Thread: White tail spider bites

My father was bitten on the elbow. Yes it was a white tail as we saw the spider. The bite caused a nasty sore which was painful enough that my father went to the doctor. Something he never did. The doctor told him there was no way a white tail spider could do that!
Every year or so the pain would return and the skin in the bite area die off.

If you have been bitten I suggest you keep a careful watch on the bite as the spider bite appears to cause different reactions to different people.

These are the NSW Health Spider Bite Guidelines:

http://www.ciap.health.nsw.gov.au/do...2007_006_5.pdf

In brief it suggests:
White Tailed Spider
This common house-hunting spider has gained a formidable reputation for causing skin damage, essentially unsubstantiated by case reports from mainland Australia.

There are numerous cases of bites reported without any significant local injury or effects, with only mild local discomfort and a small red lump, settling after about 24 hours. In a major series of 130 confirmed cases, none developed either infection or skin damage.

Originally Posted by Graeme

My wife was bitten on the lower leg which resulted in a nasty ulcer that re-occurred every summer for several years.

Ditto ... Thats my understanding about those critters ^^^

Originally Posted by Graeme

My wife was bitten on the lower leg which resulted in a nasty ulcer that re-occurred every summer for several years.

To right mate they are very nasty.The bloke that tested me for my boat license years ago had been bitten on his leg and what a mess it was..just like a tropical ulcer and it took months to heal.Anyone that says they are virtually harmless is talking through their hat. Also with scorpions .While up at Cape York one of our party was bitten so I did the usual ..frozen pack on it , then a quick trip to Bamaga hospital where I was informed that Oz scorpions were not that toxic.Later on I was in Canberra where I was informed by an expert on scorpions that what I was told was incorrect there is one scorpion in the north that is deadly.So who do you believe? Me I'd err on the side of caution and treat that white tailed little begger with the utmost respect and to me that means zapping him pronto.
John ( disco44)

My mum was bitten with no significant effects, but I understood the necrosis issue to do with bacteria on the fangs of some (but not all) white tail spiders.

Irrespective, I kill them all.

Originally Posted by Numpty's Missus

Anything can kill....I mean ANYTHING!!
What is harmless to one will kill another
Bizarre things happen

Just cause one person gets necrosis due to spider bite doesn't mean ALL will tho

I've seen someone almost loose a leg after wading in the Bribie passage had a small cut on her leg...ended up with necrosing fasiculitis....you certainly wouldn't expect that on your day at the beach!!

Good answer NM. "Murphy's Law" is everywhere.
John ( disco 44 )

Originally Posted by Disco44

.. ... ... ... ..
Anyone that says they are virtually harmless is talking through their hat.
... ... .... ...
John ( disco44)

Are you including the MedIcal Journal of Australia in the group of people talking through their hat or don't you interpret the results of their research in the same way i do?

Their report said in part:
A world-first study published in the current issue of the Medical Journal of Australia (2003; 179 (4): 199-202) shows that of 130 white-tail spider bite victims in the study, none suffered from these ulcers or from confirmed infection.

and

The bites to the 130 people in the study were not characterised by necrotic ulcers or confirmed infections.
'We hope this study will begin to dispel some of the myths surrounding white-tail spiders and their bite,' Dr Isbister said.


As other have said or suggested, the reason you need to be careful is not because it is a a white-tailed spider bite, but because it is a bite.

Thanks for replies.
Interesting to hear experiences with these white tails.

Cant be to toxic as I feel fine. Just a bit numb under the eye and a slight swelling. We'll see what happens in time