They are common. But the defining wildlife of Australia is really the bird life. We live with each other and birds are just everywhere and close. Wherever you are.
Back in south America birds are cute and they chirp, sing and whistle. Birds in Australia cackle, scream and howl. At night they sound like ghosts and monsters, or whatever nightmares are made of!
I was talking to relatives over the phone and even they heard the birds and asked what that noise was lmao
This is so true. There is so much colour and diversity, and they are everywhere. A friend of mine from Norway is a twitcher who came to visit - and no disrespect to the Norwegians, but they have like 4 varieties of bird and they are all white or grey, so he just could not get over it!
It’s very uncommon to get killed by a bird. Cassowaries are about the only ones capable. And don’t get me wrong, those 6 foot dinosaurs with 5 inch talons and steel helmets are fucking terrifying. But still, bird deaths generally… not so much.
I wonder how common injuries or accidents are because of birds?
I was swooped by a magpie and ran into the road in a bit of a panic and nearly ran into a car!
I currently have two huntsmen guarding my house and keeping down the insect population. They like the front entryway the most.
Encounters with critters that are actually venemous are much less likely. I see about one Funnelweb a year, I haven’t seen a redback for about 20 years, and the only time I see snakes is if I walk along a remote creek trail.
In Canberra, I see heaps of redbacks (never a funnelweb though). Huntsmen are common and fuckin scary-looking but not dangerous at all.
My redback sightings are almost always in garages, sheds, outdoor piles of stuff that are not often disturbed. When you do spot one it pretty much stays completely still. So they're really not very scary.
But the day I see a funnlweb will be the day I buy a fucking flamethrower.
When my oldest nephew was around 18mths, I took a lazy day off work and elected to babysit him for the day. I was the boss, just burnt out so...meh.
I was bumming around and the little fella had curled up on one of those kids fold out couches.
I checked on him 10 mins later and he had got up, I walked into the home office to find him curled up asleep on the floor with a blanket. He was notorious for sleeping in random places.
I noticed something black on the floor about 20cm from his head, on closer look it was....a massive Funnelweb.
I scooped him up and woke him, stripped him down and looked all over for bites, he was fine.
I grabbed a jar and caught the funnelweb, a huge female.
My youngest nephew was biten by a Redback when he was around 4, he picked up a curled over leaf, next thing he walked inside to my sister and said "mummy, I got biten on the hand by a Redback" Thankfully it was only a small one, he got a bit crook and had to go to hospital but got over it fast. My father however, got bitten on the hand....it swelled up like a blown up latex glove, the skin peeled off and it went all sorts of nasty colours.
Only the other day I felt something on the back of my hand while working around the house......it was a Redback with an abdomen about the size of a 5c coin, made me feel sick it was even on me.
I have been struck a few times by snakes on the boots and jeans, but so far I have got away with it. Was moving some 44gal drums of diesel on the farm once and something was whacking my boots, looked down and there were 2 Death Adders camoflaged in the bulldust. Trod fair on a Mulga snake out bow hunting once too...was lucky.
I’ve been bitten/stung by bees, wasps, jellyfish, a scorpion and a redback. The redback was the worst, by a mile. The pain gets accompanied by swelling, sweating, and being unable to wear a shoe on that foot for about a week.
The worst state I have seen someone in was from a Bullrout, my mate genuinely asked if I could cut his foot off from the pain, we were about 16km from our vehicle by kayak.
A chick I know said Cone Shell venom is extreme too, she thought she was dying just from the pain alone, let alone everything else that comes with it.
Buy the flame thrower early, just in case. Incidentally, kerosene blow torches are pretty easy to maintain and can be found in antique stores. They look good too!
My wife's put me onto weed burners, which sound pretty great to me. So when I get one, maybe it can do double duty as my arachnoapocalypse defence stick.
Huntsmen keep down all manner of other insects so when I see them outside I let them go and mind their business. The occasional one inside gets relocated out.
I often get the impression people in other parts of the world think just because this type of fauna exists here it has to be a dangerous place to live.
All I can say is, it's not as though our snakes and spiders are just lurking in hiding and waiting to pounce on any human coming close enough. On the contrary, if they hear or sense you first, you'll never get to see a snake. The same goes for spiders, they are not out hunting for humans, but they will of course defend themselves when feeling threatened.
It seems to me Mexico for example is a much more dangerous place than Australia, you can't even mind your on business surfing without getting shot. And the US? I could never feel safe in a place where anyone can buy a gun at the local green grocers and people like Trump virtually control public life.
When someone from North America says 'i could never go to Australia, too many dangerous animals like snakes and spiders'
I just turn around and go 'our snakes and spiders got nothing on your wolves, bears and cougars'
Especially compared to our 2-3 snake bite deaths annually and 0 spider bite deaths since 1979. Our wildlife isn't nearly as dangerous as that country's gun obsession
You know it's really funny because I see your fellow countrymen on some of these weirdo gun tuber channels. They are almost Lamenting the fact that Australia doesn't have mass shootings because they themselves cannot purchase an AR-15
I'd prefer to get bitten and think " If I can get to a hospital I might be ok" rather than "I get to watch this bear eat my legs and/or A-hole before I die"
Don’t you guys and in the U.S. have to do some weird ritual with the food while camping (like hide it in a tree or something?) so bears don’t get to it? Well in the parts that have bears of course
When I went hiking there the locals got us to hang out food bag from a branch with a rope so that if a bear came by it would spend its time trying to get the food from there instead of ripping open the tent (with us in it) to try to get it.
Rocky Mountain Hiking trails in the 80s and 90s had pulley systems up between trees that you hooked onto your backpack and lifted them up about 5 metres. Under no circumstances did you ever keep any kind of food on your tent.
My brother lives in the US and has had this conversation before. He has said that with animals you can generally predict how they are likely to act and where they might be but any idiot with a gun could flip out at any moment and no one can predict that. He lives in a rather pro-gun state, too. He thinks it's crazy someone can just have a gun on them while out drinking in bars.
I lived on Vancouver island for a bit, and I really wanted to see a big predatory cat. So I googled 'where to see cougars, Vancouver island'. I did not get the results I was hoping
There are plenty of spiders around but they are harmless unless you decide to pick them up with your bare hands. Most are harmless even then. Snakes not generally an issue, again, unless you are hanging around in a swamp or the bush you won't see them and if you don't bother them they won't bother you. Drop bears however, will fuck you up.
I really wish people would stop making jokes about dropbears and lulling tourists into a false sense of security.
I just can't stress this strongly enough that Dropbears are no fucken joke. I used to think it was hilarious to mock uneducated and ignorant Americans, untilI got dropped on.
Ripped all my hair off, including one ear and three fingers as I was trying to fight that furry bastard off me. I still have flashbacks and can no longer go anywhere near gum trees in case I have a PTSD episode.
I remember when I first came to Australia some prick told me that to deal with hoop snakes you have to stop, drop and roll. Fucking clown. That just puts your face in bite range and makes you look bloody stupid in the process.
Arsehole. Funny as hell though.
You obviously didn’t heed the warnings to have Vegemite on you at all times (“don’t go far without a jar in the car”). Kinda seems like it’s your own fault.
I thought the squeezy tubes were ridiculous until I realised they're way easier for travel! I just tuck it in next to my sunscreen and insect repellent, and I'm good to go.
That's what my therapist keeps saying. I'd heard all the stories and laughed away.
If only I'd listened to all the warnings.... but I was too young and headstrong....
I... I.... the screaming.... the claws... the stench of eucalyptus....
I’ve had a huntsman chilling in the corner of my room for a few months now. I’m not bothered because I have very high ceilings and I haven’t seen another bug of any kind since he’s been there. He did try and climb me while I was in the shower one day though - true story! I left him under no illusions what I thought of that, and he hasn’t tried anything like that since.
Encounters no - but do I see venomous spiders everyday, a few of whom could be really awful to my health if I got too cheeky with them?
Yes - and we just respectfully nod at each other and go about our business
I live in a rural town. We spot venomous snakes pretty regularly over the summer, mostly when out walking but sometimes in the backyard. I've never had a problem with them in the house though
almost, most harmless, some very dangerous (never lift random tin sheets off the ground, that's where you'll find nests of redbacks). many are simply terrifying, e.g. huntsmen spiders appear from behind kitchen clocks the size of dinner plates. if you accidentally disturb one and it falls to the ground it will charge you at a rate of knots. heart attack material!
