Originally Posted by Persephone (Post 10160829)

Had a close encounter with a whitetail:eek:

Warning: arachnophobes-DO NOT READ!!!

Was having a lovely relaxing bath yesterday, reading an article in the newspaper supplement. I see movement and look up to see 2 then 3 then 4 big legs clambering over the top of the newspaper followed by a head and body [and more legs]. Have never moved so fast, the paper got thrown to the other side of the room. After looking at the paper for a few moments and making sure 'it' wasn't in the bath or on the floor, I carefully got out of the bath and shook the paper. Out dropped a whitetail with a big fat body and thick legs- only the second one I've ever seen:eek: and one of the biggest spiders I've seen over here, seriously it was huge:scaredhair:

It has now been removed and is in safe storage in a bag in the wheelie bin-it cannot escape from there:fingerscrossed:

Originally Posted by bourbon-biscuit (Post 10160593)

I'd be going mental. I have perpetual wanderlust and a short attention span, so it's either exploring new places or moving to them. BEVS, is there any way you and your DH could do a house swap in Oz for a few months for a change of scene? My chum is house swapping in Cairns at the mo and has done Brissie too, but with Kiwi passports and no kids you could do a long one. Or is that the usual sort of totally unhelpful post?

Originally Posted by Persephone (Post 10160829)

Had a close encounter with a whitetail:eek:

Warning: arachnophobes-DO NOT READ!!!

Was having a lovely relaxing bath yesterday, reading an article in the newspaper supplement. I see movement and look up to see 2 then 3 then 4 big legs clambering over the top of the newspaper followed by a head and body [and more legs]. Have never moved so fast, the paper got thrown to the other side of the room. After looking at the paper for a few moments and making sure 'it' wasn't in the bath or on the floor, I carefully got out of the bath and shook the paper. Out dropped a whitetail with a big fat body and thick legs- only the second one I've ever seen:eek: and one of the biggest spiders I've seen over here, seriously it was huge:scaredhair:

It has now been removed and is in safe storage in a bag in the wheelie bin-it cannot escape from there:fingerscrossed:

Originally Posted by Caz8NZ (Post 10161489)

are they poisonous or just big?!

Or do i not want to know?

I hate spiders.

In fact I hate all insects - erghhhhhh

Originally Posted by Caz8NZ (Post 10161489)

are they poisonous or just big?!

Or do i not want to know?

I hate spiders.

In fact I hate all insects - erghhhhhh

Originally Posted by Miss Nic (Post 10161666)

Despite the clear warning I went ahead and read it and now I swear I can FEEL it on me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :eek:

Originally Posted by Persephone (Post 10162120)

They can give a nasty infected bite. Some say they are poisonous and others say not, depends on what they've just eaten I think. I have only seen two, one was much smaller but this ones body was about an inch long and then it had long chunky legs as well....:( Didn't help that it was close to either stepping onto my hand or falling into the bath on top of me. The stuff of nightmares indeed...


I do the right thing and give a warning and people still do not listen:p At least I didn't take a photo of it to show everyone;):lol:

Originally Posted by Bo-Jangles (Post 10162117)

Maybe you won't want to know! :rofl:

They can be bitey, poisonous and big, however most we have seen are reasonably small. They're also pretty chunky beasts even in the smallest form so don't hide too well and are a bit slow. They don't run well so you have penty of time to get to the fly spray.

I hate spiders and insects too but have calmed down a lot since being here and learned to deal with most of them without having a total meltdown. :o Except for one thing, I think I would prefer to jump off a cliff than have to deal with a weta.

Originally Posted by Persephone (Post 10160829)

Had a close encounter with a whitetail:eek:

Warning: arachnophobes-DO NOT READ!!!

Was having a lovely relaxing bath yesterday, reading an article in the newspaper supplement. I see movement and look up to see 2 then 3 then 4 big legs clambering over the top of the newspaper followed by a head and body [and more legs]. Have never moved so fast, the paper got thrown to the other side of the room. After looking at the paper for a few moments and making sure 'it' wasn't in the bath or on the floor, I carefully got out of the bath and shook the paper. Out dropped a whitetail with a big fat body and thick legs- only the second one I've ever seen:eek: and one of the biggest spiders I've seen over here, seriously it was huge:scaredhair:

It has now been removed and is in safe storage in a bag in the wheelie bin-it cannot escape from there:fingerscrossed:

Originally Posted by Expat Kiwi (Post 10167670)

:rofl: it must've been like that scene from Pyscho! Bath time and whitetails definitely do not mix.

Originally Posted by waikatoguy (Post 10167847)

Just to put a more realistic perspective on it, the body of this Aussie invader (whitetail) is only 1.5 cms long, and the leg diameter is 2.8 cms. And in 50 years I've never seen one. Of more ugliness and more plentiful is the native Weta (especially if you live around bush), which are hideous creatures.

Originally Posted by love30stm (Post 10167991)

Never seen a Weta

Originally Posted by love30stm (Post 10167991)

Never seen a Weta

Originally Posted by Caz8NZ (Post 10167999)

You don't want to. They look hideous.

Originally Posted by love30stm (Post 10167991)

Never seen a Weta