The best way to kill a spider?

[EllaBellaMuffin]

You're a much braver person than I am. I could never hold something like that in a million years. I have the worst case of arachnophobia.

I am not brave at all, I never thought I will do it, as I am so terrified of them. But I must say, after when I did it, I felt so powerful LOL, I know it sounds silly, but I was thinking, If i can hold a ****ing spider, I can do anything!!

 

[SophieBunny]

After both my mother and I getting bit by brown recluses, I kill them whatever way possible. Sorry spider lovers, I'm usually a "do the humane thing" kind of person too but after watching your mother have muscle and skin graphs done on her leg because the tissue was dieing I just can't take the chance. Now if it is obviously not a brown recluse I will take it outside....but if Im not sure. Squish.

I think killing them quickly and kindly is okay if the spider is potentially dangerous, but if it's a harmless little thing then I say leave it be, definitely.

 

[Inle_Rabbit]

I would not want to freeze to death. ugggh

Spiders don't have the same body system as we mammals. It is thought that they just go into hibernation, shut down and do not suffer. Most people prefer to put down their pet spiders this way because it is less traumatic than stomping them to death.

 

[Inle_Rabbit]

After both my mother and I getting bit by brown recluses, I kill them whatever way possible. Sorry spider lovers, I'm usually a "do the humane thing" kind of person too but after watching your mother have muscle and skin graphs done on her leg because the tissue was dieing I just can't take the chance. Now if it is obviously not a brown recluse I will take it outside....but if Im not sure. Squish.

My husband was bit twice by what we (and the docs) think was a brown recluse. It was one of the most disgusting things I have seen and his wounds did not require surgery.

 

[EllaBellaMuffin]

After both my mother and I getting bit by brown recluses, I kill them whatever way possible. Sorry spider lovers, I'm usually a "do the humane thing" kind of person too but after watching your mother have muscle and skin graphs done on her leg because the tissue was dieing I just can't take the chance. Now if it is obviously not a brown recluse I will take it outside....but if Im not sure. Squish.

I cant agree with you more, brown recluse bite can be deadly. I saw a documentary once, where a house was infested with brown recluse. Not a spider you want living in your house or even in your backyard.

 

[R5 plus]

I prefer lizards. They eat lots of stuff. I have a ton in my backyard. best critters.

I love lizards! My husband laughs at me when we're in Puerto Rico. I'm crazy about them. Ha, ha.

The most interesting insect (is it an insect?) I have ever encountered inside a home is a scorpion (West Texas). More than one actually. I lived for a month with someone from college and had some interesting nature experiences while there. :yikes:

 

[RoseNRiver0523]

[MENTION=19358]Inle_Rabbit[/MENTION] They used to love to hang out in the laundry room in our old farm house in Alabama. My bite wasn't actually so bad...it hurt and got pretty icky but we think that my mother was bitten several times because one was caught in her pant leg. The calf of her leg was literally dieing. She still has trouble with the leg to this day (this was 15 yrs ago) and has a massive scar. Not something we want to repeat. Sorry your hubby got bit. It is really not fun to have to go through no matter how bad the bite.

 

[Inle_Rabbit]

The most interesting insect (is it an insect?) I have ever encountered inside a home is a scorpion (West Texas). More than one actually. I lived for a month with someone from college and had some interesting nature experiences while there. :yikes:

Scorpions are arachnids they have 8 legs and 2 body parts. Insects have 6 legs and 3 body parts.

@Inle_Rabbit They used to love to hang out in the laundry room in our old farm house in Alabama. My bite wasn't actually so bad...it hurt and got pretty icky but we think that my mother was bitten several times because one was caught in her pant leg. The calf of her leg was literally dieing. She still has trouble with the leg to this day (this was 15 yrs ago) and has a massive scar. Not something we want to repeat. Sorry your hubby got bit. It is really not fun to have to go through no matter how bad the bite.

The first time my husband was bit on the thigh while working at a storage place and was cleaning out a unit. The second time he was helping a friend at a garage and was bit on the arm while under the lift. Each bite happened about a year a part but they were both pretty intense. His leg/arm swelled up so much he couldn't even move it and I had to help him clean the infection. Ugh. Awful.