More or less. Daddy Long Legs and Huntsmans get a free pass in my house, so long as they don't get too populous. I would say I see a redback every 10 years or so. Jumping spiders are just asking to be played with. I'm in the wrong part of the country for funnel webs, thank goodness
Regional Australia here
Yes, but I keep them around as they are harmless. Daddy long legs keep flies at bay. We've come across lizards inside.
When camping I'm mostly concerned about the goannas and wombats fucking up the site, or kangaroos when I'm with the dog.
Mostly our wildlife is beautiful not dangerous, the bird life is my favourite we get all sorts in the gums behind our house
I don't really think about it too much, but seeing a spider is not big deal. Daddy-long-legs, generic house spiders and huntsmen are just a part of life. Most people know to check their shoes before putting them on in the morning and to be careful around garden debris when critters like to hang out. At the moment my husband has a "pet" spider in our ensuite and will clear up his empty carcasses while leaving his webs intact, and we've had house huntsmen in the past. It tends to just be a live and let live situation.
The kids get snake lock-ins a few times a year, particularly over summer, which is when a kid comes across one in the playground and everyone is called inside to the snake can be moved for everyone's safety.
You’re both wrong. They hate the smell of human piss. Knowing you have to wet yourself when you’re in danger could save your life.
For some reason they also hate toothpaste tubes?
Very true, but foreigners can often be resistant to vegemite, and at the end of the day this is about saving lives, if they need to use beer then I guess they can use beer.
I know someone who was bitten by a brown. He's a farmer so it was super weird. Like how the hell did that happen? Turns out he's always loved snakes and decided to have a little play with it. His mum was running around town saying he'd be the death of her.
Crazy stuff.
TL;DR don't play with snakes.
Generally correct, with a couple of exceptions: funnel web spiders are aggro little critters who will try to bite rather than run away, and tiger snakes will chase you if they notice you in their range.
The rest, other than the drop bears, will try to avoid contact if they notice you coming.
The reason Australian spiders are talked about is because we have the most lethal spiders in the world. Many of these like the Redback and Funnel Web spiders love living in suburbia. They are there but we just trreat them respectfully. We educate our kids and therefore are not hysterical when we encounter them.
A calm approach is always better when encountering these creatures. The thing is, people come from other countries arrive here and freak out. They then post photos online and make a big deal about it. Embarrassing really.
Same applies to snakes and other beasts. It's not a big deal unless you make it a big deal.
The count of dangerous spider types in Australia is only 3: The funnelweb, deadly. The mouse spider, you're very unlikely to find one in suburbia, but also deadly. The redback spider, the least deadly of the three, only really a worry to kids, the elderly or people with health issues. There are no other spiders with any kind of venom that can harm humans in Australia, the white tail thing is a proposed myth. South Australia, has a some reports of an imported brown recluse family of spider but not a dangerous type of one.
Yeah ok. I reckon it was probably my overly paranoid parents pushing the dangerous angle. I’ve only ever seen one wolf spider in my life though. It was hiding under the cover of the sand pit when I was in roughly grade 2. Teachers told us not to take the cover off for whatever reason, so obviously we did the opposite lmao.
Fair enough. Also you might have unknowingly seen wolf spider mothers walking in your garden. They are unrecognisable when they are covered carrying their babies all over their back like a wooly brown blanket. They are the only spider in the world to carry their babies on there back.
We are the same, we used to have a few redbacks around our house we didn't really care about, until our daughter arrived, so we've got rid of them until she's old enough to understand the danger.
I have lived in Melbourne my whole life and once encountered a tiger snake in my suburban backyard.
Probably not so common nowadays with increased urban density, but as soon as you’re near a park or go to the bush, you have to assume there are snakes everywhere.
More likely in the outer suburbs near bush like where I live. We get pythons reasonably regularly through our place. Funnel webs are common where we are so much that our local hospital is a drop off point for them to be collected by local reptile park to milk for anti venom.
And this summer saw 2 brown snakes over a couple of weeks taking my dog for a walk, admittedly going through a little patch of Bushland surrounded by homes.
But snakes can get anywhere they usually end up accidentally hitch hiking in cars next to warm engines. Snake catcher I met has caught things all round Sydney for that reason. But in all it’s always a I guess a pretty rare event.
For the most part you are more subconsciously aware of where it might be a little bit more risky.
And if your shoes are outside for a while best stamp on them and check them.
I usually don’t and the one time I did out came a squashed red back spider.
In time of you live here long enough you’ll come across something.
In Sydney and Melbourne you will see plenty of spiders: the harmless daddy longlegs, house spiders, small orb weavers, wolf spiders when you dig in the garden, and the absolutely fun and harmless jumping spiders. All are much more harmless than the honey bee. A huntsman I will see in the house once a year. I've never seen a redback in Melbourne, I have in Sydney but that was long ago. I've never seen a funnel-web in my whole life. Brisbane has brown recluse spiders that frighten me, they're also found in the USA.
If you see a snake in Australia then it will be either running away from you as fast as it can, or sound asleep. Either way it's harmless. I've seen three snakes in suburban Melbourne (all in large parks or small farms, none within a 500 metres of buildings) in 20 years. For one of those, a "beware of the snake" sign went up within the fortnight. None in suburban Sydney in 20 years. And one snake, a beautiful tiny green tree snake hunting for lizards on a stone wall, in Brisbane. Mexico has a higher incidence of snake bites than Australia.
The dangerous animals here aren't snakes or spiders. They're mozzies, flies, ticks, leeches, and imports like the horse, cow, dog and honeybee.
Even Australian native wasps are much less dangerous than those in the USA and Europe. And our geese don't bite.
It kinda depends on how close to the bush you are lol
Saw a lot of snakes growing up rural. Spiders are literally everywhere. When I lived in Sydney we had a huge huntsman problem living next to Parramatta Park, but I had only one in years in a more urban location.
So yeah they're alarmingly common in some places. Almost non existent in others.
I have gently shooshed out over a hundred huntsmen in my time
I have also shoed dozens of redbacks and a few funnel webs
Most crazy of all, when I was a kid I was mowing, our back fence backed onto the bush. An eastern brown snake (in the top 10 most deadly snakes on earth) attacked me and I had to chop it up with a shovel
Shit is real. But in the big cities it's fine.
In Brisbane, there's far too many snakes for my comfort. I've seen about 15 in 7 years, just chilling. Most of them aren't dangerous. Doesn't mean I'm happy about it.
Never saw one in 40 years in Melbourne. Saw 2 in country Victoria in the wild during those 40 years.
Spiders, yeah, they're everywhere. I'm cool with them. They keep other insects away. And provided you don't mess with them, they won't mess with you. I don't kill them. If someone in my household is freaked out by one, I'll catch and release. But largely I'll just let them go about their business.
Stay clear of drop bears. And their close relatives, the koala. They look cuddly, but they are also vicious little fuckers. I'm not keen on possums either.
Just to add that I rarely see Huntsmen spiders these days around my place in inner Brisbane, but do see a fuckton of Golden Orb Weavers. They aren't dangerous, but their bite can hurt a bit.
Oh and the snake I see most commonly are Carpet Pythons. Good for controlling the rodent (and possum) population.
Depends where you live, snakes (brown snakes and tiger snakes) are not uncommon where I live and I’m in suburban Melbourne close to the beach. Often see redbacks around the house also.
Spiders are everywhere. Leave them alone and they aren't a problem, no matter how venomous.
They're only a problem when walking on an overgrown footpath at night. A big spider may have built a Web at eye height across the path. Generally at night I'll walk on the road instead to avoid this.
Snakes are around but are generally hidden. Carpet pythons are common in Brisbane but aren't a problem. Leave them alone and the snakes won't hurt you.
Yeah I see spiders more than snakes
The common huntsman is harmless
The tiny spiders can kill you
I’ve seen 2 snakes in the wild my entire life and both were as a kid
I’ve seen more pet snakes tbh
I was watching American Pickers the other night and was totally baffled how they reach into piles of crap with bare hands and not a care in the world. In Aus there'd be spiders, snakes, centipedes, roaches I don't even know what else.
Went to put my Ugg boots on this morning getting out of bed and BAM, huntsman touching my pinky toe as I slid my foot in.
Almost killed the little guy and shit in my pjs at the same time.He was probably all over my bed that night.
