From:
Sukie Crandall
Date: 2008-03-03 04:46:43 UTC
Subject: [ferrethealth] spiders (borderline OT but will settle some Qs)
To: ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com
Okay, this is borderline OT but may help with the question of whether=20
risks are greater indoors or out for these. If nothing else, having=20
more data might prevent the outdoor play conversation from going in=20
circles.
I find Dr. William's comments on things typically being being=20
neoplasias rather than spider bites to say a lot in relation to ferrets.
Note, too, in the references the size of the parts with which they=20
bite vs. how hard it can be to puncture some ferret skin.
Mainly, if concerned, use this to eliminate habitats in ferret areas.
http://www.ext.vt.edu/departments/entomology/factsheets/brownrec.html
> The spider commonly lives in basements and garages of houses and=20
> often hides behind boards and boxes. Bites often occur when the=20
> spiders hide in towels or old clothes left in those areas.
...
> Important note: Many of the wolf spiders are similar in appearance=20
> and have similar markings as the brown recluse. They are large,=20
> robust, and hairy and, therefore, can be distinguished from the=20
> brown recluse.
>
> INTERESTING FACTS: Spiders are seldom aggressive and bite only when=20
> threatened or injured.
>
http://www.utextension.utk.edu/publications/pbfiles/pb1191.pdf
> the brown recluse spider
> is a shy, retiring spider that does not attack people and
> usually only bites in response to being injured. Most re-
> ported bites occur when putting on old clothing in which the
> spider is hiding or rolling over on a spider in bed. The brown
> recluse spider lives up to its name. Most people living in
> proximity to the spider will never see it, nor be bitten by it.
...
> Three pairs of
> eyes are arranged in a semicircle (Figure 1). Since most
> other spiders have eight eyes, this feature alone can
> eliminate many specimens suspected of being a brown
> recluse spider.
> The most distinguishing characteristic is the violin-
> shaped marking on the carapace (the top of the body directly above=20
> the legs
...
> Brown recluse spiders prefer sheltered areas with low
> moisture levels. They have been found under loose bark, in
> hollow logs and under stones. People have created many new
> habitats which these spiders have successfully exploited.
> They have been found in all types of buildings. In homes,
> they tend to prefer darkened storage areas in closets, garages,
> basements, attics and cupboards. The following list includes
> many of their preferred hiding places.
(See site for the excellent list of places both indoors and out.)
...
> There are 13 different species of Loxosceles in the United
> States and four of them, L. reclusa, L. deserta, L. laeta and L.
> refescens, have been associated with human reactions.
...
> Since most brown recluse spiders hibernate in the winter
> (except those which live indoors), most bites occur between
> March and October when humans accidentally disturb their
> habitat: closets, out-buildings or woodpiles. Despite their
> usual timid nature, these spiders are inherently more danger-
> ous than other spiders because they have adapted their
> habitat to live in close association with people.
There is a LOT more in that excellent resource.
This is is also highly factual:
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2003/02/0213_030213_brownrecluse_2.=
html
Read about the home in Kansas with thousands and no bites.
http://msucares.com/pubs/publications/p2154.html
> The brown recluse is found statewide in Mississippi and is typically=20
> thought of as an =93indoor=94 spider, but populations do exist in=20
> outdoor situations. For example, University of Arkansas researchers=20
> kept site-collection data on brown recluse spiders from May 5, 1962,=20
> through December 31, 1964. A total of 626 spiders were collected=20
> during this period, and 196 spiders, or 31 percent, were collected=20
> from outside locations. The predominant outdoor site was under=20
> large, flat rocks in the rocky bluff habitat of north to northwest=20
> Arkansas. Other outdoor collections came from under bark and from=20
> around debris piles.
Now, Black Widow Spiders (last site mentioned, an excellent one):
> There are five spiders in the =93widow=94 group. Two are restricted to =
> southern Florida, and one is found in the western parts of the=20
> United States and Canada. The one most often referred to as =93the=20
> black widow spider=94 is the species L. mactans found in the Southern =
> states. The last widow spider is the =93northern widow=94 found across =
> the northern United States and into New England.