 

[couchon]

I am really sorry for all of your experiences with brown recluse bites

I just wanted to point out that they are not aggressive, and won't just attack you for no reason. So, if you see one somewhere out in the woods (is that where they live?), there is probably no reason to kill it.

"As suggested by its specific epithet reclusa (recluse), the brown recluse spider is rarely aggressive, and bites from the species are uncommon. In 2001, more than 2,000 brown recluse spiders were removed from a heavily infested home in Kansas, yet the four residents who had lived there for years were never harmed by the spiders, despite many encounters with them.[SUP][13][/SUP] The spider usually bites only when pressed against the skin, such as when tangled within clothes, towels, bedding, inside work gloves, etc. Many human victims report having been bitten after putting on clothes that had not been worn recently, or had been left for many days undisturbed on the floor. However, the fangs of the brown recluse are so tiny they are unable to penetrate most fabric"

 

[Mastershroom]

I am very arachnophobic. As much as I'd like to say I take the moral high road and capture spiders and release them outside, the truth is I kill them on sight with a shoe and flush the remains. No mercy, no regrets. lol

 

[Wildcavy]

I am really sorry for all of your experiences with brown recluse bites

I just wanted to point out that they are not aggressive, and won't just attack you for no reason. So, if you see one somewhere out in the woods (is that where they live?), there is probably no reason to kill it.

"As suggested by its specific epithet reclusa (recluse), the brown recluse spider is rarely aggressive, and bites from the species are uncommon. In 2001, more than 2,000 brown recluse spiders were removed from a heavily infested home in Kansas, yet the four residents who had lived there for years were never harmed by the spiders, despite many encounters with them.[SUP][13][/SUP] The spider usually bites only when pressed against the skin, such as when tangled within clothes, towels, bedding, inside work gloves, etc. Many human victims report having been bitten after putting on clothes that had not been worn recently, or had been left for many days undisturbed on the floor. However, the fangs of the brown recluse are so tiny they are unable to penetrate most fabric"

If one were in my house, I'd kill it. They live in dark, dusty, or infrequently used places and clothes. So clearing out backs of closets, putting on stored clothes, going under furniture, etc. could put you in contact with it. Generally you aren't going to find one hanging out by your window.

But your average spider is going to be one that is clearly not a recluse, such as the long-legged house spider. I don't think our automatic reaction should be to kill critters, even if we don't like them.

I have a strange fear of kangaroos, but fortunately living in the U.S. at this time I don't think I'll be confronted with a need to exercise any kangaroo management strategies!

 

[Field-of-Dreams]

I'm sorry, if it's in my house, it dies. I live on 30 acres surrounded by vast acreage. It doesn't need to be in my house! If it's outside, unless it's a black widow, I leave it alone.

That said, last year we had a stunning orb spinner in our barn. We left her alone, and she made two giant egg sacs, so we should have more later this year. Fascinating to watch- she got fatter and fatter, then one day she was thin again and had her sack.

 

[MrWhistles]

Well, if it's in my house or around my animals, it's bothering me. I also have no idea what the spider is, nor do I intend to find out WHAT it is. It could harm me or my animals. I'm gonna make sure it doesn't. So usually that involves using everything possible to do the deed. If I'm at the barn(we tend to have brown recluses running around) I'll whack the crap outta with my pitch fork(if in a stall) or I'll stomp on it with my boot. If in my home, and my animals are around. I'll find something to smash it with. If no animals around(usually very rare) I'll grab my bug sprayer. It has the ability to shoot a long spray for hornet nests. So I'll spray that bad boy!

I'd like to add, my mare has gotten bitten by one of those spiders in my barn. The infected area was so huge! My iPhone's pic don't do it justice. There was atleast 2 football sized swollen areas. Honey is certainly a miracle worker. The infected area disappeared in 2-3 days with antibiotic shots and honey applied to the area. https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1478428857873.44098.1748311865&type=3

 

[couchon]

It's takes just a little more effort to catch him. And bothering is not the same as hurting, and spiders in the vast majority of the country are not poisonous.