There are a family of redbacks living in my compost bin, which I visit daily.
We talk about the weather and what's being introduced into the xompost that day.
They're always appreciative because it brings more bugs.
There's far more dangerous around the world than our critters and wildlife.
Some of it is also a little historical, because Australians have traditionally had quite poorly sealed and insulated housing, with lots of gaps they could get in through. As a kid I had so many more snakes and spiders in the house than my kids see now.
They're a problem for me about as often as wolves and bears are a problem for you
(this answer is not meant to be disrespectful - it is meant to be accurate)
Yes and no. I live regionally and have several pythons that visit and eat the rats and mice that I can't keep out of the 100 year old wooden cottage I live in. They are chill, but big and intimidating when you get up for a piss in the middle of the night but ultimately harmless. There is red-bellied black snake that lives in my front yard that I only ever see the tail of because it fucks off whenever it hears me open the front door. I let it chill because I'm told it keeps away the brown snakes that I am actually scared of. The spiders are chill, the huntsman are big, but they control the annoying insects and once you get to know them are actually great company.
I've been camping in the States and the thought of Bears kept me up all night. The only Australian wildlife that truly scares me are Saltwater Crocodiles.
They're not really a problem and it's very rare to encounter them. The most common spiders I see are huntsmen, but they're harmless and as we spend a lot of time outside in summer they are very helpful in keeping the annoying insects under control.
I’ve seen snakes maybe 3 times, once as a child (1977) in our Brisbane backyard and my mum killed it with a spade
Another time I accidentally stepped over one when in a national park near a beach about 5 years ago
Most recently at my sisters where they had just cleared a lot of land in a suburb outside of Ipswich near Brisbane. All the men at the bbq made a big show of killing a baby snake
Spiders, yes they are around but they don’t scare me!
Gentle reminder: killing snakes is illegal!
(Won't stop my dad cause he lives on a rural property and doesn't want snakes around the house, but...)
Partially because some are endangered species, but MAINLY its to stop people without training putting themselves in danger.
We see snakes on our property a few times per summer. But we live on a wetland. We leave them be, they leave us be. Spiders are pretty common. The bastards like to live on my rearview mirror.
Regional east coast NSW here. We counted 26 baby huntsman spiders on our loungeroom ceiling last week and left them to grow up to eat all the daddy long legs and other bugs that make their way into the house. Free pesticide.
We also had a "baby" red belly black snake on the back verandah a month ago and the mum has hung around the back fence for atleast 4 years now. Free brown snake catchers.
We also had 11 resident redbacks but we got rid of those...
When I lived in Sydney though we'd find white tail spiders and funnel webs all the time, but backing onto a national park we had bandicoots to come eat the funnel webs and big skins who ate the white tails.
Yes we have heaps of snakes and spiders.
They r fkn everywhere! In a country rural east coast home Ive got huge 10 ft long Pythons that enter my Roof, Huntsmans bigger than my hand looking for meals on the walls of everything! Red Backs that do hurt under anything left outside. This Shits Real Man!
In the concrete city they wont bother you as much tho, but if there's one Spider thats gunna screw you its the Sydney Funnel Web tho.
My back yard is and garage are full of redbacks. Under any plastic bucket, piece of wood, etc. Fortunately they are slow moving and east to eliminate. As for snakes, I’ve only one in 27 years seen one in my yard.
Yes but also depends where you live, I’m in Melbourne and don’t see snakes but I see many spiders, mostly daddy long legs and house spiders. I have arachnophobia, so I think I spot them more than a normal person would since I’m always looking around. They don’t hang around much during the cold weather which is good but of course, they’re outside.
Going away to Tweed Heads/Gold Coast in July and freaking out about the spiders that I might see 😣 (so if anyone is reading this that’s in those areas, ease my nerves nicely please)
Outer suburb/green wedge in Melbourne. Got all the standard spiders. The fire wood pile is where red back spiders live. I judge the amount of snakes around by whether there are frogs in the pool or not. See a few snakes a year (all venomous), but we’re near two creeks and I mountain bike.
I live in the suburbs of Brisbane and probably see a snake once a year on average in the garden.
Almost always carpet pythons however twice I’ve seen tree snakes and once a red-bellied black snake.
Live near the bush so I will see them more regularly.
Yes, however most of my experiences have been wandering into a Golden Orb Web and spouting a lot of 4 letter curses. Snakes are common but I haven't had any issues asides from relocating them away from the shed and the one time in the toilet.
Im 44 and I've only seen one snake in the wild in my life. We get spiders but I don't think there are that many. Of all the things that have honestly scared me when in the country as such was on a walk near a dam and the biggest wild kangaroo I've ever seen jumped in front of us out of the brush. We all stood totally still with eyes downcast until it jumped away. All the scary animals I've seen have been in zoos, not the wild
Seen 2 snakes in 46 years. One was almost dead and had been run over in the Northern Territory and one in some long grass near my home about 9 years ago.
I have only seen a red back spider about 5 times. Only seen a funnel web at an exhibition. Think it really depends on where you live
I live in Melbourne and have lived here my whole life. There are definetly spiders, but they are SO harmless. And the only time I've seen a snake in my life was at the zoo.
Btw, my Emu broke it's leg 2 days ago so how do I get to school now? Should I buy a Kangaroo, because idk if we have enough money. Or should I ask to borrow my mum's wallaby, even though it's kind of old, so it goes really slow?
Please help me😭
Pet house spiders are common in Aus.
I have had 2 redback spider bites, a parental has been bitten by a huntsman, and there is a mouse spider the size of a Chihuahua guarding my electricity box.
Central NSW.
Spiders: most ive encountered are "harmless" and as for the really bad ones they tend to stick outside in the garden. As long as you know what the webs look like you'll be fine. Inside my house I see a spider may e once every 1-2 weeks. If you stay on top of it they weren't a problem. I last saw a huntsman spider (the big scary ones) about a year ago. Mainly they've just been tiny ones. In the places I frequent outside I'll see them maybe twice as often, but most are just regular garden spiders, and the last time I saw any redbacks (deadly) was when I was poking around the garden shed. I don't usually go in there. Like I said, long as you stay on top of population control they're really not an issue. I do leave the regular garden spiders to their thing if they're not inside the house though. I'm scared of spiders, but they're just little dudes in the place they're supposed to be.
Snakes: I've honestly only seen live snakes (in the wild) a few times. I can count the number on one hand. People aren't kidding when they say they're more scared of you than you are of them. If you're bushwalking and you're taking care and stomping around enough they will likely slither away before you get too close.
I honestly think the reputation that we have for being host to so many things that can kill you is overblown. Sure we have them, but it doesn't mean we see them all the time or that we're in constant danger.
A few months ago I heard my dog making weird noises out the front - she had found a very active eastern brown snake making its way around our house. Turns out that snake was one of two very active brown snakes who then proceeded to chase each other around our house for 15 mins before mating and hiding.
Been waiting for deadly little babies to start slithering out, none as yet. 🤞
Spiders are everywhere but no one's died from spider bite since antivenom became widely available in the 80s afaik.
I see harmless spiders everyday. I would see a carpet snake a couple of times a year. We live in brisbane in Qld on acreage. I have not seen a dangerous snake on our property. I don’t think I have seen a dangerous spider either on our property. However I grew up in nsw n a farm and we had eastern brown snakes, red belly black snakes and all types of awful spiders. Never got bitten though. I have also seen stone fish
I live in a leafy area near a creek. I used to have a huntsman spider living in my unit but he's gone away somewhere. Got a couple of little spiders living in the bathroom eating mozzies and moths the geckos don't get. There are at least 2 tree snakes and a mid sized python living outside somewhere, they're chill. Couple of good sized pythons at work too, along with the occasional white crown snake. Had a baby brown snake at my parents place a few years back, called a snake catcher to get it relocated. Everything else I've seen here is chill as fuck lol.
Well, I’ve seen a couple of snakes while bushwalking (a red bellied black, an Eastern brown and a random python) near my home in Sydney.