>
> The female of the black widow is the one most often seen. It is a=20
> characteristic shiny black color with a red hourglass mark on the=20
> underside of the abdomen. Occasionally, there are red dots or hash=20
> marks on the upper side of the abdomen as well. The body, excluding=20
> legs, is 7/16 of an inch long (11 mm) and 5/16 of an inch (7.9 mm)=20
> to 3/8 of an inch (9.5 mm) wide. With a distinct globular shape, the=20
> abdomen is larger than the cephlothorax. The first and fourth pairs=20
> of legs are long and slender, which adds to the overall perception=20
> of size. Black widow males (not reported to have caused any venomous=20
> bites) are considerably smaller than the female black widow, and its=20
> abdomen is more elongate rather than the globular shape of the female.
>
...
> This spider is found almost exclusively in outside habitats. It can=20
> be found in the crawl spaces of houses, in water meter boxes, under=20
> rocks, in stumps or logs, around refuse piles, in brick piles, and=20
> in stacks of firewood. If spiders use buildings, they tend to be old=20
> abandoned barns, houses, sheds, or the little-used sections of=20
> garages or basements. Spider populations, in general, will fluctuate=20
> with high and low years; however, with the black widow, high=20
> populations in a given area are rare.
...
> The web is an indistinct mesh of webbing in which the spider hangs=20
> with head pointed down. In this case, the web is used to snare prey=20
> that ventures into the area. If the web is built in a somewhat open=20
> area, the spider might be under a nearby dirt clod, rock, or piece=20
> of debris during the day, since they will avoid light. The black=20
> widow returns to the web at night
...
For the part below remember how hard it is to penetrate ferret skin:
> The bite of this spider, as with the brown recluse, often goes=20
> unnoticed. The chelicera are only about one millimeter in length,=20
> and they may have trouble breaking the skin at some points on the=20
> body.
...
> Management practices for these spiders vary, depending on the=20
> infested site and the numbers of spiders that might exist within or=20
> around the site. For example, black widows seldom, if ever, occur=20
> within occupied dwellings to the same degree as the recluse.
>
...
> Habitat management in outdoor areas is the primary control practice=20
> you should follow. This includes any practice that eliminates sites=20
> used for protection, web building, or hunting. It includes the=20
> removal of excess bricks, racks of old firewood, sheets of tin or=20
> lumber stacked on the ground, dense plant growth, or similar=20
> habitat. When cleaning these areas, wear gloves to protect hands=20
> against any accidental contact with the black widow or recluse. Be=20
> cautious when removing water meter covers, or opening outside=20
> electrical boxes, since the dark nature of these areas is ideal=20
> black widow habitat.
>
See also the next section there on care to taken in outdoor storage=20
areas, tents left up, old clothing in storage, etc.
http://www.ext.vt.edu/departments/entomology/factsheets/blackwid.html
> Black widow spiders are common around wood piles, and are frequently=20
> encountered when homeowners carry firewood into the house. Also=20
> found under eaves, in boxes, outdoor toilets, meter boxes, and other=20
> unbothered places.
http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Latrodectus=
_mactans.html
> It is ubiquitous and builds strong-walled retreats quite close to=20
> the ground and in dark sheltered spots. However, it also spreads its=20
> snares over plants. Webs of the black widow spider can be found in=20
> recesses under stones or logs in a woodpile, in crevices or holes in=20
> dirt embankments, in barns and outbuildings. They can also be found=20
> around lids of dust bins, around seats of outdoor privies, spaces=20
> under chips of wood, around stacked materials of any kind, in=20
> deserted animal burrows or rodent holes, and entwined in grape=20
> arbors. This spider may find its way into clothing or shoes and=20
> occasionally seeks a spot in a house to build a web, but it is=20
> usually not found indoors. When it does seek shelter in a building,=20
> it is due to cold weather and a need for a dry shelter. In addition,=20
> in the eastern United States, Latrodectus mactans is associated with=20
> littered areas
...
http://www.ehow.com/how_2065902_identify-black-widows-habitat.html
Sukie (not a vet)
Recommended ferret health links:
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/
http://www.afip.org/ferrets/index.html
http://www.miamiferret.org/fhc/
http://www.ferretcongress.org/
http://www.trifl.org/index.shtml
http://homepage.mac.com/sukie/sukiesferretlinks.html
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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