The stuff of nightmares...

Cdn_Gringo

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Apr 29, 2014
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Not a good night last night. Many websites proclaim that there are no poisonous animals here in the DR capable of killing people. This statement is not quite reflective of the actual reality. There are two species of Black Widow spider that can result in death if intensive medical intervention is not sought promptly. These are relatively small spiders that prefer to live in dark corners and crevices and under things. One needs to be careful when reaching into the back of a rarely used cupboard or moving patio furniture etc.

All spiders are poisonous and quite capable of and willing to bite. Most bites are just painful and prone to infection in people. Your dogs and cats on the other hand do not fair quite so well in some of these encounters. At around 9 pm last night my wife sounded the alert to a large spider on the prowl. It was a Sparassidae Stasina saetosa. I haven't found a common name for this beastie yet but it was large and very fast. It covered a distance of 20 feet in mere seconds when Mr. Broom was introduced. I dislike spiders. They are quiet and creepy. Big or small, they all give me the shivers. No big problem though, he left and was not seen again. He is still around but out of sight out of mind.

At around 10:30 we let the dogs out for the final time. We have long since learned that in our area, the dogs cannot be turned loose after dark without supervision. Very quickly, one of them discovered a large cane toad in the middle of the yard. Normally, these guys are only seen briefly at dusk & dawn out in the open but not tonight. Cane toads, deadly to dogs and cats and very quickly at that. For smaller pets, just coming in contact with the neurotoxins secreted by these toads is enough to dispatch a Chihuahua in 30 minutes. For larger pets, picking one up in their mouth sets in motion a chain of events that will result in death quickly if treatment is not immediately administered.

Both of our dogs are Dominican citizens. One, is every adept at looking after herself. She is normally the one that actively seeks out these denizens of the night and attempts to dispatch them in short order. Last night we were lucky. Vanessa did not actually interact with the toad only because we were present and watching. Had we just let the dogs out and gone back to watching the Black List, we would have an entirely different situation on our hands. I dispatched the toad. This invasive species serves no useful purpose and poses too much of a risk to be allowed to set up residence anywhere near my dogs. If you decide to interact with one of these toads, wear gloves. If you decide to whack one of these toads, be careful that no secretions splash into your eyes or mouth - can you say magic carpet ride - ask any Australian for clarification if needed.

These damned centipedes - Scoleopendra, large, fast, very painful to people and potentially deadly to pets. We normally see one or two a month. Usually smallish ones. Both dogs are really good at finding these in the grass at night. Vanessa the "death machine" is pretty good at killing them without getting bitten. The other dog, just like with the toad would probably elect to make friends and play with one rather than exercise the due caution that these creatures deserve. Again for us, it's important to closely watch our pets at night. These centipedes are fast and when provoked can be very aggressive, not shying away from a fight. I found this one, this morning. It drowned in the pool last night and is the largest I have seen to date at 10.5 inches. We have to vacant lots in front and next to us. Recently cows have been introduced to eat back the overgrowth. I suspect this is what is causing the wild life to migrate through our yard with increased frequency.

I am a bare foot person. I have long since stopped walking around without footwear at night. During the day, I am observant of where I put my feet but at night, it is just not worth the risk.

Residents and visitors alike, need to remember that there are creatures here that we are not used to looking for at home. Those residing in a downtown area will encounter very few of these creatures, but spiders are everywhere and there is one guaranteed to sharing your living space right this very moment. Most do not pose a problem or hazard but some do and you need to be very observant of where you put your fingers and feet. It is not at all paranoid to take a good look at the walls, ceiling and floor when you enter a room. You will never see a cane toad in your house except in exceptional circumstances, but both spiders and our friend Scaleopendra love to come inside and will do so at any opportunity.

If you live here and have pets, ask your vet for a "poison kit". Whether by creature or person, if your beloved pet becomes poisoned, you have a very limited window in which to administer treatment. Since most of these poisoning incidents will happen at night, outside of normal business hours, your vet will probably not be available to respond right away and if you have to drive to the vet, chances are you'll be too late.

Pets, kids, you, day or night, resident or tourist, you need to be aware of the existence of these potential hazards and remember to think about them everyday. If you don't tap your shoes before slipping them on your feet, you may be startled when a gecko comes scurrying out or even more surprised to find something a lot more painful has taken up residence when you weren't looking. If you don't look for them, you won't see them except by happenstance. Just because you don't see them, doesn't mean they aren't around. Don't obsess, just be aware and observant.
 

bob saunders

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Jan 1, 2002
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I'm not a fan of spiders either and will usually end their life if they are in my bedroom or bathroom. If on the balcony I usually just get rid of their web and broom them away. Geckos I love - they kill all the insects and keep the ant population down. There are lots of wolf-spiders and black widows here. The wolf spiders will kill the black widows if they can. I've seen those nine hundred mile an hour spiders as well.
In two and half years of living here and 14 of visiting I've only seen the big centipedes a couple of times and the really BIG SPIDERS not much more. I think you guys on the coast have bigger issues than us mountain folks.
 

william webster

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Jan 16, 2009
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we have the big brown spiders at times...... I leave them alone.

the little geckos eat everything.

I have two friends bitten by centipedes.... large ones

One victim had his hand bitten - it swelled up and hurt - big time.

The second victim was recovering from a fall onto the concrete floor... broken rib and concussion
(tripped over a fan cord - an engineer , him) when a large one bit his neck.

That's too close to the heart and head for my liking.

He survived, barely.

both of these happened in bed.............
 