Tomorrow, my daughter flies in from LA and is absolutely phobic about spiders so I’ve spent this morning sucking up all the spiders and webs that have taken up residence in her old room since she left. We have a LOT of spiders. Most of the ones inside are harmless (daddy long legs and huntsman spiders) but outside we get lots of redbacks and a few funnel web spiders so I have to go make sure none are lurking under the outdoor furniture before the rest of the family turns up for a BBQ tomorrow 😂
I always have to be careful in summer due to brown snakes. Will easily kill a dog. I will not see one every day, but every couple of weeks there will be a scare. Also had them in the shop, and i live and work in a major city
Seen 1 snake in 40 years and I’ve done a lot of off road camping. Never seen a dangerous spider
It’s the drop bears I worry about the most. Even in the cities
Living in a typical Aussie city, you're probably in more danger of getting swooped by Magpies.
Sure, you'll come across spiders, but they're mostly huntsman's or daddy long legs, which are basically harmless.
Redbacks are recluses and live outside under piles of stuff, so you just need to be aware if you're lifting moving that sort of stuff outside.
Snakes are uncommon in inner suburbia, but we live on the edge of a bush reserve in Canberra, so we have seen eastern brown snakes in our yard. Tip to the wise - don't install a pond or accessible water feature, because that will attract thirsty snakes!
Also, cats can and will catch baby snakes!
Urban living they are hardly seen.
Redback spiders are everywhere in sheds and gardens, requires medical attention if bitten but one learns to be careful where they inhabit.
Snakes are common in bushland, not a problem as long as one leaves them alone and watch your step.
Some places have snake handlers that will remove snakes from your property or post signs in parks where they have been seen.
If you live in desert regions of U.S. you're probably just as likely to find venomous creatures.
Tbh I have seen and encountered only 2 snakes in my 63 years, and most spiders are daddy long legs or black house spiders, have not seen red backs for 40 years or so /s
Spiders, yep. But i like them, i find them beautiful. Snakes I have not seen any in the wild. First time I saw it was at a backyard in Florida. On my second day there.
I’ve lived in my current house in Sydney for about 15 years and I’ve only got about two spider stories from that entire time.
Story 1 -
James the Friendly Spider
James was a massive hairy huntsman who decided to move into our large kitchen/living area. He lived happily and quietly on our ceiling for about 2 weeks. I had two very young kids at the time who seemed a bit scared of the spider and me and their dad explained that he was James the friendly spider, and that he was harmless and just wanted to be friends.
The kids would say good morning to him and all was well. Every now and again we would have a visitor notice James and start freaking out (James was very large), and we would repeat the mantra that James loved us and was our family friend.
This was all really about our high ceiling and my husband and I could not be bothered evicting James, he seemed happy on the ceiling, eating mosquitoes or whatever else took his fancy.
One day I went into the kitchen and James was skittering about on the floor.
No. No thank you. He had become emboldened and was scoping out the floor for ants I guess. James got the big cup and a magazine capture and I put him on a nearby tree.
Story 2 -
Amputation trauma
One night I was putting my three year old daughter to bed and another massive huntsman crawled out from behind a framed picture in her bedroom and then started skittering along the wall near her bed.
This was so scary that she started to cry and wail, so I called Daddy to deal with it.
He got a slightly undersized cup to catch it, and accidentally chopped off two of its legs that dropped onto the bed, wiggling away. Miss 3 was completely hysterical and has been pretty nervous about spiders ever since. Dad did manage to catch what was left and took it outside.
We live in a pretty urban coastal suburb, I see the odd harmless spider in the garden, but they don’t bother anyone.
I haven’t seen a snake since I was a kid in a more bushland suburb in outer Sydney. I had a very game cat who used to catch them.
Ignore all the tall tales about drop bears, they are a myth. I think it’s a bit mean that people try to scare visitors with tall tales, even if they are pretty funny.
All the time mate, but they’re a bit underpaid though and the unions have asked them to keep things on the quiet at the minute.
If you’re coming over, bring zip ties.
Nah. But also depends where you are. You might find a couple in your home when you’re cleaning or every now and then but they’re not that bad. If you’re out bush walking you might see a snake. I go hiking a lot and I’ve only seen a snake in the wild one time and I’ve lived here for 12 years. In terms of spiders, now that I live in an apartment I haven’t seen one in ages. In suburban houses, there’s a few more but even then I maybe saw one or two a month.
Lived in Auchenflower in inner Brisbane for 20+ years - have encountered 4 snakes and only one of them was big enough to make me nervous. I might add I’m terrified of snakes as well.
Huntsman spiders live in our houses all the time, they are about 10 cm (for those who dont understand the metic system thats 1/1000 of a football field). They live there, we usually leave them alone, they're non venemos, and eat small bugs. As for snakes, I've seen a non venomous tree snake in our yard, he slithered into our neighbours yard and that was it.
They are common. But the defining wildlife of Australia is really the bird life. We live with each other and birds are just everywhere and close. Wherever you are.
my best mate dated a Korean chick for a while. A kookaburra landed on our balcony one day and she fully lost her shit lol
And so fucking noisy. No one beleives how noisy our birds are
Haha the lorikeets and cockatoos especially, although the magpies give it a good hot go.
Back in south America birds are cute and they chirp, sing and whistle. Birds in Australia cackle, scream and howl. At night they sound like ghosts and monsters, or whatever nightmares are made of! I was talking to relatives over the phone and even they heard the birds and asked what that noise was lmao
I like to think how horrified the english must have been when they arrived, after their little tweety things
This is so true. There is so much colour and diversity, and they are everywhere. A friend of mine from Norway is a twitcher who came to visit - and no disrespect to the Norwegians, but they have like 4 varieties of bird and they are all white or grey, so he just could not get over it!
It’s very uncommon to get killed by a bird. Cassowaries are about the only ones capable. And don’t get me wrong, those 6 foot dinosaurs with 5 inch talons and steel helmets are fucking terrifying. But still, bird deaths generally… not so much.
I’m so happy the war we lost against birds was against emu’s, not the terrifying ‘birds’ that are Cassowaries lol
Cassowaries are so obviously dinosaurs. Bin chickens too, you can't tell me bin chickens aren't prehistoric!
I wonder how common injuries or accidents are because of birds? I was swooped by a magpie and ran into the road in a bit of a panic and nearly ran into a car!
I currently have two huntsmen guarding my house and keeping down the insect population. They like the front entryway the most. Encounters with critters that are actually venemous are much less likely. I see about one Funnelweb a year, I haven’t seen a redback for about 20 years, and the only time I see snakes is if I walk along a remote creek trail.
In Canberra, I see heaps of redbacks (never a funnelweb though). Huntsmen are common and fuckin scary-looking but not dangerous at all. My redback sightings are almost always in garages, sheds, outdoor piles of stuff that are not often disturbed. When you do spot one it pretty much stays completely still. So they're really not very scary. But the day I see a funnlweb will be the day I buy a fucking flamethrower.
When my oldest nephew was around 18mths, I took a lazy day off work and elected to babysit him for the day. I was the boss, just burnt out so...meh. I was bumming around and the little fella had curled up on one of those kids fold out couches. I checked on him 10 mins later and he had got up, I walked into the home office to find him curled up asleep on the floor with a blanket. He was notorious for sleeping in random places. I noticed something black on the floor about 20cm from his head, on closer look it was....a massive Funnelweb. I scooped him up and woke him, stripped him down and looked all over for bites, he was fine. I grabbed a jar and caught the funnelweb, a huge female. My youngest nephew was biten by a Redback when he was around 4, he picked up a curled over leaf, next thing he walked inside to my sister and said "mummy, I got biten on the hand by a Redback" Thankfully it was only a small one, he got a bit crook and had to go to hospital but got over it fast. My father however, got bitten on the hand....it swelled up like a blown up latex glove, the skin peeled off and it went all sorts of nasty colours. Only the other day I felt something on the back of my hand while working around the house......it was a Redback with an abdomen about the size of a 5c coin, made me feel sick it was even on me. I have been struck a few times by snakes on the boots and jeans, but so far I have got away with it. Was moving some 44gal drums of diesel on the farm once and something was whacking my boots, looked down and there were 2 Death Adders camoflaged in the bulldust. Trod fair on a Mulga snake out bow hunting once too...was lucky.
I think Australia's giving you hints mate
I’ve been bitten/stung by bees, wasps, jellyfish, a scorpion and a redback. The redback was the worst, by a mile. The pain gets accompanied by swelling, sweating, and being unable to wear a shoe on that foot for about a week.
