HELP! We've just caught a tarantula in our bedroom

Pippie


Joined: 02/12/2009
Posts: 1288

Message Posted:
24/05/2011 00:45

Well I've been scouring the net trying to identify what this thing is that was sat on the inside of the wardrobe when hubby was closing the door.

There was a posting on here some time ago when someone posted a picture of a European Tarantula.

This is the same picture as the one we've caught. Well hubby slammed a plastic cup over it but in the process managed to chop off 2 of it's legs!!



I think I've read if there's a banana tree nearby you can attract tarantulas. Anyone know if that's right? Is there anything we can do to deter them from coming near us. Our neighbour decided in his good wisdom to plant a banana tree in his garden last summer.



Now we're stuck with a bloody big spider sat in a plastic cup with a lid cellotaped on to it. What shall I do with it?

moxie


Joined: 23/05/2009
Posts: 969

Message Posted:
24/05/2011 00:48

let it go..take it far away and let if free or squash it ,do they regrow legs??? im not really sure try looking up on line if it will be ok ....im stumped..no pun intended

nurseawful



Joined: 06/02/2009
Posts: 5934

Message Posted:
24/05/2011 05:51

Pippie,



Have a good check around the bedroom as in my experience there are usually more than one!



Chris

pammick


Joined: 09/07/2009
Posts: 722

Message Posted:
24/05/2011 08:10

OMG! hope it wasn't a pregnant female, have a good look around for a nest. As for the spider, I would just take it as far from the house as you can and let it go. Happy hunting!!!!

Pam

Ailletoo


Joined: 24/01/2009
Posts: 1003

Message Posted:
24/05/2011 09:38

Let the poor creature go! They are harmless unless you corner or threaten them. They opt for flight rather than fight. It will not regrow it's legs and may not survive anyway. Let it have it's last few days free. I have lived with tarantulas in the house for 4 years now and with no problems. Even in the unlikely circumstance that you got bitten, it is no worse than a wasp sting.

Tango1


Joined: 19/02/2011
Posts: 1151

Message Posted:
24/05/2011 09:40

Take it to the banana tree if you can, it's true they like them, but please don't kill it, they are very useful when it comes down to it. They are often in pairs but not necessary always close together.



Tango1

Tenakoutou



Joined: 27/07/2009
Posts: 4110

Message Posted:
24/05/2011 09:46

Take it to the Girne Police Station and hand it in - if nobody claims it within 3 months - I'm sure the cops will tell you that you can keep it!

Ailletoo


Joined: 24/01/2009
Posts: 1003

Message Posted:
24/05/2011 12:34

Just another thought. all the while she is sitting in a plastic cup, unless you have punched airholes and put food in. She is slowly starving and suffocating. I hope you have had the heart to let her go free.

dandd3


Joined: 10/06/2010
Posts: 326

Message Posted:
24/05/2011 12:53

It might have been a wolf spider they look alot like trantualrs but like to live indoors were trantulars like to live in cool damp places.

Jimbo51


Joined: 24/09/2010
Posts: 79

Message Posted:
24/05/2011 14:19

Let the poor creature out of its' prison and lets hope it survives with two of its legs missing.Although they look rather menacing they are pretty harmless unless you provoke them especially by chopping their legs off!!

Trulymadly


Joined: 19/07/2010
Posts: 31

Message Posted:
24/05/2011 14:57

OMG! I think I need to cancel my flight on Sunday. I'm too much of a scardey cat to deal with tarantulas. Pippie my heart goes out to you. Please tell me you are not near Alsancak?!

Welldigger



Joined: 16/06/2010
Posts: 27

Message Posted:
24/05/2011 15:44

I've been travelling to and from Cyprus for over 40 years and in my youth, hunted for all interesting things such as lizards, snakes etc. but I have a fear of spiders. I have stayed in the villages inland too and have only ever found two tarantulas, that was last year, both in a holiday resort Alsancak! I no longer hunt for lizards, as being a grown man now, it can be embarassing when poeple ask "what are you doing" but I mentioned I found 2 tarantulas to my cousin, who has lived all his life in Cyprus and he said, one of our other cousins was bitten by one of these spiders and he spent a week in hospital. He also said they only stay in damp/moist places. Hope this helps?

