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Australia Spider Bite Symptoms

Australia is home to some of the deadliest species of animal known to man: the Sydney funnel web and red back spiders both have particularly lethal venom. Australia is also host to a number of nonlethal but still dangerous spider varieties, including the trapdoor, huntsman (known to grow up to five inches in length), mouse, brown, sac, orb weaving, wolf, white-tailed and black house spiders. If you suspect a bite was caused by either a Sydney funnel web or red back spider, seek immediate medical attention.

  1. Sydney Funnel Web Spider Bite Symptoms

    • The Sydney funnel web spider has the one of the most toxic known venoms, and symptoms present in two stages. Symptoms in the first stage present within minutes of being bitten and include pain and swelling around the bitten area, sweating, numbness, involuntary tongue twitching, nausea and vomiting, increased heart rate and loss of higher mental capacity. The second stage is characterized by a cessation of breathing, dilation of the pupils, and spasms, and is followed by a loss of consciousness.

    Red Back Spider Bite Symptoms

    • The red back spider causes more hospitalizations than any other variety of spider found in Australia. Bite symptoms include pain and swelling around the bite, spreading pain from the bite area that may cover the entire limb, tender and swollen lymph nodes, sweating and fever, nausea and abdominal pain, vomiting, joint pain, restlessness, insomnia and altered mental state.

    Other Spider Bites

    • Australia is host to a number of other dangerous spiders. Although bites from these spiders are generally nonlethal, they present with the following serious symptoms: pain and swelling around the bite, nausea and vomiting, headaches and lethargic behavior. In the case of the white-tailed spider, a burning sensation will be felt around the bite; in rare cases the bitten area will begin to blister, with lesions following. The bite of the mouse spider presents with symptoms very similar to those of the Sydney funnel web, and the bite of the brown spider presents symptoms similar to those of red back bites, but the venom of these spiders is not lethal.

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