rhapsody
Senior Member
Oh my, I have to say that the only downside to our new house is the huge number of spiders I find inside. Fortunately for the unwelcome guests, my arachnophobia (yes, its irrational) is so great that I can't even get close enough to them to do anything. Poor hubby has been regulated to "humane spider removal duty" for me, but half the time they've scuttled out of reach/sight by the time he bothers to come to my rescue.
My silly fears aside, do spiders pose any risks to my rats (and the smaller hamsters)? Or would it depend on the type of spiders they are? I'm hoping that such encounters would just result in extra protein for the kiddos, but I really don't know what kind of spiders I'm dealing with. I've noted four kinds throughout the house, but just the thought of looking at spider photos on my laptop gives me the heebie-jeebies.
1) A semi-transclucent dirty yellow/brown spider with light spotting on its abdomen. Very deliberate and slow in its movements, and it tends to hang out in the open. Doesn't seem to be associated with webs, and including the legs, would fit nicely on a nickle.
2) A dark brown/black spider with light "racing stripes" on its abdomen. Very quick and ninja-like in its movements, and sticks to the floorboards and ceiling corners. Doesn't seem to be associated with webs, and including the legs, would fit nicely on a nickle.
3) Frank. I actually have never seen Frank, but his impressive "kill-zone" is hard to miss. He's built a lovely spiders-from-the-Hobbit-esque web in a nook by the door where he displays the dried out carcases of earwigs, silverfish, and the like. Seems to be a ground-based spider. Have a hunch that he's probably the most dangerous in the house, but fortunately, there seems to be just one of him around at the moment.
4) A I-look-like-a-daddy-long-legs-but-am-way-cooler spider. Small body with light spotting, very long legs, super quick, and a messy web maker. Big enough with the legs to have trouble fitting on a silver dollar.
My silly fears aside, do spiders pose any risks to my rats (and the smaller hamsters)? Or would it depend on the type of spiders they are? I'm hoping that such encounters would just result in extra protein for the kiddos, but I really don't know what kind of spiders I'm dealing with. I've noted four kinds throughout the house, but just the thought of looking at spider photos on my laptop gives me the heebie-jeebies.
1) A semi-transclucent dirty yellow/brown spider with light spotting on its abdomen. Very deliberate and slow in its movements, and it tends to hang out in the open. Doesn't seem to be associated with webs, and including the legs, would fit nicely on a nickle.
2) A dark brown/black spider with light "racing stripes" on its abdomen. Very quick and ninja-like in its movements, and sticks to the floorboards and ceiling corners. Doesn't seem to be associated with webs, and including the legs, would fit nicely on a nickle.
3) Frank. I actually have never seen Frank, but his impressive "kill-zone" is hard to miss. He's built a lovely spiders-from-the-Hobbit-esque web in a nook by the door where he displays the dried out carcases of earwigs, silverfish, and the like. Seems to be a ground-based spider. Have a hunch that he's probably the most dangerous in the house, but fortunately, there seems to be just one of him around at the moment.
4) A I-look-like-a-daddy-long-legs-but-am-way-cooler spider. Small body with light spotting, very long legs, super quick, and a messy web maker. Big enough with the legs to have trouble fitting on a silver dollar.
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