jrsuk73

Please help we are just about to send go for our skills assesment but my wife keeps stalling all because of snakes and spiders how can i convince her that it will be ok and that she wont get bitten or eaten like she thinks. :scared:
At the moment it seems to be every excuse not to go ahead with anything what can i do
If anyone has any sugestions please let me know.

Bordy

Sounds to me like her hearts not really in moving to Aus.

spalen

Im sure people who live there can answer better but as an arachnophobe looking to move to brisbane I have done some investigation!.

If you read brysons book you'd think death lurked round every corner. And I looked at some museum websites for venomous spiders etc in Aus.

I spoke to a couple of friends who lived in Sydney/Brisbane for about 6 years, their view was.

- If you go walking in the bush, you're gonna see spiders and maybe snakes , but you dont trip over them they're pretty well out of the way and out of your way.

- You will get spiders in the garden, (you do in england too)
---- some of them if they bite you will make you a bit ill
---- some of htem if they bite you will make you a bit more ill
---- a lot of them wont bite you and wont do anything other than look at you funny
---- the majorly nasty spiders pose a greater risk to children because of the chance of a child handling them and getting bitten multiple times (you need to get bitten multiple times to be really ill) but you just teach kids to leave well alone.

- You learn to be careful.
--- If you have for example a pile of wood stored in the garden, you wear gloves when you go to move some of it.
--- if you lift up rocks you lift them up so that the opening is away from you

Major beaches are netted so sharks dont get you (but rip tides might)
Jelly Fish like box jelly are north queensland mainly

He saw 2 snakes in 6 years.
one dead / harmless one in the back garden in brisbane
one whilst out walking on a bush holiday.

I think I saw stats that said, 1,200+ people died in car crashes in aus in 2003 vs 0 deaths by Spiders. If you're planning to live on a bush ranch then good luck and take the reallllly thick gloves. there have been about 23 deaths since 1900 from spider bites ,most of them stopped years back when the last antivenom was introduced for whichever one it was. Thats about 1 every 4 years amongst a 20m population.

Dont take this as gospel - this is just my 'mates' view of life in Aus over a period of 6-7 years.

the final thing that settled my mind, is that 20m people do live there and they dont die, or all spend weeks in hospital every year.

Now all I need is a visa.

Quinkana

Spiders again! UK should start group therapy sessions for the populace.

Look, either you'll get bitten or you don't.
If you are bitten, either you'll die or you won't.
If you don't die, either you'll get sick or you won't.
If you get sick, either you'll go to hospital or you won't.
If you go to hospital, either you'll die or you won't.
If you don't die, either you'll get bitten by a spider or you won't.

rudo1ph

People focus so much on DYING when talking about spiders.

If you look at the statistics the chances of being killed by an asteriod are probably higher. I think there have only been something like 22 deaths from spider bites in Australia in the last century or somthing.

Prior to 1980 there had been 13 (or 14 depending on what you red) Funnel web related deaths. Since 1980 - when the anti-venom was introduced theer have been none.

Again, with red-backs since the introduction of anti venom there have been no deaths. Only around 20% of red-back bite cause people probelms anyway.

Spiders do not lie in wait and jump out and attck you. I regulalry see red-backs in my garden. I have been told I live in "Funnel-web alley" but have not seen one yet.

Hope that helps

wombat42

l agree, stay in the UK, Australia's no place for whimps.

Peter

Someone is scared of change and is frightened of challenges. A few people like that out there. Explain to your wife that it's not a one way thing and you end up not liking it, the UK will still be there waiting for you.

aussie73

No one has dies of a spider bite in OZ since 1980, therefore
zero people die each year in OZ from spider bites,
3 people die each year in OZ from snake bites,
4 people die each year in the UK from Bee stings,
Therefore statistically you are more likely to be killed by a bee sting in the Uk
then a snake or spider in OZ.
The only creature in OZ that is likely to cause you death or injury is the one
that travels at great speeds on four wheels with a steel coat.

Bix da Boss

Very interesting and to the point - good

But will his wife believe any of you 'statistical' people I very much doubt it

tiredwithtwins

hiya,
do a search thingy on this forum using 'spiders' and you will come up with tons of threads about them. this is a common worry for many people, but one that can be overcome - she could even try aversion therapy!. And, there are measures you can take to deter any unwanted guests - have a look at the threads for a WIDE range of gadgets, sprays etc...it makes for quite funny reading! Perhaps if your wife reads them, she will see shes not on her own but that there are things she can do to get over her fears!

sue

diddy

Apparently ten Australians die every year of boredom listening to Poms going on about spiders.

Peter

Die of laughter you mean. We were thinking of talking the Sydney Funnel Web population into meeting new arrivals at Sydney Airport as a goodwill gesture.

diddy

I was gonna set up my own enterprise at the airport handing out chairs to new arrivals. I'm gonna advise that people should carry them around at all times, so that they can stand on them, wave their hands in the air and scream every time they see something crawling on the floor.

(Technique not recommended for crocodiles or rabied possums).

Bix da Boss

Very funny - having a good laugh with some of you lot on here today - great

clop

ha ha ha! that's funny!!