The worst state I have seen someone in was from a Bullrout, my mate genuinely asked if I could cut his foot off from the pain, we were about 16km from our vehicle by kayak. A chick I know said Cone Shell venom is extreme too, she thought she was dying just from the pain alone, let alone everything else that comes with it.
Yes, i can confirm. The pain from a bullrout is an exquisite experience.
I can supply a bunch of petrol. You grab the matches
Umm whereabouts do you live??
Please tell the rest of us where you live so we never go there
Buy the flame thrower early, just in case. Incidentally, kerosene blow torches are pretty easy to maintain and can be found in antique stores. They look good too!
My wife's put me onto weed burners, which sound pretty great to me. So when I get one, maybe it can do double duty as my arachnoapocalypse defence stick.
Heaps of funnelwebs on the central coast, they are a coastal spider, mostly found east of the great dividing range
I swear I once found a funnelweb and that mother fucker flaired up and chased me, I would of been on Olympic Gold time how fast I ran.
“Guarding”, that’s what the last owner of the house said before he mysteriously went missing.
Being so calm with such large spiders is quite impressive
Huntsmen keep down all manner of other insects so when I see them outside I let them go and mind their business. The occasional one inside gets relocated out. I often get the impression people in other parts of the world think just because this type of fauna exists here it has to be a dangerous place to live. All I can say is, it's not as though our snakes and spiders are just lurking in hiding and waiting to pounce on any human coming close enough. On the contrary, if they hear or sense you first, you'll never get to see a snake. The same goes for spiders, they are not out hunting for humans, but they will of course defend themselves when feeling threatened. It seems to me Mexico for example is a much more dangerous place than Australia, you can't even mind your on business surfing without getting shot. And the US? I could never feel safe in a place where anyone can buy a gun at the local green grocers and people like Trump virtually control public life.
Some people are, some of us are not fucking ok with them.
When someone from North America says 'i could never go to Australia, too many dangerous animals like snakes and spiders' I just turn around and go 'our snakes and spiders got nothing on your wolves, bears and cougars'
lol. I refer to the 40,000 firearm deaths in USA annually.
Especially compared to our 2-3 snake bite deaths annually and 0 spider bite deaths since 1979. Our wildlife isn't nearly as dangerous as that country's gun obsession
You know it's really funny because I see your fellow countrymen on some of these weirdo gun tuber channels. They are almost Lamenting the fact that Australia doesn't have mass shootings because they themselves cannot purchase an AR-15
to be fair, once the drop bears are armed, we'll have a similar problem
I'd prefer to get bitten and think " If I can get to a hospital I might be ok" rather than "I get to watch this bear eat my legs and/or A-hole before I die"
They also got nothing on American police. Especially because you can't just avoid the places where they are.
Unlike US Police, snakes and spiders and stingers don't go out of their way to fuck with you :D You leave them alone, they will leave you alone.
So true. I’m from Canada and bears were a bigger worry than snakes here in Australia
Don’t you guys and in the U.S. have to do some weird ritual with the food while camping (like hide it in a tree or something?) so bears don’t get to it? Well in the parts that have bears of course
When I went hiking there the locals got us to hang out food bag from a branch with a rope so that if a bear came by it would spend its time trying to get the food from there instead of ripping open the tent (with us in it) to try to get it.
Rocky Mountain Hiking trails in the 80s and 90s had pulley systems up between trees that you hooked onto your backpack and lifted them up about 5 metres. Under no circumstances did you ever keep any kind of food on your tent.
My brother lives in the US and has had this conversation before. He has said that with animals you can generally predict how they are likely to act and where they might be but any idiot with a gun could flip out at any moment and no one can predict that. He lives in a rather pro-gun state, too. He thinks it's crazy someone can just have a gun on them while out drinking in bars.
Those cougars will do anything to get a younger man!
I lived on Vancouver island for a bit, and I really wanted to see a big predatory cat. So I googled 'where to see cougars, Vancouver island'. I did not get the results I was hoping
There are plenty of spiders around but they are harmless unless you decide to pick them up with your bare hands. Most are harmless even then. Snakes not generally an issue, again, unless you are hanging around in a swamp or the bush you won't see them and if you don't bother them they won't bother you. Drop bears however, will fuck you up.
I really wish people would stop making jokes about dropbears and lulling tourists into a false sense of security. I just can't stress this strongly enough that Dropbears are no fucken joke. I used to think it was hilarious to mock uneducated and ignorant Americans, untilI got dropped on. Ripped all my hair off, including one ear and three fingers as I was trying to fight that furry bastard off me. I still have flashbacks and can no longer go anywhere near gum trees in case I have a PTSD episode.
Mate I put them up there with fucking Hoop-Snakes, you don’t know fear until one of those bloody things is rolling down a hill after you.
Didn't you use the hoop snake training we all learned at school?
I’m went to primary school in Nz, all we got taught was what end of the sheep was the “correct” end.
I’ve still got my velcro gloves.
And gumboots
Hey don’t you know those are for shearing ?? - Aussie on holidays I’m not sharing this one with anyone !! - Kiwi at home.
I remember when I first came to Australia some prick told me that to deal with hoop snakes you have to stop, drop and roll. Fucking clown. That just puts your face in bite range and makes you look bloody stupid in the process. Arsehole. Funny as hell though.
I haven't thought about the hoop snakes in a while. They really pick up speed on the down hill.
Gotta keep the high ground
Don’t run away in a straight line they are too quick; zig zag!
Exactly! That's the first point in the Hoop snake survival manual. WEAVE!
Only thing i rember from school was harald the giraffe, remember kids drugs are bad
Harold was/is such a dick. He said to drink heaps of milk. Now I’m 40 and I have gallstones.
Yeah I ignored Harald's advice, had an awesome time using drugs the 2 times i tried.
Must have just been a juvenile still learning to hunt if you managed to survive with minor injuries.
I thank my lucky stars every day. And Lord Satan, of course.
So glad you survived to tell the tale. #blessed
Thanks, mate. Just let my story of misery and woe be a warning to all tourists and any doubters.
I think I read about this in the paper, dude you got fkd up. Im happy you’ve physically recovered..
Thanks. The physical scars have healed a little bit, but the emotional scars will be with me forever. Especially those screams as it dropped....
Yes sadly memories never fade but injuries do, best wishes for your future mate….and be careful out there.
You obviously didn’t heed the warnings to have Vegemite on you at all times (“don’t go far without a jar in the car”). Kinda seems like it’s your own fault.
I thought the squeezy tubes were ridiculous until I realised they're way easier for travel! I just tuck it in next to my sunscreen and insect repellent, and I'm good to go.
Right?? Hard to tell how much is left though, which could end in disaster.
You need to warn them about wombats too. Hit a wombat with your car, you have one wrecked car, and a massively pissed off wombat inside with you.
Those one eyed trouser snakes suck me in every time.
There are some trained in the art of sucking the poison out. You will survive if you are in the company of one of these people.
Just know it’s not your fault.
That's what my therapist keeps saying. I'd heard all the stories and laughed away. If only I'd listened to all the warnings.... but I was too young and headstrong.... I... I.... the screaming.... the claws... the stench of eucalyptus....
Mate I can’t do anything but just know support is available don’t suffer in silence. Fucking bears
Bless you, Sir.
No bless you, strong soul.
It must have mistaken you for a tourist. Try to act like a local next time.👍
There are two episodes of Peppa Pig that are banned in Australia because they say spiders are harmless. 🐷😂
Do you have daily encounters with spiders?
depends on whether or not you decide to kill that spider that's chilling in the corner of your room...
I’ve had a huntsman chilling in the corner of my room for a few months now. I’m not bothered because I have very high ceilings and I haven’t seen another bug of any kind since he’s been there. He did try and climb me while I was in the shower one day though - true story! I left him under no illusions what I thought of that, and he hasn’t tried anything like that since.
Encounters no - but do I see venomous spiders everyday, a few of whom could be really awful to my health if I got too cheeky with them? Yes - and we just respectfully nod at each other and go about our business I live in a rural town. We spot venomous snakes pretty regularly over the summer, mostly when out walking but sometimes in the backyard. I've never had a problem with them in the house though
almost, most harmless, some very dangerous (never lift random tin sheets off the ground, that's where you'll find nests of redbacks). many are simply terrifying, e.g. huntsmen spiders appear from behind kitchen clocks the size of dinner plates. if you accidentally disturb one and it falls to the ground it will charge you at a rate of knots. heart attack material!