No1Doyen


Joined: 04/07/2008
Posts: 16617

Message Posted:
24/05/2011 16:33

Take no chances. Hit it with a sledgehammer

martinD41


Joined: 06/09/2010
Posts: 3001

Message Posted:
24/05/2011 16:39

msg12,,"They only live in damp/moist places" ..............

. You mean every Holiday Villa on Cyprus during the winter "Lock up"............Plenty of accommodation for them then..

YFred


Joined: 06/05/2009
Posts: 1471

Message Posted:
24/05/2011 16:52

No1Doyen, I hope next time round, you come back as a spider.



Just throw it into the garden, they will soon run away.

Lionokan



Joined: 11/03/2011
Posts: 90

Message Posted:
24/05/2011 16:58

If its black,its not dangerous,dont worry about it,but if its something like brown or different colour be carefull.Be brave and cool and hit it quickly,then throw it out,so simple.

sagsy22


Joined: 21/11/2008
Posts: 1125

Message Posted:
24/05/2011 17:16

be careful as when they are cornered they shoot hairs from their legs. I had one in my bedroom and had 8 hairs shot into my face, I was left with an infected hole in my face which didnt clear up for 7 weeks and left a scar. So i would be very careful how u deal with it. this was in Alsancak also

Trulymadly


Joined: 19/07/2010
Posts: 31

Message Posted:
24/05/2011 17:41

Think the one we had in our room at a hotel in Alsancak last May/June looked awfully like the one's I've seen referred to in photos on other threads here! I am petrified of spiders but I going to go prepared now. Not sure what with though. How do I get a sledge hammer through airport security?!

Garfield


Joined: 06/05/2009
Posts: 61

Message Posted:
24/05/2011 18:54

This is not going to help with your problem,but I have enjoyed most of the answers,having lived In S.A. with Baboon Spiders who follow in your shadow(you don't need a lead) and the odd Black Mamba or Green Mamba swimming in the pool,or left by the cat as a gift on the door step,,,my advice is just let it go (poor thing) most snakes & spiders will only attack if corned or threatened,..so it is singing like Tom Jones Please Release me let me go!!!





Did have a good laugh at msg 7 & 13

Scoty


Joined: 23/05/2010
Posts: 846

Message Posted:
24/05/2011 18:58

kill the bu@@er and throw it out. Simples!

There are plenty more around to get a new mate!

canada


Joined: 17/05/2011
Posts: 195

Message Posted:
24/05/2011 19:09

there is alot in kerynia ,check very carefully your shoes thats where my friend found the second one in his house.

DR

Hoylemiller



Joined: 03/09/2010
Posts: 240

Message Posted:
24/05/2011 19:46

Just release the poor thing away from the house. they do more good than harm.

Lucie


Joined: 02/09/2010
Posts: 50

Message Posted:
24/05/2011 21:19

I was living in SA (message 19) when my kids were babies, and in those days had cloth nappies. I took a nappy out of my bag to change my son and as I unraveled it, a huge baboon spider ran out yikes ! I had had my hand in and out of that bag all day !



Not really wanting to be in the presence of huge spiders now I have moved here to TRNC... still what to do ? I suppose keep an eye out.



Not very encouraging though for poor Pippie that there might be another lurking around somewhere !

