Help! Spider Attack!

[otisthetortoise]

Hello.
So just earlier I was spraying Otis' substrate, as you do, and all was content with the world...then BAM. I saw this little sucker crawling along the inside wall of the table, and, in horror, squashed it with a piece of toilet roll. Still stricken by this incident, the turmoil was yet to be over...along comes another, this time on her fake plant, and after a (short) scream (I'm not a big fan of spiders ) that one went too. After seeing one become Spiderman and swing to one of my bookcases nearby in fear of their lives, I was both astonished by "flying" spiders (and then promptly realised spiders don't fly) and then, like Super(woman), I plucked Otis from her table and put her in for a warm soak. She seems bored by this whole matter, and has now pooped.
My panic has resided, and now, being serious, I'm wondering if these spiders pose some sort of threat. Besides my fear of them, my priority is Otis. She's a six month Eastern Hermann's hatchling and has settled in well and is healthy in all respects - there has been no abnormal behaviour recently. I don't know if these new visitors have been here for long; I have only just noticed them, but they are brown in colour and incredibly small. There might've been some sort of pale yellow flecking their body too. I live in south west England, and I'm worried as Hermann's of course don't originate from here, in case Otis has eaten one, they wouldn't agree with her. They're not poisonous, as spiders here aren't ever.
Any advice? Should I clear my soil, or is this just something I'm overreacting about?
Thanks,
Olivia

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Are they jumping spiders?
They might be attracted to little bugs in the enclosure.
Try to post a photo of one of them. I would think that MOST of them are harmless enough.

 

[otisthetortoise]

Are they jumping spiders?
They might be attracted to little bugs in the enclosure.
Try to post a photo of one of them. I would think that MOST of them are harmless enough.

Unfortunately, all that I have sighted are now dead in the bin, so photos of their guts would only be available.
I haven't spotted any other organisms in the soil. But a description is brown, with dark stubby legs, and smaller than a pea. Really tiny.
I think some of them had some white / pale yellow markings. Again, I couldn't tell. And although I thought it was jumping, the spider swung from one place to another, so I assume it was by a thread barely visible.

 

[TerrapinStation]

What/how old is your substrate? One time I soaked and laid a batch of the brick coconut coir, and less than a day later my whole tank was filled with little gnats..... they all died off in a week or so, but it was creepy nonetheless. Maybe there were some spider eggs in your batch, and they are now hatching?

 

[wellington]

I love your story telling, made me laugh. I too have a fear of spiders.
The best thing to do seeing they are just guts now, is to see if you can do a web search and see if poisonous.
Also any time you buy new substrate, wood chips, coconut coir, back it in the oven for about 3 hours on 200-250. It will kill any insect eggs. You can boil it too if you don't want to back it.
Freezing also works, but it doesn't seem to really kill as much as delay their appearing.

 

[otisthetortoise]

What/how old is your substrate? One time I soaked and laid a batch of the brick coconut coir, and less than a day later my whole tank was filled with little gnats..... they all died off in a week or so, but it was creepy nonetheless. Maybe there were some spider eggs in your batch, and they are now hatching?

Gosh, the thought of spider eggs terrifies me.
It's sterilised soil from Homebase that I got with the breeder who had little Otis before me. She never had any problems...I'm not sure. I've never seen any spiders in my room, but I know there have been some around the house, but they're big daddy long legs that linger helpless in the bath...
How do I kill off the alleged eggs? I don't want this spider thing to progress. Even if it doesn't affect Otis much, I may have to evacuate my room!
I haven't seen any whilst I've been looking for the past few hours.

 

[otisthetortoise]

I love your story telling, made me laugh. I too have a fear of spiders.
The best thing to do seeing they are just guts now, is to see if you can do a web search and see if poisonous.
Also any time you buy new substrate, wood chips, coconut coir, back it in the oven for about 3 hours on 200-250. It will kill any insect eggs. You can boil it too if you don't want to back it.
Freezing also works, but it doesn't seem to really kill as much as delay their appearing.

Heh, well thank you, I was just perhaps just trying to lighten up the nightmarish situation...these critters freak me out. You're not alone!
Will do and take note. When baking soil, I assume you just leave it in the bag it comes in? Heck, hope the oven's big enough.
If only they'd be harmless little flies. Spiders with their long gangly legs and quick movements just spook me.
The spiders do seem small, so eggs may just be it. I don't know if full-grown or "teenage" spiders can be that small.
Urrrrgh, just the thought of those eggs cosily being baked under the moist soil by the heat lamps unseen and unheard makes me squirm...
Thank you for your help!
Olivia

 

[sibi]

I wouldn't worry too much about Otis. You, however, may be another story Seriously, jumping spiders are usually harmless enough. They still spin webs and the spider was more fearful to get away from you and you from it. If you just make a habit of cleaning out the enclosure with its substrate, and the room walls and corners, that should keep them away from Otis's room and enclosure. Unfortunately, you live in an area of the world that's almost synonymous with spiders LOL Just kidding.

