Hobbies And Interests
Species
A red back spider grows to be about 1 inch long. The male is much smaller than the female and both are considered to be non-aggressive spiders. The spiders tend to stay in their webs rather than move around, which means that bites are not common unless a person walks into a red back's web. These spiders are located all across Australia and they will live in almost any habitat although they seem to prefer to be near human habitation.
Symptoms
When a female red back spider bites a human, he will immediately feel it at the bite site. After a few minutes this pain will increase in intensity and the skin may become red and swollen. Unlike other spider bites, the area that has been bitten by a red back will begin to sweat. This pain can then progress to the entire limb, and vomiting, abdominal pain and paralysis may occur in severe cases. Untreated, this pain will worsen over a 24-hour period and may take weeks to resolve.
Treatment
Pressure and immobilization are not recommended after redback spider bites. Instead, apply ice packs and visit a doctor or hospital. The anti-venom for red back spider bites is very reliable and doctors give it around 250 times a year. They inject it intramuscularly, which should relieve the symptoms immediately. The anti- venom is effective for up to three months after the bite.
Complications
Complications with red back spider bites are rare, although 14 deaths have been recorded from these bites. However, since the invention of the anti-venom in 1955 no deaths have been reported. The people most at risk to complications from red back spider bites are children, the elderly or those already with serious medical conditions because the symptoms from the spider bite could complicate existing problems. However, many more bites occur from red back spiders than anti-venom is given because these bites do not also affect a human negatively.