ArCim


Joined: 24/05/2011
Posts: 17

Message Posted:
24/05/2011 22:35

Pippie,



Not solely for advertisement, but we have an ultrasonic/electromagnetic device that is intended for rats and mice.. It does say on it that it MAY be effective for crawling insects... ( http://www.ar-cim.com/ekov_p_01.html for now it is in turkish, I will publish the english site in a few days). But there is no guarantee for insects. We brought this device from England, from a company that claims that british ministry of defense had repeated orders of this product. There are similar producs that claim to work for different insects including houseflies...again no scientific proof and contradicting views on internet...



ctd

shrimp


Joined: 01/09/2010
Posts: 939

Message Posted:
24/05/2011 22:43

Message 24, did you use this device? Only wondering as we too bought a couple of these last winter when we had field mice in the house due to the very cold weather........we were told by an electrician friend not to use them though as they eat up electricity...........were yours the plug in ones or battery, if the plug in one did you notice an increase in your electicity bill???

denizen



Joined: 21/08/2009
Posts: 388

Message Posted:
24/05/2011 22:56

Have a good check around the bedroom as in my experience there are usually more than one!







Chris





Bloody 'ell, talk about Job's comforter. Wot's up Chris, didn't ya team do it this year.

No1Doyen


Joined: 04/07/2008
Posts: 16617

Message Posted:
24/05/2011 23:00

"No1Doyen, I hope next time round, you come back as a spider"



Fred, they'd never catch me! )

ArCim


Joined: 24/05/2011
Posts: 17

Message Posted:
24/05/2011 23:02

Shrimp,



Did you get the big speaker looking ones? The electricity consumed depends on the area you want to cover. These devices are basically speakers. The mice have to hear them very loudly and get disturbed...The far away you want to send the ultrasound, the more power it will consume...( We have solar ones that we gave someone to try, for outdoor use..) Also for multiple rooms (separately and closed) you may need multiple devices, as ultrasound, which is basically sound that we cannot hear, do not travel through walls and doors too well..



As for us, I live in haspolat and they are literally everywhere...I have a 7 month old and the house is completely covered with the devices... Devices also have an electromagnetic effect which is said to work around the whole house. we haven't seen any mice around, also, we haven't noticed any rise in our electricity bill so as to worry about anything... make sure you get the changing frequency ones, as rodents adapt to the same noise.

ArCim


Joined: 24/05/2011
Posts: 17

Message Posted:
24/05/2011 23:06

Also there are "guaranteed by the distributor" spider repellents that specialize in only spiders and insects etc. We dont currently have them in stock but we are considering to bring them...

Pippie


Joined: 02/12/2009
Posts: 1288

Message Posted:
24/05/2011 23:19

Hi everyone, thanks for all your comments, some made me really laugh. I felt better about it by the time I got up this morning - though didn't sleep much last night, I wrapped myself up like a mummy under those bedsheets and daren't move until daylight came!!

Checked around but couldn't find a second one but am much more cautious when rummaging around for a pair of shoes now!

Msg 9 & 12, yes our house is ideal then for a tarantula - very cold and damp!

Msg 11, no we're not in Alsancak, but then again, no where's safe!

Msg 16, this one was definitely brown, hairy and ugly! I was watching him this morning and he looked to have one very big fang!



We ended up taking Monty for a long drive this morning and hubby launched him in to the middle of a field with lots of trees around and no houses anywhere near. I am feeling a little guilty today about his missing legs but hope he'll be ok. He seemed to be shuffling around ok in his cup this morning!

shrimp


Joined: 01/09/2010
Posts: 939

Message Posted:
24/05/2011 23:55

ArCim thanks for that, we bought three, and they were the sonic high frequency ones, we did use them for a couple of days but then resorted to the traps I am afraid, but if we are so unlucky as to get mice in the house again we will use try the sonic ones again, thanks for your tip, much appreciated....

EricaJ


Joined: 19/04/2008
Posts: 18

Message Posted:
25/05/2011 00:23

Oh dear! I encountered one of these on balcony of top floor flat in town - it was big enough for a collar and lead! No damp, moist or banana trees in sight!! I have since moved flat! However, in new place arrived once to millions of tiny baby spiders all over the place and a couple of 'teenagers' on walls - phoned Orkin (Frog) Pest Control who came over and sprayed the whole place inside and out for 116YTL - and had every tiny gap at tops/bottoms of windows and patio doors completely sealed. I never, ever leave windows or doors open either. I now have the Pest Control people over on a regular basis (routine spray and mouse bait) and haven't had a problem since! If interested, their number is 0392 444 0700 - peace of mind if nothing else!