 

[otisthetortoise]

Also, @wellington, I'm not sure my description of these critters (brown, small..) would fetch much results. Surely they tie in with a lot of species. Will check anyway and cross my fingers one springs up on me. Not literally. Gosh.

 

[otisthetortoise]

I wouldn't worry too much about Otis. You, however, may be another story Seriously, jumping spiders are usually harmless enough. They still spin webs and the spider was more fearful to get away from you and you from it. If you just make a habit of cleaning out the enclosure with its substrate, and the room walls and corners, that should keep them away from Otis's room and enclosure. Unfortunately, you live in an area of the world that's almost synonymous with spiders LOL Just kidding.

That provides some relief. Otis was my main concern.
If it comes to it, I will vacuum every single web there is and wear a full quarantine suit to go with it...
When you say "cleaning out the enclosure with its substrate, and the room walls and corners", do you mean rummaging the soil around the corners, replacing it as if I was cleaning it out properly, or...? Sorry, I'm sure you were clear, my head's a bit foggy at the minute. Late nights and early mornings and all that.
Olivia

 

[TerrapinStation]

Hopefully they are gone for good...... I too, am not a fan of spiders, mostly due to the movie Arachnophobia which I should NOT have watched at such a young age.......

 

[otisthetortoise]

Hopefully they are gone for good...... I too, am not a fan of spiders, mostly due to the movie Arachnophobia which I should NOT have watched at such a young age.......

Yes, hopefully - fingers crossed!
Eek. I've never needed help for being afraid of them, my brain is just hardwired that way it seems...but I sure as heck don't want a horror spider-themed film increasing that fear...
Olivia

 

[Speedy-1]

Be glad you don't live out here , I catch one of these dudes in my shop most every year !

 

[otisthetortoise]

Be glad you don't live out here , I catch one of these dudes in my shop most every year !

View attachment 162984

Argh! That's ghastly.
I wish you luck
Olivia

 

[W Shaw]

Sounds like you were doing the attacking, not the spiders. I would just leave them alone. They'll help keep flies and gnats away. All spiders are venomous. It's how they deal with their prey. But very few have venom that's harmful to humans or to anything larger than a fly.

 

[W Shaw]

Be glad you don't live out here , I catch one of these dudes in my shop most every year !

View attachment 162984

Wow... cute little rascal.

 

[sibi]

That provides some relief. Otis was my main concern.
If it comes to it, I will vacuum every single web there is and wear a full quarantine suit to go with it...
When you say "cleaning out the enclosure with its substrate, and the room walls and corners", do you mean rummaging the soil around the corners, replacing it as if I was cleaning it out properly, or...? Sorry, I'm sure you were clear, my head's a bit foggy at the minute. Late nights and early mornings and all that.
Olivia

LOL That's a sign of someone who's really freaked out about spiders. No, I meant, keep the room vacuumed often, and change the substrate perhaps once every month. Also, if you have trees near your house where branches touch the roof, make sure it's trimmed away from the rooftops. Spiders crawl from trees into houses. Happy spring cleaning

 

[otisthetortoise]

Sounds like you were doing the attacking, not the spiders. I would just leave them alone. They'll help keep flies and gnats away. All spiders are venomous. It's how they deal with their prey. But very few have venom that's harmful to humans or to anything larger than a fly.

Okay, thank you. And the title may have been an unfitting choice of words, but it played along with my version of the story (hehe) so sorry if this misled you. And I agree, I should've specified "venomous" to be to me or Otis. Thank you for your help, though!
Olivia

 

[otisthetortoise]

LOL That's a sign of someone who's really freaked out about spiders. No, I meant, keep the room vacuumed often, and change the substrate perhaps once every month. Also, if you have trees near your house where branches touch the roof, make sure it's trimmed away from the rooftops. Spiders crawl from trees into houses. Happy spring cleaning

Just a mere joke (I hope)
Okay, will do. I'm getting a carpet replacement soon as this one I have currently is unable to be saved by a hoover...(let's just say my sister stayed in it and brought nail varnish with her and the rest is history) so that should help. I'm coming up to a substrate change so will use Homebase sterilised soil again but bake it like @wellington helpfully suggested.
The few trees that are near my house tower above - thick bulky pines. Can't imagine me trimming their bulbous branches.
The things I do for Otis - Spring cleaning, phuurgh! It's the middle of winter. I'm kidding, she is all worth it
Thanks again,
Olivia

 

[Speedy-1]

Argh! That's ghastly.
I wish you luck
Olivia

They are not so bad , these are the guys you don't want to mess with ! You should have seen my wife jump ! LOL