 

[Wildcavy]

[MENTION=22188]MrWhistles[/MENTION] I know given my affection for spiders I shouldn't say this, but I got a chuckle out of picturing you well-armed against the spiderslol

But I am sorry about your mare getting bitten.:sad:

 

[MuggleMaggie]

I'm sorry, if it's in my house, it dies. I live on 30 acres surrounded by vast acreage. It doesn't need to be in my house! If it's outside, unless it's a black widow, I leave it alone.

That said, last year we had a stunning orb spinner in our barn. We left her alone, and she made two giant egg sacs, so we should have more later this year. Fascinating to watch- she got fatter and fatter, then one day she was thin again and had her sack.

I had a beautiful banana spider outside my bedroom window when I was a teen. I'd watch him eat as I was falling asleep.

 

[R5 plus]

[MENTION=27581]Guinealover10[/MENTION] - Aren't you sorry you asked...

 

[CanadianComforts]

Its funny this topic has come up. I'm highly allergic to spiders. I was bit by a Misumena vatia, which according to everything posted they A. Can't bite you and B. if they do its not too bad. I was bit a few years back while gardening and my arm swelled and I thought my arm was on fire (HORRIBLE pain all up my arm). Thankfully after 1 hour the swelling went down and I was fine.

I've heard that if you have a spray bottle with peppermint oil and water and spray your house it keeps them away. I plan on trying that this summer/fall. We live in a really old house (built in 1939) so we get a lot of spiders. Here in Alberta (at least where I am) there is only the brown recluse. BC and I believe lower Alberta has black widows (don't know about the other provinces). My mom was bit by a brown recluse a few years ago and became paralyzed, which resulted in a week hospital stay (she is now fine though has some numb areas on her neck where it bit her).

I try not to smoosh the little guys, but if there is no way to get them out without risking a possible bite (remember I am highly allergic) I smoosh. Husband isn't much help as he is terrified of them (thank you SIL).

 

[clb89]

There are very, very few poisonous spiders in the United States. Unless you are going after a black/brown widow, brown recluse, or tarantula, you don't have much to fear if for some reason they "attack" you. You aren't going to die and unless you have an allergy, you aren't going to get much more than a sort of pick from them in most cases. I've had mosquito bites worse than spider bites.

The widows and tarantulas are pretty distinctive and can be noted and avoided or killed as necessary. Brown recluses usually are in dark areas and if you are rummaging around there, use gloves or otherwise be careful.

I personally like having spiders in my house, as they efficiently get rid of the gnats, fruit-flies, flies, excess other spiders, etc. without my having to put down poison. If they get to be too much, I expel them from the house. You start killing certain types of spiders, which manage the population of other spiders, and you can ironically increase your spider problem. The only times I've been bitten were outside and when I was handling a spider roughly -- they really tend to hide.

That said, the only way you can guarantee the spider isn't going to suffer is to squish it entirely and completely the first time. Chemical "remedies" are only going to torture them.

While I understand why people don't necessarily actively like spiders, I really don't understand the fear that they are going to jump out and kill you or make you really sick.

I'm glad to see I'm not the only one who likes spiders being around. Then again as a young girl I use to love bugs and still have quit a bit of my old bug book memorized. I've learned to live with spiders, especially since our apartment lets in fruit flies, and ants as the weather gets warmer.

 

[Hhbean]

I have always had the policy of putting them outside away from the house but... A year or so ago we were renting a townhouse and I found a HUGE spider. It was wrapped around Daniels shoe on the shoe rack by the door. I have to stress to you how big this bad boy was, he was WRAPPED around the whole front of the size 11 shoe!!! Daniel who is legally blind could see it and I screamed like there was no tomorrow. I am sad to say that I killed it with no hesitation at all:guilty:. I do regret that and when we showed the body to the bug guy that arrived he whistled and said that it was a full blown adult wolf spider and he had never seen one that big(even though it was squished). Came to find out that it was a problem around there because of all the trees overhanging the townhouses and in the spring they would run into the houses in the rain. I spoke to my vet about the chance of them biting the piggies and she said that normaly they wouldn't even bother them.
My mom had brought home "empty" banana boxes from the grocery store to pack some things in and she found a tarantula in it when she got around to using it. It was a baby.

@Wildcavy , don't ever go to the Kansas City, Missouri zoo because there is a section where the kangaroos rome around free!