grape surprise

[johno]

Did everyone hear the news yesterday morning about the lady in (I forget which state?) the Northeast who found a black widow spider in her bag of black seedless grapes? She wasn't bitten - took the little rascal to a poison control center.

I guess they don't see a lot of black widows up there? I can think of other things to do with them than take them for a drive... I usually capture them if any children are around to use as a learning tool. Important lesson! After the lesson in identification is over, well, so long spider.

I only fear this one spider, and only if it finds me before I find it. The thing about this news that kinda' gave me the willies is that I just finished off a bag of black seedless grapes a couple of days ago. I even had it in the bed with me while watching a movie. [How do you type that spider reaction sound?] :eek:

[boston]

I read that story and I know the sound you are talking about

[Jeannine]

Widows don't bother me near as much as Brown Recluses, but then I've been bitten as well as many of my family members. Unless you have a reaction to the venom there's not much to be done other than what one would do for many other kids of bites, something if you have pain; tylenol or advil, ice pack, an antihist and that's about it. But, that darn B.R. there's a nasty bug!!! No matter what you're going to see the Doc for this one! And if you catch it in time and you're lucky you go home with all the same skin you went with!

[bluelacedredhead]

20 years ago I was employed as a Gopher for a wholesale veggie place. I got a call from one of their retail affiliates about a little snake that was in a case of bananas..they wanted me to come take a look at it.. :eek:
When I got to the store, one of the guys had put it in a jar with a lid on it. They sent me off to a Gov't research facility near Niagara FAlls to allow the lab there to identify it..
Never did hear back??

All I cared about during the hour + drive was that little Buddy wasn't able to get out of the jar..I even drove the speed limit enroute; afraid that any sudden jolts might break the jar beside me on the seat and set little Buddy free................OMG...

[flowerpower]

I probably would have kept the snake as a pet. :)

[Sandbar]

... tylenol or advil, ice pack, an antihist and that's about it... I didn't know atheists were pain killers ... do they come in a capsule or in pill form? :D

[johno]

Please note: I am NOT a medical professional of any sort, and this is just something we do based on logic...

Brown recluses don't bother me at all. It wouldn't do any good if they did, because, at least in Arkansas, they are EVERYWHERE. Thousands per acre... Every house has them in, under, and above it. They are one of the most common "bugs" I see. I have been bitten by them many, many times and only on a few occasions did the bite turn nasty. I have heard that they are more or less venomous at different times of the year, or different times in their life cycle, or something like that. I don't know, but that's all I can attribute my luck to.

That being said, my FIL was thinking about the treatment one of our fellow farmers' wives went through for a particularly bad BR bite - the hyperbaric chamber - and he hypothesized that oxygenation was the key to healing the bite. So he began treating BR bites with H2O2, and it worked. [He wasn't a doctor, either...] My wife picked this up from him, and convinced me to let her try it on me when I had my first flesh-rotting bite from a brown recluse. She first uses a needle or razor blade to dig out the white, hard kernel at the center of the bite, then treats it with hydrogen peroxide until it quits bubbling. It has worked every time...

[Jeannine]

Very interesting Johno! See you're about BR's the way I'm about BW's, they were rampant in AZ where I grew up so they are no biggie to me.

Oh Sandbar...you're SOOOOO funny! Actually, I think they come in capsule form so no one can actually point the really bad ones. And if you re-look at the post it says, 'antihist' I just forgot the ., or I was being lazy and didn't feel like spelling it out :)

[flowerpower]

My wife picked this up from him, and convinced me to let her try it on me when I had my first flesh-rotting bite from a brown recluse. She first uses a needle or razor blade to dig out the white, hard kernel at the center of the bite, then treats it with hydrogen peroxide until it quits bubbling. It has worked every time...

Johno, I do the same thing when I get bitten. Spiders find me extremely tasty.

[werecat]

Please note: I am NOT a medical professional of any sort, and this is just something we do based on logic...

Brown recluses don't bother me at all. It wouldn't do any good if they did, because, at least in Arkansas, they are EVERYWHERE. Thousands per acre... Every house has them in, under, and above it. They are one of the most common "bugs" I see. I have been bitten by them many, many times and only on a few occasions did the bite turn nasty. I have heard that they are more or less venomous at different times of the year, or different times in their life cycle, or something like that. I don't know, but that's all I can attribute my luck to.

That being said, my FIL was thinking about the treatment one of our fellow farmers' wives went through for a particularly bad BR bite - the hyperbaric chamber - and he hypothesized that oxygenation was the key to healing the bite. So he began treating BR bites with H2O2, and it worked. [He wasn't a doctor, either...] My wife picked this up from him, and convinced me to let her try it on me when I had my first flesh-rotting bite from a brown recluse. She first uses a needle or razor blade to dig out the white, hard kernel at the center of the bite, then treats it with hydrogen peroxide until it quits bubbling. It has worked every time...
Aw see, now sand stone caves and beautiful landscape or not..... That news is just major Ichy! I hate spiders!

[Sandbar]

... it says, 'antihist' I just forgot the ., or I was being lazy and didn't feel like spelling it out :)I knew what you meant, Jeannine, the thought just crossed my mind and I couldn't stop my fingers from typing ... :rolleyes:

[Jeannine]

Ahhh! The wickedness comes through, hehehe! I figured you did but then I couldn't help myself either, LOL

[Heirloom Seed Shop]

My daughter was bitten by a B.R. several weeks ago. At first, it appeared as a small itchy spot. That night and the next two days, she was feeling real achy all over. About the second day she discovered that the itchy spot had a white spot in it, it was REAL sore and the skin about the size of a quarter was raw looking. (oohhh) She told me about it so I took some hydrogen peroxide and some essential oils to her. She used the hydrogen peroxide once and kept rubbing the oils on a few times during the day. After about 2 weeks it was completely healed. Skin looks good now!

[fawnmeadow]

Ya all have me cringing with this spider talk, but since we're in BR country it's nice to know what to do about a bite.
Can anyone tell me what those big spiders that hang around our doors at nite are? If we're not quick enough they jump in while we're letting the dogs out.

[redbrick]

I didn't know atheists were pain killers ... do they come in a capsule or in pill form? :D


There is no such thing as an atheist who just got bitten by a poisonous spider! :eek: :D Talk about a fast way to find religion!

[Sandbar]

LOL :D "Deathbed Conversion in progress ..."

[theresa]

this is a little different toptic, but for Mosquitoes bites and bee stings and spider bites. We simply get plantain leaves that grow everywhere in my yard and parks as well. Simply rub the leaves on the bite and no more itch. Plantain has an antihystamine and the insects give you a hystamine reaction. Works everytime

[Sandbar]

I think someone else mentioned that in another thread. Thanks for reminding me ... hopefully I'll remember that when the little buggers start biting again this summer.