictures


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## Squizzle (Jan 12, 2004)

*I F\/<%ING HATE SPIDERS!!!!*

That is some nasty shite. Just nasty....


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## tlg (May 21, 2004)

Imagine one of those gets inside your pants and bites the frank and beans!


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## eman (May 2, 2004)

HOLY $HIT. I saw the last picture on the last post and thought it was nasty, then i saw the other 2 or 3. ugg. NASTY

edit*, and i was freakin eating when i looked at it. disgusting.


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## rockcrusher (Aug 28, 2003)

My uncle had one of those bite his back when he was working on the roof. Since it was his back he had the same situation with the bite 'cause he never noticed the welt getting worse until like half his back fell off, seriously most of the flesh on one side just slough off. Nasty.


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## .WestCoastHucker. (Jan 14, 2004)

is it just me, or does this pic make anyone else want to go grill up some hot dogs......

(now where's that ketchup?)


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## TNC (Jan 21, 2004)

*The good thing about those spiders...*



SHIVER ME TIMBERS said:


> and bites


If there can be such a thing...is that they don't hang around much out in the open or in daylight. They'll usually be in the dark around things that don't get moved around much. And I don't think they're ever on one of the webs that hang across some of our favorite trails. I love it when you're bombing along on the trail, and a big web smacks you in the face, and out of the corner of your eye you see a nasty looking spider swing into your jersey or helmet. After you've slid to stop, you're swatting and trying to sling the spider off, but you never really see the spider after that first glimpse. The rest of the ride you just know the spider is still on you...waiting to ATTACK! But really...I'm not arachnophobic...LOL!


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## AZRider (Aug 21, 2004)

I'm still trying to figure out why this in the freeride section. Maybe warning AZ'ers not to touch one of those if they see them on their favorite trail 

Since I live in AZ, I have had the pleasure of seeing quite a few black widow spiders but I dont think I've ever seen a brown recluse. And that bite is just  Freaking disgusting! How long does it take for that stuff to heal? Or do they have to amputate or what? God thats grossin' me out..*shudders* And thats like the only spider picture that I have see that kind of freaks me out and those last pictures...ACK!!! Cant get that pic out of my head. Think happy thoughts, think happy thoughts...


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## SamL3227 (May 30, 2004)

so they had someone get bit, then not treat it and take pics? thast sick


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## northoceanbeach (Jul 27, 2004)

you're a fvcking idiot. if i wanted to see medical pictures, there's tons of gross and horror sites out there. i thought this had at least something to do with biking, or spiders on trails, tips to avoid them, not this garbage. don't post that crap anymore.


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## Slack (Dec 30, 2003)

SHIVER ME TIMBERS said:


> further days


That is so gnarly. It almost looks PS'ed.

At least you could've included some more info... http://dermatology.cdlib.org/DOJvol5num2/special/recluse.html


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## karmataburn (Feb 1, 2004)

TNC said:


> If there can be such a thing...is that they don't hang around much out in the open or in daylight. They'll usually be in the dark around things that don't get moved around much.


thats is great I am a plumber and crawl under houses and through attics and garages all the time. I cant wait to meet one of these guys


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## nitro1636 (May 26, 2004)

i had to deal with that kind of stuff while cleaning out my grandads garge after he died. he lived in a small town called julian its outside san diego california . they had a fire rip through there almost a year ago and he had some stuff that got burt and so i went down there to clean it all up and get ready to sell the house. i had to clean up all this junk that had been sitting there for 6 months and was full of spiders and rattle snakes. now I dont get scared of spiders when i see them but as soon as the start crawling on me i would jump off a cliff to get it off of me. i had a black widow crawl on my shoe and as soon as i saw it i kicked my shoe off and that thing went over 100 feet. as soon as i got over to it i was hitting my shoe with a shovel for almost 5 minutes  but is that the kind of spider that the venom eat away at your flesh and you end up with a crater like whole in your hand afterwards? cuz i remember being warned about spiders like that while i was down there and i just cant remember the name


