# Spiders and tortoise HELP



## KevinGG (May 7, 2014)

I have noticed that my outdoor Russian tortoise hides get over run with spider webs every few weeks. I tear them down and they always come back. He doesn't seem to mind that the webs and spiders are in his hides but I worry he may get bit. Does anyone have any experience with spiders and home remedies to get rid of them. I chemicals please!!! Thanks guys


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## tortadise (May 7, 2014)

Arachnids(spiders/scorpions) do not groom themselves. So sprays, and all the Orkin stuff will not work. What does work are a lot of natural remedies, like sage plants, rosemary, herbs they don't like the scent. It works too. If you don't want to plant a bunch of plants. You can get wintergreen crumbles and sprinkle them around the perimeter of e enclosure.


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## Maggie Cummings (May 7, 2014)

In the wild there is nothing to protect a tortoise from spiders. Unless they are a Black Widow or a Brown Recluse or another poisonous species, I personally, would just keep knocking down the webs. I kinda doubt an ordinary spider will hurt him.
I have to deal with a number of Brown Recluse, and my neighbor just spent 7 days in the hospital with a Recluse bite. A couple of times a summer I use Home Defense by Ortho in Bob's shed. I close him out for the day and spray the cracks. Been doing it for about 5 years and it doesn't seem to bother or harm him... but I don't think I would use it around a smaller tort...HTH
PS...I am no spider expert by any means, but I have seen this spray kill the Recluse' every year.


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## Elohi (May 7, 2014)

This thread just made me realize that sticking my hand into the rock hide to pull the Leo's out, blindly, is a heart attack waiting to happen. I think I'll start lifting the hide from now on. 


Elohi(Earth)


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## tortadise (May 7, 2014)

maggie3fan said:


> In the wild there is nothing to protect a tortoise from spiders. Unless they are a Black Widow or a Brown Recluse or another poisonous species, I personally, would just keep knocking down the webs. I kinda doubt an ordinary spider will hurt him.
> I have to deal with a number of Brown Recluse, and my neighbor just spent 7 days in the hospital with a Recluse bite. A couple of times a summer I use Home Defense by Ortho in Bob's shed. I close him out for the day and spray the cracks. Been doing it for about 5 years and it doesn't seem to bother or harm him... but I don't think I would use it around a smaller tort...HTH
> PS...I am no spider expert by any means, but I have seen this spray kill the Recluse' every year.



It certainly can work for sure. Especially if you douse the actual spider. The whole grooming thing with bugs, is that they get pesticide somewhere on their leg or body and groom themselves, thusly ingesting the poison. So if you douse a spider I'm sure it would get some in its mouth. I can see you now Maggie, just squirt bottle dousing those guys. Ever have issues with hobo spiders in your neck of woods?


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## Maggie Cummings (May 7, 2014)

tortadise said:


> It certainly can work for sure. Especially if you douse the actual spider. The whole grooming thing with bugs, is that they get pesticide somewhere on their leg or body and groom themselves, thusly ingesting the poison. So if you douse a spider I'm sure it would get some in its mouth. I can see you now Maggie, just squirt bottle dousing those guys. Ever have issues with hobo spiders in your neck of woods?


No, just those Recluse and they freak me out. I bet I see 4 or 5 of them a day as I am out in the yard. They seem to love my cinder block wall...
And I don't use a squirt bottle, I have a heavy-duty pump thingy and go about with a vengeance...


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## tortadise (May 7, 2014)

Hah. Yeah they love dark moist areas for sure. Can be nasty too.


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## Maggie Cummings (May 7, 2014)

tortadise said:


> Hah. Yeah they love dark moist areas for sure. Can be nasty too.


I have had them actually jump at me when I have disturbed them. They scare me, and I am not afraid of most things...ugly!


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## Maggie Cummings (May 7, 2014)

I just called my adult son and asked if we have Hobo spiders here and he said yes, not as much as the Recluse but yes. So I Googled Hobo spiders, and now I know more about spiders then I ever wanted to know, and I am creeped out and am going to go to the couch and get my feet up off the floor.
Ewww


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## bouaboua (May 7, 2014)

maggie3fan said:


> No, just those Recluse and they freak me out. I bet I see 4 or 5 of them a day as I am out in the yard. They seem to love my cinder block wall...
> And I don't use a squirt bottle, I have a heavy-duty pump thingy and go about with a vengeance...



Fire torches will have more fun, just don't lit the house on fire...


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## Maggie Cummings (May 8, 2014)

bouaboua said:


> Fire torches will have more fun, just don't lit the house on fire...


What, and then have to smell burnt spiders???lol


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## bouaboua (May 8, 2014)

maggie3fan said:


> What, and then have to smell burnt spiders???lol



Have some BBQ sauce on it before you light them up......LOL! ! ! !


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## TheFullmonty97 (May 8, 2014)

As a tarantula owner I find the arachnophobia in this thread disturbing! Haha, there more scared of you than you are it


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## tortadise (May 8, 2014)

TheFullmonty97 said:


> As a tarantula owner I find the arachnophobia in this thread disturbing! Haha, there more scared of you than you are it


I had lots of tarantulas back in the day. Of course I had all the aggressive Usumbura baboons, and ornamentals. But hobos are pretty aggressive. Ohhhh so are wondering(banana) spiders from central and South America.


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## AmRoKo (May 9, 2014)

If they are a harmless species of spider I would leave them alone and let them build their webs because then they catch the annoying flying insects around plants. We have tons of different wolf spiders here and they build webs on my plants all the time, I try to encourage it so I can use less neem oil. I also recently found out we have jumping spiders, they are sooo cute! :3


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## KevinGG (May 9, 2014)

Well I don't want to set them on fire! Haha. I'm going to try and find out what species they are but in the meantime I'll just sweep out their hides. Thanks for all your help!


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