Tenakoutou



Joined: 27/07/2009
Posts: 4110

Message Posted:
25/05/2011 09:45

People should remember the wise old adage:



'Not every dog in the street will bite ya!'



Quite a comforting thought when you've got a 'blue ringed octopus' crawling around your face mask and surrounded by 'bitey-type' sharks.... !!!

TinyTim


Joined: 20/02/2011
Posts: 30

Message Posted:
25/05/2011 10:09

usually these spiders travel in pairs - so make sure there isn't another - personally I'd kill it - but would rather someone else do it cos its a bit big to squash under foot . . . good luck

lovingcyprus


Joined: 02/03/2007
Posts: 1272

Message Posted:
25/05/2011 14:45

There is a huge colony of these spiders in Çatalköy and has been for many years

Pippie


Joined: 02/12/2009
Posts: 1288

Message Posted:
25/05/2011 19:57

Thanks Msg 35, that just fills me with confidence!



The thought of them is not bothering me as much now I've had chance to do some research and sleep on it, but I still don't want one in the house, especially not the bedroom!

Yobbat


Joined: 06/12/2010
Posts: 3

Message Posted:
25/05/2011 20:45

I don't know whether the first spiders I met were tarantulas but the first place I lived I had at least 3 completely flat, hairy, beige coloured who used to scuttle along the walls. I didn't worry until one night they took a disliking to me and ran to the lounge with my duvet to escape them! When I woke up in the morning I found a crushed one behind my back and when I stood up one scuttling off the end of my duvet, I think they had made home inside!! I wasn't bitten but I moved house quickly!!

suehowlittle


Joined: 31/10/2010
Posts: 1202

Message Posted:
26/05/2011 06:58

many years ago, our friends asked us to check how their build was coming along.



We went to the bungalow and in the new bath was an enormous tarantula. I am a bit scared because of their size (not scared of the little ones). but did not want it to die of starvation and there was no way it could climb out of the bath on its own so.......I found a sweeping brush and the spider climbed onto the bristles, I then took it out into the field and shook it off. Bet the spider was grateful but I was trembling. I do not think I could ever kill one. I am sure the spider was more scared than me.



Please try not to kill them on sight. there is always another way to put them outside

fraggle1961


Joined: 26/07/2010
Posts: 6

Message Posted:
27/05/2011 13:29

"That's it" it says OH No more holidays in TRNC. he is petrified of spiders.We have just stayed at the LA Hotel. Could we have encountered any there?

Rogerd


Joined: 23/09/2008
Posts: 43

Message Posted:
27/05/2011 14:11

we had one in the bedroom, got rid of it and there was another one a few days later so keep an eye out as they do often come in pairs. we have not since another one since tho.

dandd3


Joined: 10/06/2010
Posts: 326

Message Posted:
08/06/2011 00:42

I had a mid-day napp today and woke up becuase something was crawling on my feet. sat up and looked down and there was a HUUUUGGGEEEE spider on my foot. So i did the manliest thing runn like a little girl :D

Marion


Joined: 06/03/2011
Posts: 1816

Message Posted:
08/06/2011 01:28

Yesterday morning I was greeted with 'By the way there is a huge arachnid in the sink!' - and there was! Yuk! One of the nasty ones, although no doubt very attractive to another of the same species. What to do? Put a tin over it! later managed to put card under bottom and eject it via the kitchen window on the place beneath. went outside and discovered either the wind had blown it onto the edge of the balcony, or it was its mate - so a bit of prodding and that also went falling to the place beneath (the neighbours garden!).



But how the heck did it get in the sink? they scare me, but maybe I scare them, but wish they would stay in their own home and stay out of mine.

Tenakoutou



Joined: 27/07/2009
Posts: 4110

Message Posted:
08/06/2011 09:29

Poor spider, Marion, it was only trying to be friendly!



As for dropping it off the balcony - imagine you were dropped from the balcony; it's not the fall that hurts, it's the 'bang-splat' when you hit the concrete!