BEWARE OF THE FIDDLEBACK SPIDER

[Lynn]

Kind of a public service announcement.
If you live in the Southwest, there is a very good chance you have fiddleback spiders. Also known as the Brown Recluse. They love dark dry hot places.

Apparently, they are worse than usual this year.

They are not aggressive, and normally have no incentive to bite a human. But, if you leave your lounge clothes on the floor, then put them on in the morning after a fiddleback has settled in, you could get bit.

That is what we believe happened to Sherri almost four weeks ago. She discovered the bite within a couple hours one Sunday morning. I immediately took her to the ER, thinking there might be some kind of anit venom. There is not. Treatment: meds for pain and wait for the area to quit rotting, then cut it out.

In some cases, surgery isn't necessary. It will scab over and heal from the inside out. However, if you are bitten in an area where there isn't a lot of blood flow, the affected area gets pretty big.

Had to take Sherri to the hospital this morning to have the top scab like substance removed and the wound cleaned out. She may need one more surgery. The last pic I am posting is from 11 days ago. That large black area is about 7 inches long. Felt like a turtle shell, and kept getting harder and thicker. It cratered in about an inch and they were afraid there was a second round of necrosis.

Surgery went well. She is an angel and never complains.

First pic is of one of the little buggers known as Brown Recluse or Fiddleback.

Next pic is after just two days. That water blister covered the entire area by day 3. Doc lanced it.

Best way to eradicate the fiddleback is by scented glue traps. Traditional extermination is not very effective. Their natural predators are cats (not getting one of those) birds (not letting any of them in the house) and other spiders. Because they are so reclusive, most extermination efforts end up helping them out, as it wipes out the predators. Also, the wettable powder solution is virtually useless, as it relies on the spider to walk through it and ingest while cleaning themselves. Apparently the Brown Recluse doesn't routinely clean itself. Anyway, we have the traps out all over the house. In three weeks we have captured or killed close to 20.

We both used to throw lounge clothes on the floor before heading to bed. No more. Everything gets hung up.

[Bill Pritchard]

Holy crap, Lynn! <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/shocked.gif Is that on her leg? Kinda hard to tell from the pics.

Thanks for the heads-up.

[2000ss]

Looks like it's on her side-waist area. Hope she gets better soon.

[Lynn]

I cropped the pics, so yes, it it hard to tell. It is BIGGER than it looks in the pics. It is actually high on her left hip, just below the waist line.

[Shevelle]

OMG that looks TERRIBLE! I hope she's doing better soon. For as bad as it is, thank goodness it's not on her face!

We have trouble with the fiddlebacks here too. I got bit on the neck last year and it made a nasty sore spot but nothing like what its done to Sherri. Glenn had the flu one night and I didn't want to sleep with him so I decided to sleep in one of the seldom used guestrooms. I woke up feeling something crawling on me, swatted it and then got up to see what it was. When I saw it was a fiddleback, needless to say I went back to sleep with the sick guy! I called the exterminator the next day and he came and put out several of the glue traps you mention. A few days later I checked on them and the ones under that bed were literally covered with them!! Must have been 30-40! I think they had been nesting in the box springs or something. We now keep glue traps all around the house, under the beds and sofas etc. I occasionally trap one but not very often any more so I think we have pretty much eradicated them from the inside of the house. The exterminator said spraying only chases them from one location to another, but the glue traps seem to have worked well.

[Lynn]

That is what I figured out after doing some research Jacquie.

I change the dressing this afternoon and just broke out in tears. Can't stand to see my angel suffer like this. She never complains and ended up consoling ME. I would 100 times rather it was me.

I took a pic today, but won't post it here. It is just too graphic. Muscle tissue and fatty tissue exposed. We go to the wound care specialist on Tues.

Then I come in from mowing and see she has been vacuuming the house. I have to watch her constantly to make sure she takes it easy.

[marxjunk]

heres mine, it happened april 15th last year. took 9 months to heal..made me really sick, screwed up my lungs because i was allergic to the medicine they gave me, and now im allergic to any venom, like bees etc, i have an epi pen in my truck...it was 3/4 wide 4 in long and 3/4 deep...

i asked my doctor to cut the scab off and she wouldnt she said let it heal on its own..if it didnt in the next 30 days i would need surgery

it wouldnt heal til i cut the dead skin off..it started smelling like dead meat in the sun..so i grabbed it with a pair of pliers, pulled it out til it hurt, took a side cutter and cut the &quot;scab&quot; thing off..healed up in 2 weeks..it was literally 3/4 of inch thick of dead skin and a weird white scab

it was in my jeans, i left on the floor, when i pulled my belt tight it bit me...and in an hour i couldnt stand up and thought i was going to die...it scared me...my skin was on fire,every inch on my body, if the wind blew,it hurt, if i started to sweat it hurt, my hair hurt too..lol


luckily it was in my hip/belly are and a little fat there stopped it from getting to muscle...im not really back to normal, but getting better all the time...got a wicked scar, looks like someone tried to GUT me with big knife

http://i396.photobucket.com/albums/pp48/marxjunk/spider.jpg (http://s396.photobucket.com/user/marxjunk/media/spider.jpg.html)

[Dave Rifkin]

This is scary as hell; are those spiders found in all areas of the US or just certain states? Where do I get the sticky traps that were mentioned earlier in the thread?

