Other pets (pics and discussions)

[Charis]

Don't know about everyone else's area but the doctors are fairly useless around here. We have lots of hobos, there are a fair number of them in my Grandma's basement and we used to get a huge twice yearly influx of them in the house I just moved out of. For the most part, they have been fairly harmless to everyone but my cousin, she seems to draw them. She gets bit almost everytime she visits Grandma's house. The first time she got bit three times on the face while sleeping and they swelled up to about dinner plate size in the morning. They rushed off to the ER only to be told, yes they are hobo bites and no, there was nothing they could do for it, to just go home and put ice on it. My Aunt wasn't satisfied with that, so dug out her natural remedies books and found something else to try, which is the point of this rather long story. Oil of oregano will take the swelling down and because it actually draws the venom out of the bite area, my cousin has never suffered any lasting injury from her many hobo bites. Grandma now keeps the oil on hand especially for that cousin and if anyone else should get bit while up there. The oil burns a bit and isn't pleasant itself to use but does work great. I'd imagine it would probably work on most other spider bites as well. Not suggesting that anyone not go to a doctor/vet for bites but it is something you can have on hand immediately in any case.

[InsanePirateDragon]

Hobo Spiders : venomous - dangerous?

Venom toxicity - although the bite of the hobo spider is initially painless, the bite can be serious. After 24 hours, the bite develops into a blister and after 24-36 hours, the blister breaks open, leaving an open, oozing ulceration. Typically when the venom is injected, the victim will experience an immediate redness, which develops around the bite. The most common reported symptom is severe headache. Other symptoms can include nausea, weakness, fatigue, temporary memory loss and vision impairment. In any case, first aid and medical attention should be sought, if bitten, as and when any adverse health effects are observed. Spider Identification - they are brown in color and the adults measure roughly 1/3 to 2/3 inch in body length and 2/3 to 2 inches in leg span. Their abdomens have several chevron shaped markings. Males are distinctively different from females in that they have two large palpi (mouth parts) that look like boxing gloves. Females tend to have a larger and rounder abdomen when compared to males. Habitat - they can be found anywhere in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Utah and Colorado. They rarely climb vertical surfaces and are uncommon above basements or ground level.

I think that is what got your cat.... This is the site I found it on, has a list of all sorts of spiders n bites....

Spider Identification Chart - Venomous or Dangerous?

We don't have have the hobos here in Kansas luckily enough, just mainly the brown recluse and the brown widow (a black widow cousin).

But the good news is that this morning the hole there was no visible drainage and it wasn't so bright red tand didn't seem as tender as she didn't swipe or hiss when I was flushing it out, and she chased after the dogs which is pretty normal for her. But she's got an appointment for tomorrow morning just to be on the safe side.

[mikem]

Sounds like good news! Hope all goes well

[InsanePirateDragon]

And its a cat bite abscess! Nothing major to worry about. Nice and clean now and no more signs of pus. Got a shot of antibiotics to be on the safe side and to keep her in until the hole closes up. Not a problem since she's lost intrest in going out. She probably got beat up pretty good.

Black Kitty of course didn't enjoy the vet much. She's one of those cats where they need to get out the big black gloves to at least knock her out a bit to get a good look at it.

[EasternGirl]

Okay..a few things...first, PirateDragon...I'm glad your kitty seems to be doing better. Glad it wasn't a venomous spider bite. Second, if there were brown recluse spiders all over where I lived...I would be moving...immediately! I am afraid of spiders...as you all know...I am really freaked out by brown recluse spiders! I think every spider I find is a brown recluse...lol. Third..Richard, I knew I read something about house spiders being venomous! Finally...I want to thank Dae for the spider pic...my skin will be crawling all day! Does anyone know if we have those Hobos in Delaware? Because I am going to be seriously freaked out now...

Oh...and Steve...I'm glad the baby birds are doing well. Dae...nice new additions!

[InsanePirateDragon]

Its probably a midwest thing, we learn to live with them like we live with all of the flooding and tornadoes we attract.

But as for the hobos, I think you're good. I believe they're a northwestern species in Oregon, Washington, those sort of states so I think you're safe from the Hobos.

[ConcinusMan]

But not safe from Brown recluses, which are a bit more dangerous.

Ouch.

http://brown-recluse-spiders.net/bro...ider_bite1.jpg

But anyway, back on topic, luckily as scary as they look, pet tarantulas rarely bite, and if they do, it's no more serious than a bee sting. Same goes for emperor scorpions. Painful, but not usually dangerous unless you have an allergic reaction. I would keep an epipen handy just in case.

[tress29]

I bought myself a 5 gallon aquarium starter kit for Mother's Day! I furnished it by stealing items from our other tanks! I put my ADFs into the 10 gallon and took their mopani wood, gravel, clay pot, moss ball and anubis. I put the cartridge filter in there to help seed the tank. I ended up having to use the heat pad too, since somebody forgot to buy a heater!

I took the thermometer and the potted undulata from the 10 gallon. I was going to use the filter cartridge from the molly tank to seed my filter but took the whole filter instead! Lucky they came from the same kit! I'm pretty proud of the low cost way I was able to equip this tank.





I'm gonna shop around for a few more plants. I'm getting a dwarf puffer, and they like dense plants to swim through and hide in. I'm headed to my fave LFS after church tomorrow to see what they have in stock.

[ConcinusMan]

So this is salt water? I always wanted to get sea horses.

[tress29]

So this is salt water? I always wanted to get sea horses.

No, dwarf puffers are freshwater. Haven't ventured into SW yet!