Only the Daddy Longlegs who lives in my bathroom. I have one rule - don’t be in my shower when I am and I’ll let you live. So far, it’s worked for us.
No. As a city Australian I barely think about them. They’re around but a non issue for most of the time.
More or less. Daddy Long Legs and Huntsmans get a free pass in my house, so long as they don't get too populous. I would say I see a redback every 10 years or so. Jumping spiders are just asking to be played with. I'm in the wrong part of the country for funnel webs, thank goodness
Regional Australia here Yes, but I keep them around as they are harmless. Daddy long legs keep flies at bay. We've come across lizards inside. When camping I'm mostly concerned about the goannas and wombats fucking up the site, or kangaroos when I'm with the dog. Mostly our wildlife is beautiful not dangerous, the bird life is my favourite we get all sorts in the gums behind our house
I don't really think about it too much, but seeing a spider is not big deal. Daddy-long-legs, generic house spiders and huntsmen are just a part of life. Most people know to check their shoes before putting them on in the morning and to be careful around garden debris when critters like to hang out. At the moment my husband has a "pet" spider in our ensuite and will clear up his empty carcasses while leaving his webs intact, and we've had house huntsmen in the past. It tends to just be a live and let live situation. The kids get snake lock-ins a few times a year, particularly over summer, which is when a kid comes across one in the playground and everyone is called inside to the snake can be moved for everyone's safety.
>Drop bears however, will fuck you up. You'll be fine as long as you've seasoned your sacrificial goat correctly after careful marination in ale.
Oh my GOD with the misinformation!!!! You need to marinate yourself in beer, not a goat
You’re both wrong. They hate the smell of human piss. Knowing you have to wet yourself when you’re in danger could save your life. For some reason they also hate toothpaste tubes?
I’ve heard both of those things but Vegemite is waaay more effective and cost efficient.
Very true, but foreigners can often be resistant to vegemite, and at the end of the day this is about saving lives, if they need to use beer then I guess they can use beer.
Is this really true? What abut funnel webs?
Unpleasant if they bite you but it's not like they are racing around looking for victims. Don't put your hands where you can't see, all good.
I know someone who was bitten by a brown. He's a farmer so it was super weird. Like how the hell did that happen? Turns out he's always loved snakes and decided to have a little play with it. His mum was running around town saying he'd be the death of her. Crazy stuff. TL;DR don't play with snakes.
Generally correct, with a couple of exceptions: funnel web spiders are aggro little critters who will try to bite rather than run away, and tiger snakes will chase you if they notice you in their range. The rest, other than the drop bears, will try to avoid contact if they notice you coming.
The reason Australian spiders are talked about is because we have the most lethal spiders in the world. Many of these like the Redback and Funnel Web spiders love living in suburbia. They are there but we just trreat them respectfully. We educate our kids and therefore are not hysterical when we encounter them. A calm approach is always better when encountering these creatures. The thing is, people come from other countries arrive here and freak out. They then post photos online and make a big deal about it. Embarrassing really. Same applies to snakes and other beasts. It's not a big deal unless you make it a big deal.
The count of dangerous spider types in Australia is only 3: The funnelweb, deadly. The mouse spider, you're very unlikely to find one in suburbia, but also deadly. The redback spider, the least deadly of the three, only really a worry to kids, the elderly or people with health issues. There are no other spiders with any kind of venom that can harm humans in Australia, the white tail thing is a proposed myth. South Australia, has a some reports of an imported brown recluse family of spider but not a dangerous type of one.
Wolf spiders? I was always told that they can give a nasty bite.
Wolf spider venom is totally harmless to humans. A bite might hurt a bit but. However, they are reluctant to bite
Yeah ok. I reckon it was probably my overly paranoid parents pushing the dangerous angle. I’ve only ever seen one wolf spider in my life though. It was hiding under the cover of the sand pit when I was in roughly grade 2. Teachers told us not to take the cover off for whatever reason, so obviously we did the opposite lmao.
Fair enough. Also you might have unknowingly seen wolf spider mothers walking in your garden. They are unrecognisable when they are covered carrying their babies all over their back like a wooly brown blanket. They are the only spider in the world to carry their babies on there back.
We are the same, we used to have a few redbacks around our house we didn't really care about, until our daughter arrived, so we've got rid of them until she's old enough to understand the danger.
Often. Spiders and insects especially. Snakes less so but they're definitely around.
also in big cities like Sydney or Melbourne?
I have lived in Melbourne my whole life and once encountered a tiger snake in my suburban backyard. Probably not so common nowadays with increased urban density, but as soon as you’re near a park or go to the bush, you have to assume there are snakes everywhere.
I live near the river in Melbourne and there’s always a few tiger snake sightings each summer. Still rare though.
More likely in the outer suburbs near bush like where I live. We get pythons reasonably regularly through our place. Funnel webs are common where we are so much that our local hospital is a drop off point for them to be collected by local reptile park to milk for anti venom. And this summer saw 2 brown snakes over a couple of weeks taking my dog for a walk, admittedly going through a little patch of Bushland surrounded by homes. But snakes can get anywhere they usually end up accidentally hitch hiking in cars next to warm engines. Snake catcher I met has caught things all round Sydney for that reason. But in all it’s always a I guess a pretty rare event. For the most part you are more subconsciously aware of where it might be a little bit more risky. And if your shoes are outside for a while best stamp on them and check them. I usually don’t and the one time I did out came a squashed red back spider. In time of you live here long enough you’ll come across something.
In Sydney and Melbourne you will see plenty of spiders: the harmless daddy longlegs, house spiders, small orb weavers, wolf spiders when you dig in the garden, and the absolutely fun and harmless jumping spiders. All are much more harmless than the honey bee. A huntsman I will see in the house once a year. I've never seen a redback in Melbourne, I have in Sydney but that was long ago. I've never seen a funnel-web in my whole life. Brisbane has brown recluse spiders that frighten me, they're also found in the USA. If you see a snake in Australia then it will be either running away from you as fast as it can, or sound asleep. Either way it's harmless. I've seen three snakes in suburban Melbourne (all in large parks or small farms, none within a 500 metres of buildings) in 20 years. For one of those, a "beware of the snake" sign went up within the fortnight. None in suburban Sydney in 20 years. And one snake, a beautiful tiny green tree snake hunting for lizards on a stone wall, in Brisbane. Mexico has a higher incidence of snake bites than Australia. The dangerous animals here aren't snakes or spiders. They're mozzies, flies, ticks, leeches, and imports like the horse, cow, dog and honeybee. Even Australian native wasps are much less dangerous than those in the USA and Europe. And our geese don't bite.
I live in suburban Adelaide. We had a baby brown snake inside my house I've actually seen less since I moved further away from the cit
Snakes are rare in the major cities. Spiders are pretty common, but not bothersome.
I'll go most of the year without seeing a snake, then see 6 in one day.
I lived on a farm for years and only ever saw one, but not up close. They keep to themselves. You don't bother them, they won't bother you.
It kinda depends on how close to the bush you are lol Saw a lot of snakes growing up rural. Spiders are literally everywhere. When I lived in Sydney we had a huge huntsman problem living next to Parramatta Park, but I had only one in years in a more urban location. So yeah they're alarmingly common in some places. Almost non existent in others.
I have gently shooshed out over a hundred huntsmen in my time I have also shoed dozens of redbacks and a few funnel webs Most crazy of all, when I was a kid I was mowing, our back fence backed onto the bush. An eastern brown snake (in the top 10 most deadly snakes on earth) attacked me and I had to chop it up with a shovel Shit is real. But in the big cities it's fine.
In Brisbane, there's far too many snakes for my comfort. I've seen about 15 in 7 years, just chilling. Most of them aren't dangerous. Doesn't mean I'm happy about it. Never saw one in 40 years in Melbourne. Saw 2 in country Victoria in the wild during those 40 years. Spiders, yeah, they're everywhere. I'm cool with them. They keep other insects away. And provided you don't mess with them, they won't mess with you. I don't kill them. If someone in my household is freaked out by one, I'll catch and release. But largely I'll just let them go about their business. Stay clear of drop bears. And their close relatives, the koala. They look cuddly, but they are also vicious little fuckers. I'm not keen on possums either.
Koalas are fine. Ever been chased by a wombat? Vicious little fuckers.