I pray for a speedy recovery for your wife.

[Lynn]

Not everywhere. Will try posting a map pic. If it doesn't show up, just do a search for brown recluse habitat.


Traps are available from Amazon and on ebay. I am sure there are other sources, but I bought 10 of the 5 packs, placing my order later that night, after our second trip to the ER. Sherri's temp shot up to 103, and the pain was getting unbearable. She wasn't complaining, but when I saw tears running down her face, took her back for some iv pain meds.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Brown-Recluse-Sp...#ht_1230wt_1043 (http://www.ebay.com/itm/Brown-Recluse-Spider-Trap-Pheromone-Hobo-Wolf-5-Traps-Per-Pack-10-Packs-/130785545531?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&amp;hash=item1e736d 0d3b#ht_1230wt_1043)

SUPPOSEDLY, there is a cure. The medical community has not embraced it. A retired doc down in Texas claims that if you are bitten, you can hit the bite area with a stun gun and it will effectively neutralize the venom. I am posting a link to an article. However, be warned that I have tried to contact Dr. Abrams and am convinced he is at the least retired. Tha link to &quot;his&quot; website that is provided in this article sends you to a generic minor emergency referral service. Take it with a grain of salt. Remember, the web isn't just the information superhighway, it is also the misinformation superhighway.

So, does the stun gun work? I have no idea. But.... I bought one. If I get bit, I am taking three hits with it at the bite mark rotating 120 degrees each time. It is worth going limp even if there is only a CHANCE I don't have to go through what Sherri is going through.

http://insects.about.com/b/2008/12/22/brown-recluse-bite-grab-a-stun-gun-and-zap-away-the-pain.htm

By the way, a cat is not an option for us, because Sherri is highly allergic. But if you are a cat person, I understand that cats will eat fiddlebacks and suffer no consequences.

[SS427]

Wow! We have loads of recluse around our area and I have never worried about them. Time for an attitude change! I am getting some glue traps immediately. We have three barn cats so that may explain why I seldom see them in the barn.

[flyingn]

Thank God none in NJ

[enio45]

wow that looks BAD.....hope for a fast recovery!

FYI....in AZ we don't let anything lay on the floor for fear of the dreaded scorpions.....we need to be very diligent with the exterminator!

[68l30]

I have a guy that comes out to spray as a proactive measure. He likes to talk, the more he talks the longer he sprays. I schedule him for his last route of the week and he uses all of his product up. My house looks like it was rained on outside. Inside the basement and first floor are done.I've been using the same guy for years and nothing lives...Nothing! Hard to find a guy that takes his job so serious...LOL


BIG

[rubbinisracing]

Lynn,

If you guys want a cat but the allergies are the only reason keeping you from getting one you might want to look into a &quot;knockout cat.&quot; The gene that causes the cat to produce dander and other allergens has geen &quot;knocked out&quot; of their dna. I know of someone who has 2 of these cats that previously suffered from allergic reactions to them, and they have been pleased.

[njsteve]

Knock Out Cat? That sounds like our &quot;Freddy Kruger Kitty&quot;, A.K.A. &quot;Jabba The Kat&quot;, who has paws the size of baseball gloves.

He doesn't waste his time on anything smaller than a dog. He lets the two other kitties handle the lighter fair; mice, birds, spiders...

Here he is with one of his &quot;catches&quot;:

http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics/usergals/2013/07/full-1359-5705-jabba_the_cat.jpg

[Lynn]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: rubbinisracing</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Lynn,

If you guys want a cat but the allergies are the only reason keeping you from getting one you might want to look into a &quot;knockout cat.&quot; The gene that causes the cat to produce dander and other allergens has geen &quot;knocked out&quot; of their dna. I know of someone who has 2 of these cats that previously suffered from allergic reactions to them, and they have been pleased.
</div></div>

Howard. Appreciate the suggestion. But.... not unless you can knock out the smell from cat $hit. I don't care what the litter companies say. Neither of us can stand that smell.

[66 L78 ragtop]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: njsteve</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Knock Out Cat? That sounds like our &quot;Freddy Kruger Kitty&quot;, A.K.A. &quot;Jabba The Kat&quot;, who has paws the size of baseball gloves.

He doesn't waste his time on anything smaller than a dog. He lets the two other kitties handle the lighter fair; mice, birds, spiders...

Here he is with one of his &quot;catches&quot;:

http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics/usergals/2013/07/full-1359-5705-jabba_the_cat.jpg
</div></div>


LOL, that was funny

[69LM1]

Another &quot;cool&quot; cat that is (somewhat) hyper allergenic is a Bengal. It is a cross between an Asian Leopard Cat (smaller than a leopard) and an Egyptian domestic cat.