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## MulletsRuleAndSoDoI (Aug 19, 2004)

nitro1636 said:


> but is that the kind of spider that the venom eat away at your flesh and you end up with a crater like whole in your hand afterwards? cuz i remember being warned about spiders like that while i was down there and i just cant remember the name


Yes, it is. Recluse spiders abound in old barns and basements here in Vermont. A guy I know has a stepson who was bitten by one on the butt cheek. It pretty much fell off and they were grafting skin from his legs to replace it. I HATE spiders.
Or, er I guess I love them if hating anything will get me banned from the site.


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## MulletsRuleAndSoDoI (Aug 19, 2004)

northoceanbeach said:


> you're a fvcking idiot. if i wanted to see medical pictures, there's tons of gross and horror sites out there. i thought this had at least something to do with biking, or spiders on trails, tips to avoid them, not this garbage. don't post that crap anymore.


Relax.


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## Beau (Dec 31, 2003)

*Yo.....*

the last two pictures. Is that the bone I see running down the middle?

Also, I live with three chicks and saved the last picture as my background. It should be pretty funny to see how they react to it!!

Beau


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## ThoughtfulPirate (Jan 2, 2003)

Awesome Post.


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## .WestCoastHucker. (Jan 14, 2004)

ThoughtfulPirate said:


> Awesome Post.


i heard that chuck norris could kick a brown recluses butt.....


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## ThoughtfulPirate (Jan 2, 2003)

.WestCoastHucker. said:


> i heard that chuck norris could kick a brown recluses butt.....


You heard right. Chuck norris could kick anyone's butt.


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## irieness (Feb 22, 2004)

I saw on National Geographic where this lady got bit by a brown recluse and every year she had to get a little more of her foot (I think that's where she got bit) amputated from the bite...when they showed the show it was like 11 years after she had gotten bit...so beware...you may never recover from a brown recluse spider bite...especially if untreated....


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## direktor (Mar 21, 2004)

Those pictures have been floating around for a while. I think they've always been attributed to the brown recluse, but at the same time, as I understand it, this is a worst case scenario pictures.

As from Snopes.com, the documentors of all that is ******** on the net:
http://www.snopes.com/photos/brownrecluse.asp


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## LandonVega (Jul 14, 2004)

*oh dear god*

I had to stare and stare to make sure that wasnt photoshoped. I just couldnt belive that. This may sound stupid but does that hurt or what?


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## brodie_rider (Jun 27, 2004)

That's pretty nasty. Does anyone know if these Spiders exist in Canada, like Southern Ontario?


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## Dirtdemon (Jan 26, 2004)

nitro 1636-"hitting my shoe with a shovel for 5 minutes" dude I am f*cking ROLLING!!!! Poor shoe! Thanks I needed the laugh!


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## Evil Con-fecal (Jan 31, 2004)

*My wife got bit by a recluse this summer*

Actually it was a hobo spider (close cousin of the recluse) My understanding is out west (UT and AZ) we don't have the actual Brown Recluse but we have Brown Fiddler Spiders and Hobo Spiders, but it doesn't make a huge difference, Still nasty.

We were camping in Utah and her ear turned red then got pustules then some skin fell off. We went to the E.R. were they cleaned it out (scraped off the dead tissue), gave her a shot of antibiotics, and a course of antibiotics. Things turned out o.k. her ear is intact and looks normal though it is still tender a month later.

The most important thing is to get treatment if you think you have a bite. A lot of the problem is due to infection in the bite as they carry bacteria as well. (at least in my understanding). So antibiotics and removing dead tissue is what they do. The Doc told us we were smart to get quick attention due to the bite and infections close proximity to the brain.
Nasty!!


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## eman (May 2, 2004)

and why did someone repost the pictures, I already saw them once, And i just want to scroll past them to read the replys, then i get to a reply with the same nasty picture


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## FISHLEG (Jan 14, 2004)

While I was away at USMC boot camp my mother got bit by a Brown recluse on her shin.