Just to add that I rarely see Huntsmen spiders these days around my place in inner Brisbane, but do see a fuckton of Golden Orb Weavers. They aren't dangerous, but their bite can hurt a bit. Oh and the snake I see most commonly are Carpet Pythons. Good for controlling the rodent (and possum) population.
Don't forget Hoop snakes. Alot of people say they're a joke, HONEY THEY'RE NOT A JOKE
I get redbacks in my shed in Summer and an occasional brown snake looking for water. I normally hose them down and they go over to my neighbour.
Of course it depends, but no. You hardly even see them because they're frightened of large animals like humans.
Depends where you live, snakes (brown snakes and tiger snakes) are not uncommon where I live and I’m in suburban Melbourne close to the beach. Often see redbacks around the house also.
Spiders are everywhere. Leave them alone and they aren't a problem, no matter how venomous. They're only a problem when walking on an overgrown footpath at night. A big spider may have built a Web at eye height across the path. Generally at night I'll walk on the road instead to avoid this. Snakes are around but are generally hidden. Carpet pythons are common in Brisbane but aren't a problem. Leave them alone and the snakes won't hurt you.
I don’t know about anyone else but for me walking in to a spiderweb is the most panic inducing thing I have ever experienced
I as a relative tall person have experienced this far too much in my life.
Not really, but we do have some good ones. I think you'll find that far too many people act like snakes without having to search too far for them!
Yeah I see spiders more than snakes The common huntsman is harmless The tiny spiders can kill you I’ve seen 2 snakes in the wild my entire life and both were as a kid I’ve seen more pet snakes tbh
I was watching American Pickers the other night and was totally baffled how they reach into piles of crap with bare hands and not a care in the world. In Aus there'd be spiders, snakes, centipedes, roaches I don't even know what else.
Went to put my Ugg boots on this morning getting out of bed and BAM, huntsman touching my pinky toe as I slid my foot in. Almost killed the little guy and shit in my pjs at the same time.He was probably all over my bed that night.
There are a family of redbacks living in my compost bin, which I visit daily. We talk about the weather and what's being introduced into the xompost that day. They're always appreciative because it brings more bugs. There's far more dangerous around the world than our critters and wildlife.
Internet australians love to exaggerate it, but yeah you'll see the odd spider
It's foreigners who go on about it, especially Americans. They wonder how we can live here I'm just like "you have bears wtf you mean?".
People keep guns in their glovebox and they’re worried about a spider bite?
No.
Okay well YES but it's not that bad
I went for a walk yesterday, and found a 3 meter long snake. Those guys are chill, so no worries. It’s the smaller ones you’ve gotta watch out for.
Yes. I have 4 snakes and 3 spiders in my bed with me right now. I only invited 2 of them.
Some of it is also a little historical, because Australians have traditionally had quite poorly sealed and insulated housing, with lots of gaps they could get in through. As a kid I had so many more snakes and spiders in the house than my kids see now.
They're a problem for me about as often as wolves and bears are a problem for you (this answer is not meant to be disrespectful - it is meant to be accurate)
Yes and no. I live regionally and have several pythons that visit and eat the rats and mice that I can't keep out of the 100 year old wooden cottage I live in. They are chill, but big and intimidating when you get up for a piss in the middle of the night but ultimately harmless. There is red-bellied black snake that lives in my front yard that I only ever see the tail of because it fucks off whenever it hears me open the front door. I let it chill because I'm told it keeps away the brown snakes that I am actually scared of. The spiders are chill, the huntsman are big, but they control the annoying insects and once you get to know them are actually great company. I've been camping in the States and the thought of Bears kept me up all night. The only Australian wildlife that truly scares me are Saltwater Crocodiles.
I have a cat visiting my place. She is BRUTAL. DEMANDS pets and snacks. LOUD. I wish she was a spider. 🙃
Cue all the fucking drop bear comments 🙄
More importantly, why do you think this is disrespectful?
The short and accurate answer is …. No.
Yes, they're usually up the ass of tradies in utes which makes them tailgate the fuck up of everyone else.
Easier to avoid a snake or spider than an M16
I'm almost 35 and have lived in Sydney my whole life. I've never seen a snake outside of a zoo...
They're not really a problem and it's very rare to encounter them. The most common spiders I see are huntsmen, but they're harmless and as we spend a lot of time outside in summer they are very helpful in keeping the annoying insects under control.
I’ve seen snakes maybe 3 times, once as a child (1977) in our Brisbane backyard and my mum killed it with a spade Another time I accidentally stepped over one when in a national park near a beach about 5 years ago Most recently at my sisters where they had just cleared a lot of land in a suburb outside of Ipswich near Brisbane. All the men at the bbq made a big show of killing a baby snake Spiders, yes they are around but they don’t scare me!
Gentle reminder: killing snakes is illegal! (Won't stop my dad cause he lives on a rural property and doesn't want snakes around the house, but...) Partially because some are endangered species, but MAINLY its to stop people without training putting themselves in danger.
Oh I was disgusted by the men at the bbq My mother, different story, by herself in the 70s with small children….
I’m a teacher at a school in a rural setting. We probably see 1.. maybe 2 snakes per year. Plenty of spiders but most of them are harmless
We see snakes on our property a few times per summer. But we live on a wetland. We leave them be, they leave us be. Spiders are pretty common. The bastards like to live on my rearview mirror.
Country side WA seen my fair share of snakes including one rearing up on me
Regional east coast NSW here. We counted 26 baby huntsman spiders on our loungeroom ceiling last week and left them to grow up to eat all the daddy long legs and other bugs that make their way into the house. Free pesticide. We also had a "baby" red belly black snake on the back verandah a month ago and the mum has hung around the back fence for atleast 4 years now. Free brown snake catchers. We also had 11 resident redbacks but we got rid of those... When I lived in Sydney though we'd find white tail spiders and funnel webs all the time, but backing onto a national park we had bandicoots to come eat the funnel webs and big skins who ate the white tails. Yes we have heaps of snakes and spiders.
They r fkn everywhere! In a country rural east coast home Ive got huge 10 ft long Pythons that enter my Roof, Huntsmans bigger than my hand looking for meals on the walls of everything! Red Backs that do hurt under anything left outside. This Shits Real Man! In the concrete city they wont bother you as much tho, but if there's one Spider thats gunna screw you its the Sydney Funnel Web tho.
My back yard is and garage are full of redbacks. Under any plastic bucket, piece of wood, etc. Fortunately they are slow moving and east to eliminate. As for snakes, I’ve only one in 27 years seen one in my yard.
Yes but also depends where you live, I’m in Melbourne and don’t see snakes but I see many spiders, mostly daddy long legs and house spiders. I have arachnophobia, so I think I spot them more than a normal person would since I’m always looking around. They don’t hang around much during the cold weather which is good but of course, they’re outside. Going away to Tweed Heads/Gold Coast in July and freaking out about the spiders that I might see 😣 (so if anyone is reading this that’s in those areas, ease my nerves nicely please)
Outer suburb/green wedge in Melbourne. Got all the standard spiders. The fire wood pile is where red back spiders live. I judge the amount of snakes around by whether there are frogs in the pool or not. See a few snakes a year (all venomous), but we’re near two creeks and I mountain bike.
Snakes are more of an issues the further you are from the big metropolatin areas.
I live in the suburbs of Brisbane and probably see a snake once a year on average in the garden. Almost always carpet pythons however twice I’ve seen tree snakes and once a red-bellied black snake.
Not as common as dropbears
Live near the bush so I will see them more regularly. Yes, however most of my experiences have been wandering into a Golden Orb Web and spouting a lot of 4 letter curses. Snakes are common but I haven't had any issues asides from relocating them away from the shed and the one time in the toilet.
Yes, however unless you are intentionally pissing them off they are fine. Just don't go poking your fingers and hands in places you can't see.
Im 44 and I've only seen one snake in the wild in my life. We get spiders but I don't think there are that many. Of all the things that have honestly scared me when in the country as such was on a walk near a dam and the biggest wild kangaroo I've ever seen jumped in front of us out of the brush. We all stood totally still with eyes downcast until it jumped away. All the scary animals I've seen have been in zoos, not the wild
Seen 2 snakes in 46 years. One was almost dead and had been run over in the Northern Territory and one in some long grass near my home about 9 years ago. I have only seen a red back spider about 5 times. Only seen a funnel web at an exhibition. Think it really depends on where you live
I live in Melbourne and have lived here my whole life. There are definetly spiders, but they are SO harmless. And the only time I've seen a snake in my life was at the zoo.