They are about the size of medium dogs, and have the personality of a dog. They usually love the water and can be trained to &quot;go&quot; outdoors.

I had one in college.

http://fc07.deviantart.net/fs71/i/2011/184/f/4/some_bengal_cat_by_jpkadaje-d3kukvx.jpg

RichP

[Lynn]

After the surgery, Sherri had a &quot;cleaning&quot; last week. Basically just scrape out the fatty tissue that has dried up. Wound is 7.5 inches by 4 inches. She was fitted with a wound vac on Fri., which runs 24/7. Looks like she is carrying around a catheter. Has to go in twice a week to have the sponge changed.

Insurance approved the wound vac machine for <span style="font-weight: bold">three months</span>!!! We are hoping that isn't the recovery time from this point. Been 5 weeks today since she was bitten.

We have caught about 18 fiddlebacks, but nothing in our room in about 10 days, so maybe we have gotten most of them. I am still astounded that there is no anti venom or other medically accepted treatment other than let the area finish rotting, then cut it out.

[njsteve]

I hope she is feeling better and recovers quickly!

[Xplantdad]

Wow Lynn...I hope she gets better soon! Lynn's mom has been on a wound vac (for different reasons) since December....hers will go away in the next few weeks..hopefully.

Thanks for the waring about the spiders ...

[Tommy]

Hope both recover soon and have no further issues. The Wound Vac is amazing and is a wonderful piece of equipment. Without the Wound Vac, recovery would be many many times longer.


Tommy <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/3gears.gif

[Lynn]

It has been 9 weeks and two days.

I took a pic last night of the wound area when changing dressing. As you can see, there is a long way to go. Believe it or not, it looks 100 times better than it did after the first surgery. I find it unbelievable that Sherri could recover from donating a kidney to our then 18 year old last summer and be back ready to mow the lawn in four weeks, but not be close to recovery 9+ weeks after a brown recluse bite.

We continue to catch spiders from time to time in our traps. They are really bad in Oklahoma this year after a very mild winter and above average rainfall in spring and summer.

It is hard to get a size perspective from these photos, but I can't get a good pic without showing off her hoo hoo or magnificent butt, so I have to crop it down. The wound was about 8 x 5, and is down to about 6 x 3 inches on her left hip.

If you live in the area indicating brown recluse habitat, you need to get some traps. The more spiders in the house, the more likely you are to get bitten.

[Shevelle]

Jesus Lynn, that looks so terribly painful. Thank goodness it does look like its finally beginning to heal a bit. Bless her heart, what a trooper she must be! Let her know I am praying for her speedy recovery! I have told everyone I know about her ordeal and bought the traps you recommended for my family members. My daughter has been catching a few!!

[Lynn]

Jacqie:

Believe it or not, she says it isn't that painful, other than once in a while while changing dressings. Sometimes the flesh will grow a bit into the gauze or sponge (when the wound vac is in use) and it tears when removed. Of course, the health care providers keep telling us that the bleeding is a GOOD thing, and will promote healing.

You are correct. She is a trooper... and an angel. Not once during this whole ordeal has she complained once.

[Xplantdad]

Wow Lynn, prayers for her to heal fast. Wound vacs are cool things (Like Tommy said above). I hope hers id portable like Grandmas...

Grandma still has hers on as well. Hers has been on since December...and should hopefully come off in a few weeks.

[SS427]

What an amazing woman. Thanks for the heads up. We have always been cautious of them around the farm but am even more so now. They still think this was what bit Ann's horse a couple years ago but with a completely different result. Keep us abreast of her progress and let her know that she should not be ashamed of her hoo hoo and we wouldn't look anyway...... <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/bs.gif

[Lynn]

Just an update.

We had our LAST visit to the wound care clinic today. Yeah, 5 and 1/2 months since she was bitten.

However, it is STILL not completely healed. They just don't need to monitor it any more.

Have attached a couple of pics. First one is from Sept 24, three months from the bite. You can see the rash she developed fromt he wound vac. It did help shrink the wound, but we had to discontinue after the rash spread from her knee to her face.

Second one I took tonight. The area is down to about 5 inches by 2 inches, so definitely better than it was. Very little seepage now, mostly just scar tissue that will continue to strengthen.

My beautiful angel has never complained once this whole time. I am the luckiest man alive.

Good news is I believe we have just about eradicated the little buggers from our home. We haven't caught a fiddleback in quite some time. We have caught a couple of scorpions in the glue traps. No fiddlebacks.

[StriperSS]

Yikes! Nasty little things! Glad she's doing better!

[Shevelle]

Happy to see Sherri is finally on the mend. It looks a lot better, but good Lord, 6 months!! Bless her heart... she has really been through the wringer.

[Xplantdad]

Glad to hear that she's getting better!

[SS427]

What a trooper. Give her a hug from all of us. We men would be whining every day.... LOL