It was just like those pictures. It bore a hole through all the flesh until it was about the size of a baseball until they figured out what it was. So they did surgery and cut out all the dead flesh and then cut off a slice of her calf muscle to slide over and fill the hole, which left a 10 inch incision on the back of her leg along with the hole on the front.

But get this...they didn't get all the venom out so it then started to eat away at the new incision. It ate away all the flesh until it was about a full inch wide and 10 inches long all the way to the bone. Picture that thumb wound but 5 times longer. It looked like a damn shark attack. 

They finally did successful surgery and had to do a lot of skin graphs. My poor mom was traumatized. Her whole lower leg was ruined and she has a hard time walking. People have asked her if she was attacked by a shark. It really ruined her self asteem.


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## brodie_rider (Jun 27, 2004)

FISHLEG said:


> While I was away at USMC boot camp my mother got bit by a Brown recluse on her shin.
> 
> ........


Damn, Fish--that is horrible! I'm really worried about these spiders now...Is there anyway to prevent these kind of venom bites?

Seems like these spiders are more dangerous than most venomous snakes...


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## CanadianHooligan (Jul 8, 2004)

Holy Crap...I thought that was you!


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## pdirt (Jan 12, 2004)

Im in th NW...looks like I'm relatively safe...


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## SocalSuperhero (May 5, 2004)

I had to move 4 chords of firwood that had been just chilling on the side of the house for 6 or seven years this past weekend. Fvcking spiders.


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## BSN_mt (Mar 11, 2004)

*Sorry Pdirt*

You've got the Hobo around. And it is slowly working its way east. The hobo is a little bit less venonoums (SP) but can still leave a pretty good dent. I kill them all the time around my house. My cat eats them, its kinda cool. They actualy recommend cats as a way to keep them under control.


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## NRTH SHORE (Jan 24, 2004)

*yea*



brodie_rider said:


> That's pretty nasty. Does anyone know if these Spiders exist in Canada, like Southern Ontario?


yea i beleave we have em in canada... i hear those can jump to. i don't think that they are very numerouse her in canada though. ive only seen one I live in northern Alberta. buy the way any one know what this is? its been haging around the garage for a few months. i think there is a few of them around.


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## FISHLEG (Jan 14, 2004)

pdirt said:


> Im in th NW...looks like I'm relatively safe...


That map don't mean a thing. I live In New Hampshire and that's where my mother was bit. She hadn't left the state in years and doesn't venture out much except for going to work just a town away.

The doctor that mis-diagnosed her left the US as far as we know. She probably should have sued. It's amazing how word gets around too, she got bit over 10 years ago, and people still contact her about it. Just last year a guy stopped by her house and said he wanted to talk to her about her bite because he was worried his friend might have been bit by one. Since they are rare in these parts doctors often don't recognize a bite when they see one.

I don't think theres any way to prevent these bites other than catching them very early on and treating them fast. I'm not really scared of spiders, but when I think of what happened to my mom I scramble to kill them!


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## Dirtdemon (Jan 26, 2004)

Dammit! They're in Vegas! Time to do some spraying!!!


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## bikeboyjeff (Jan 26, 2004)

I live near Pittsburgh, PA. My mom's friend and her son both got bites from a recluse spider in their house (which is near mine!). She has two bites on her stomach that the ER caught early enough to treat, and she still has some ugly wounds there. The son wasn't so lucky. He let the bite on his foot go too long and has had to undergoe extensive skin graft treatments. Needles to say, I've been sprayin' the hell out of my basement! Freakin' spiders!