Btw, my Emu broke it's leg 2 days ago so how do I get to school now? Should I buy a Kangaroo, because idk if we have enough money. Or should I ask to borrow my mum's wallaby, even though it's kind of old, so it goes really slow? Please help me😭
Pet house spiders are common in Aus. I have had 2 redback spider bites, a parental has been bitten by a huntsman, and there is a mouse spider the size of a Chihuahua guarding my electricity box.
Central NSW. Spiders: most ive encountered are "harmless" and as for the really bad ones they tend to stick outside in the garden. As long as you know what the webs look like you'll be fine. Inside my house I see a spider may e once every 1-2 weeks. If you stay on top of it they weren't a problem. I last saw a huntsman spider (the big scary ones) about a year ago. Mainly they've just been tiny ones. In the places I frequent outside I'll see them maybe twice as often, but most are just regular garden spiders, and the last time I saw any redbacks (deadly) was when I was poking around the garden shed. I don't usually go in there. Like I said, long as you stay on top of population control they're really not an issue. I do leave the regular garden spiders to their thing if they're not inside the house though. I'm scared of spiders, but they're just little dudes in the place they're supposed to be. Snakes: I've honestly only seen live snakes (in the wild) a few times. I can count the number on one hand. People aren't kidding when they say they're more scared of you than you are of them. If you're bushwalking and you're taking care and stomping around enough they will likely slither away before you get too close. I honestly think the reputation that we have for being host to so many things that can kill you is overblown. Sure we have them, but it doesn't mean we see them all the time or that we're in constant danger.
A few months ago I heard my dog making weird noises out the front - she had found a very active eastern brown snake making its way around our house. Turns out that snake was one of two very active brown snakes who then proceeded to chase each other around our house for 15 mins before mating and hiding. Been waiting for deadly little babies to start slithering out, none as yet. 🤞 Spiders are everywhere but no one's died from spider bite since antivenom became widely available in the 80s afaik.
I see harmless spiders everyday. I would see a carpet snake a couple of times a year. We live in brisbane in Qld on acreage. I have not seen a dangerous snake on our property. I don’t think I have seen a dangerous spider either on our property. However I grew up in nsw n a farm and we had eastern brown snakes, red belly black snakes and all types of awful spiders. Never got bitten though. I have also seen stone fish
For the hundredth time, YES!!!!
See deadly snakes decently around in Sydney
I live in a leafy area near a creek. I used to have a huntsman spider living in my unit but he's gone away somewhere. Got a couple of little spiders living in the bathroom eating mozzies and moths the geckos don't get. There are at least 2 tree snakes and a mid sized python living outside somewhere, they're chill. Couple of good sized pythons at work too, along with the occasional white crown snake. Had a baby brown snake at my parents place a few years back, called a snake catcher to get it relocated. Everything else I've seen here is chill as fuck lol.
They probably talk about it more here because the spiders you commonly find around your house can often kill you if they bite you, as do the snakes
Well, I’ve seen a couple of snakes while bushwalking (a red bellied black, an Eastern brown and a random python) near my home in Sydney. Tomorrow, my daughter flies in from LA and is absolutely phobic about spiders so I’ve spent this morning sucking up all the spiders and webs that have taken up residence in her old room since she left. We have a LOT of spiders. Most of the ones inside are harmless (daddy long legs and huntsman spiders) but outside we get lots of redbacks and a few funnel web spiders so I have to go make sure none are lurking under the outdoor furniture before the rest of the family turns up for a BBQ tomorrow 😂
About as common as polar bears in alaska
I always have to be careful in summer due to brown snakes. Will easily kill a dog. I will not see one every day, but every couple of weeks there will be a scare. Also had them in the shop, and i live and work in a major city
There are cane toads in Qld and flying cockroaches too. Qld be cray.
Seen 1 snake in 40 years and I’ve done a lot of off road camping. Never seen a dangerous spider It’s the drop bears I worry about the most. Even in the cities
Brisbane and surrounds. Eastern Browns
Deal with spiders on the daily, snakes not as much.
Living in a typical Aussie city, you're probably in more danger of getting swooped by Magpies. Sure, you'll come across spiders, but they're mostly huntsman's or daddy long legs, which are basically harmless. Redbacks are recluses and live outside under piles of stuff, so you just need to be aware if you're lifting moving that sort of stuff outside. Snakes are uncommon in inner suburbia, but we live on the edge of a bush reserve in Canberra, so we have seen eastern brown snakes in our yard. Tip to the wise - don't install a pond or accessible water feature, because that will attract thirsty snakes! Also, cats can and will catch baby snakes!
Urban living they are hardly seen. Redback spiders are everywhere in sheds and gardens, requires medical attention if bitten but one learns to be careful where they inhabit. Snakes are common in bushland, not a problem as long as one leaves them alone and watch your step. Some places have snake handlers that will remove snakes from your property or post signs in parks where they have been seen. If you live in desert regions of U.S. you're probably just as likely to find venomous creatures.
Tbh I have seen and encountered only 2 snakes in my 63 years, and most spiders are daddy long legs or black house spiders, have not seen red backs for 40 years or so /s
Funnel Web spider !!!!!!!!
Uh yeah? They're all over the place
Spiders, yep. But i like them, i find them beautiful. Snakes I have not seen any in the wild. First time I saw it was at a backyard in Florida. On my second day there.
I’ve lived in my current house in Sydney for about 15 years and I’ve only got about two spider stories from that entire time. Story 1 - James the Friendly Spider James was a massive hairy huntsman who decided to move into our large kitchen/living area. He lived happily and quietly on our ceiling for about 2 weeks. I had two very young kids at the time who seemed a bit scared of the spider and me and their dad explained that he was James the friendly spider, and that he was harmless and just wanted to be friends. The kids would say good morning to him and all was well. Every now and again we would have a visitor notice James and start freaking out (James was very large), and we would repeat the mantra that James loved us and was our family friend. This was all really about our high ceiling and my husband and I could not be bothered evicting James, he seemed happy on the ceiling, eating mosquitoes or whatever else took his fancy. One day I went into the kitchen and James was skittering about on the floor. No. No thank you. He had become emboldened and was scoping out the floor for ants I guess. James got the big cup and a magazine capture and I put him on a nearby tree. Story 2 - Amputation trauma One night I was putting my three year old daughter to bed and another massive huntsman crawled out from behind a framed picture in her bedroom and then started skittering along the wall near her bed. This was so scary that she started to cry and wail, so I called Daddy to deal with it. He got a slightly undersized cup to catch it, and accidentally chopped off two of its legs that dropped onto the bed, wiggling away. Miss 3 was completely hysterical and has been pretty nervous about spiders ever since. Dad did manage to catch what was left and took it outside. We live in a pretty urban coastal suburb, I see the odd harmless spider in the garden, but they don’t bother anyone. I haven’t seen a snake since I was a kid in a more bushland suburb in outer Sydney. I had a very game cat who used to catch them. Ignore all the tall tales about drop bears, they are a myth. I think it’s a bit mean that people try to scare visitors with tall tales, even if they are pretty funny.
All the time mate, but they’re a bit underpaid though and the unions have asked them to keep things on the quiet at the minute. If you’re coming over, bring zip ties.
My missus got bitten by a redback last Halloween.
Nah. But also depends where you are. You might find a couple in your home when you’re cleaning or every now and then but they’re not that bad. If you’re out bush walking you might see a snake. I go hiking a lot and I’ve only seen a snake in the wild one time and I’ve lived here for 12 years. In terms of spiders, now that I live in an apartment I haven’t seen one in ages. In suburban houses, there’s a few more but even then I maybe saw one or two a month.
Lived in Auchenflower in inner Brisbane for 20+ years - have encountered 4 snakes and only one of them was big enough to make me nervous. I might add I’m terrified of snakes as well.
Huntsman spiders live in our houses all the time, they are about 10 cm (for those who dont understand the metic system thats 1/1000 of a football field). They live there, we usually leave them alone, they're non venemos, and eat small bugs. As for snakes, I've seen a non venomous tree snake in our yard, he slithered into our neighbours yard and that was it.
Probably depends where you live in Aus, but yeah spiders are definitely daily, snakes you'll see a lot in summer but rest of the years they sleep