How to get bitten without handling....

[Louise~Nichols]

Well...here's a novel experience to compare notes on; anyone ever had one of their tarantulas *playing dead*??

Yesterday, one of mine did exactly that. As I had lost a number of arachnid buddies during the quake, and some over the days following, when I saw yet another spider laying in a deathcurl and fangs extended, I sighed in resignation and went about checking the specimen over.

So...off with the tub lid, roll the spidey over onto its back using forceps...no response. Roll the spidey back to right way up...no response, no movement at all. At this point I thought well it's either given up and died of shock some days after the *main event*...or it had an injury that I hadn't noticed. I then peered closely to try and find any sign of leaking haemolymph....at which point...
*BANG*...spider is back on it's feet, on my face and bit me just above the left eye twice!

My eye has been swollen shut since, antihistamines taken, painrelief taken, and a check over with my doctor. So far, other than the burning pain across my left eye and brow, I've just been shivery with occasional nausea, and the area surrounding the bite is now quite icy to the touch despite being a hot looking, purplish-red shade!

And the spider involved in this whole episode...one Brachypelma Klassi!! lol This particular specimen has been unpleasant since it was a large sling/small juve (it's now 4.5" approx)...readily tries to attack everytime I clean out, refill the water etc...yet my others, they're no problem at all...with only 2 ganglia it would be hard to imagine that spiders could suffer with mental health issues...but there again, I'd never have believed that a spider could play dead!

[jason holland]

what a story! lol. bitten on the head. classic, hope ur heads fine lol

[Simon Batten]

that is an incredible story, hope your alright, and can look back on it and laugh.

[andy hood]

oh no what a story , i hope your gonna be ok lousie and get better soon, best wishes xx

[Peter Lacey]

And there's me thinking I forgot to ask about your leg!
Sorry I caught Brachy but not Klassi, I'm sure my hearing is going.
So, broken ankle, earthquake, and now a bite on the face. If they come in three's I guess things can only improve. Hope your eye settles down and your Klassi finds a chill pill

[Colin D Wilson]

Well then Noodle, you ended up manging to post it up afterall with one good eye.
hope you're feeling better than the other night.

As i said last night, for the record this has got to be the strangest bite occurance i've heard.

Peter's right, get that klassi on prozac !!!

[Phil Rea]

Glad you're OK Louise, and all I can say is thank goodness it missed your eye.

[mary walters]

Blimey Louise, you are one lucky gal it didn't get your eye, hope it feels better soon xxxxx

[Louise~Nichols]

Thanks everyone...I'm certainly feeling blessed that it didn't get my actual eyeball, although the whole socket is burning painful still...but the swelling has reduced a bit now...oooh for a peek of daylight from the left side!!
I've said it before, but the funniest things go through your head...I'm still chuckling that all I could hear in my mind was *I'm popeye the sailor man....* lol

Madame Whoopi (B.Klassi) is absolutely fine, and posturing...no sign of any further curling or playing dead...so what's the theory, do they play dead in the wild to catch prey?

[Andrew Ferguson]

Ooh Lousie, that sounds very painful. I hope you're not in pain for too long and hopefully no permanent damage.

I'm sure I'm not the only one thinking this, but did you get a picture of the bite? It could make for an interesting report for a future journal.

[Richard Shah]

Rahh that's deep; well all you gotta do now is improve your health back to normal and look back on it and laugh!

[James Box]

flippin' heck Louise!!!!!!!!!! it doesn't rain but pour over there, does it?
*massive antihistamine-laced hugs*
i'm really sorry to hear about this...i suppose it'll be funny one day, but honestly, what timing for the little brat to pull this kind of stunt.
she really sounds a psycho
hope you're feeling better now hun!

as for playing dead...it seems that a Hysterocrates species did that in the journal, and was responsible for one of the bite reports, so it does happen, apparently.
it could be some strange defensive thing, luring a potential predator close only to teach it a lesson it won't forget, and that it'll tell its children about!
a very good deterrent, if you ask me, but a bit out of place in a Brachypelma!

[mary walters]

I hope you are feeling better today Louise,((((hugs))))

[Yvonne Woolley]

Oh My Goodness

Flippin eck Lou !!!!!!!! I spoke to Colin last night and he told me what happened, I can,t believe it , You of all people what really rotten luck, How do you feel now you must be really pi--sed off now ,what with your ankle and then the quake and now this i dont know what to say apart from they do say " IF IT DOESNT KILL YOU IT WILL MAKE YOU STRONGER" so you must be feeling as srong as Arnie at the moment LOL!!! Or perhaps not. Colin also said that you lost several of your Ts i thought that you had only lost two and i really felt for you then God how awfull. I really look forwards to talking to you again soon whenever you are feeling a little better, If there is anything i can do dont hesitate. Luv Von. Lots of healing Vibes coming your way.But with your luck you had better duck lol

[Nicola Dolby]

Hi Louise, sorry to hear about the bite. Could you please send a bite report (including after effects) in to the BTS committee so they can update their records. Funny it should be a Brachy though. I have Pokes, Haplopelmas and all sorts of Baboon spiders, but my B. smithi is the only agressive spider I've got! My B. bohemi has had a thing about hair kicking too recently. Maybe its the time of the year!