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## 67degrees (Jan 19, 2004)

*First Hand Knowledge*

When I was living in Solana Beach, (San Diego Area), I was bitten by a Brown Recluse on my finger and believe me, it was no picnic. I finally went to the hospital on about the third day because my figer swelled up so large it looked like it was going to burst. They said I may loose my arm and sent me to a physician who was doing research on these types of bites. I went through 4 surgeries and was treated with an experimental medicine that was actually being developped to treat leprosy. The effects of the venom from the brown recluse are actually very similar to the effects cause by leprosy. The doctors hunch was correct and I am alive and well today as a result. I don't believe there any insect bite that is more devastating than the brown recluse. I gal I worked with had an uncle who was bitten a year earlier and they did actually amputate his leg from complications caused by the bite.

I was cleaning out the garage when I was bitten and they love cool dark places to hide. Keep that in mind and wear some gloves when working in the garage, attic, basement or under your house. I don't wish this kind of anguish on anyone with the exception of those guys who keep kidnapping and beheading people over in the Middle East.


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## Tracerboy (Oct 13, 2002)

Yeah, I caught one in a pringles can up on lake michigan (a good bit north of that map) when I was around 6 years old. I went running to show my mom, and knowing what it was she flipped out.


As for infection, that's just a minor concern when bitten by the recluse. Hobos are a bit less venomous. The recluse's venom works in such a way that it causes serious tissue necrosis. The infection worry comes into play more when you've got a huge patch of already-dead skin stuck on your body, as that's a prime place to grow bacteria. Some people are more resistant to the venom though, and just get a raised welt and never feel any worse. The persons more at risk are the elderly, small children, and those in generally poorer health.

I wouldn't let these things prey too heavily on your mind guys. Its a focking spider and the bites very rarely turn out to be fatal.


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## pdirt (Jan 12, 2004)

BSN_mt said:


> You've got the Hobo around. And it is slowly working its way east. The hobo is a little bit less venonoums (SP) but can still leave a pretty good dent. I kill them all the time around my house. My cat eats them, its kinda cool. They actualy recommend cats as a way to keep them under control.


Crap!

My wife just FREAAAAAKKKKS out on spiders, this will juts fuel the fire...

damn it...

you don't know how many times I've been awakened by her blood curdling screams because of a ...gasp...daddy long legs!

What's a hobo look like?


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## nitro1636 (May 26, 2004)

pdirt said:


> Crap!
> 
> My wife just FREAAAAAKKKKS out on spiders, this will juts fuel the fire...
> 
> ...


heres a picture of the hobo spider I live near seattle and i also have to watch for these. why couldnt we just have tarantulas atleast you can see them


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## MRfire (Jan 12, 2004)

ThoughtfulPirate said:


> You heard right. Chuck norris could kick anyone's butt.


Uh, I think not....Jet Li would drop Norris in a second!


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## pdirt (Jan 12, 2004)

nitro1636 said:


> heres a picture of the hobo spider I live near seattle and i also have to watch for these. why couldnt we just have tarantulas atleast you can see them


Hmm cute little guy.

As an aside.. a few weeks ago I was lifting weights in my garage, and I take a big drink out of of what I thought was my water bottle, but I grabbed an old nottle by mistake, and lo and behold, there was a spider in there, and I fully inhaled him into my mouth, scared the shinizzle out me. He looked pretty furry and brown...kind of like our Hobo friend here .

...reereereereeree. ( sound from Psycho shower scene)

I stomped on his ass, and relished the moment... he violated me and my water bottle...

foul creature...

lucky he didn't bite me...

than a week later I was riding home from work and a got a bee in my mouth and the bastard stung me...I looked like the dude on Fat Albert with the big old lower lip and crap..

weird insect/araconode carma?

I guess.

Kill all spiders. They're winning.

Lesson learned... keep your mouth closed whenever possible...look before you slurp.


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## Duzitall (Feb 4, 2004)

*Me Too*

Don't trust the map because it says they're not in San Diego. They certainly are here.

Bit in Lakeside, near San Diego. Some folks don't have as bad of a reaction as others. Lucky me, I just had to cut out hard, dead and puss filled chunks of skin out of my leg for about 6 weeks. Still have a scar from it.

Spiders never bothered me before, but they do now! 

Chris


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