Criss Colon

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Jan 2, 2002
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I have been bitten by "Venemous SPIDERS" in bed on MANY occasions.
ALWAYS felt better in the morning!!!!!


"Slow News Day" for you "Gringo"?????????????????????????????


CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC
 

MikeFisher

The Fisherman/Weather Mod
Feb 28, 2006
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nothing New on it.
they all exist, you find them on the countryside the same as in the residencies on the coast.
they are all a normal part of Life when living in a country with a Tropical Climate.
the deadliest animal on the Island is still the driver of the Yellow Bus.
the most beautiful species is named Latin Female.
the rest is just the usual neighbours, and once in a while they get someone who bite's the dust.

Mike
 

Lobo Tropical

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Aug 21, 2010
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Routines in Paradise

I have been bitten by "Venemous SPIDERS" in bed on MANY occasions.
ALWAYS felt better in the morning!!!!!


"Slow News Day" for you "Gringo"?????????????????????????????


CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC

That's what can happen when retired, bored, living with wife, pets and NOT chasing chicas and Not drinking.
One takes to writing long dissertations.:bored:
 

Bronxboy

Well-known member
Jul 11, 2007
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That's what can happen when retired, bored, living with wife, pets and NOT chasing chicas and Not drinking.
One takes to writing long dissertations.:bored:

Lobo, you've been there?

You make it seem like a settled life is boring.

I think "living with wife" and "not chasing chicas" do not belong in the same sentence. IMO
 

william webster

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Jan 16, 2009
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Gringo jams all his words into one dissertation


CCCCCCCCCCCologne spreads his pearls ofwisdom around by writing midget responses to 50 threads a day.

both are prolific writers and favorites of mine

Think 'War and Peace' and O. Henry's short stories.......

somebody needs to add up all those small contributions....

Me? too busy living with the wife, pets, retiring, being bored and drinking to do it

hahahaha
 

Bronxboy

Well-known member
Jul 11, 2007
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Aren’t Dominican women not just a little bit like tarantulas?

It is true that all tarantulas, in fact all spiders, are venomous. But only a very few species of tarantula posses venom that poses any kind of threat to humans, and there is no verified case of human death by tarantula bite. The majority of tarantulas found in the pet trade are wild-caught, so there is no difference between wild and "domestic" tarantulas. That said, pet tarantula bites are quite rare, as are bites from wild tarantulas. Tarantulas in general are reluctant biters; given the choice between biting or retreating, the vast majority will choose retreat every time.

YoExpert.com | Are Pet Tarantula Bites Dangerous?
 

Olly

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Mar 12, 2007
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Cpt-Gringo,
We think you missed one of the more important spiders here on the North Coast in your dissertation - the Brown Recluse. This spider is common here and though its bite is not a fierce as the Black Widow the after effects can be. The bite tends to get infected and the toxin is flesh killing.
Try this to get identification :

Spider Pictures Slideshow: Black Widow Spider vs. Brown Recluse Spider - MedicineNet

Very common here and has nasty after effects.

Olly and the Team
 

malko

Campesino !! :)
Jan 12, 2013
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When I first arrived I could spot every single creepy crawly in a 20 meter radius....... now, I hardly notice them.

I live in deep campo....
I am surrounded by the road at front, fields both sides and ca?a out back, ie undergroumd stream, lush jungle type vegetation.
LOADS of slimy, creepy, crawly, leggy, antenae stuff around.

One of my dogs kills everything, bees, insects, mice/rats, chicken, cats, children.....u name it he kills it.
Anyway we were surprised once, cos he was barking like mad at a cacata, but kept his distance. Wife said its cos he knows they are dangeous. Huge beast of a spider. I proposed to obliterate it with the shotgun. My wife just hit with a flipflop and the beast JUMPED onto the wall (yeah, jumped ).
I strategically dived for cover while my wife whacked it a second time with a flipflop. Then she blamed me for having her killing it. Cos ure not sopposed to, apparently.

2 nights ago, I though I heard the dogs fighting. They do it i silence now, before they growled, barked, etc..... but I ve taken to smacking them on rhe head with a shovel, hence the silent fighting.
Out I go to check. But no, they were playing ping-pong with a cacata. At first I thought is was a rat it was so big. After couple of well placed forehands and backhands, the rottie missed a volley, the spider recovered its senses and scutteled up a wall into my SIL's house.
Pondered whether to alert them. But since it was 2am, I voted against it. Half an hour later, shrieks and screams.......
Jump up grab torch, stuff xtra shells in jeans pocket, pick up shotgun. Run out.
False alert. Only the cacata introducing itself to inlaws.......hehehhehehehe.
 

dv8

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Sep 27, 2006
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i get all those in the garden occasionally: them giant toads, centipedes, cacatas, snakes and other lovelies i cannot name. i remove toads and snakes and release into the garden of the house on the other side of the road. it's not occupied most of the time. only once we had a cacata inside the house and i trapped it using a bucket and a newspaper. off to the neighbour it went. centipedes we normally kill because they are not particularly friendly and they run very fast so i would not want to try to trap it. the only animal i am scared of is a shark so creepy crawlies get a pass.
 

william webster

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Jan 16, 2009
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That's what can happen when retired, bored, living with wife, pets and NOT chasing chicas and Not drinking.
One takes to writing long dissertations.:bored:

You obviously don't know Cdn_gringo well at all!!

Hmmm,
let me think.........

a writer who drinks........ or doesn't drink........... which will it be?

Where is Hemingway when you need him.........? ?
 

Cdn_Gringo

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Apr 29, 2014
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I can drink, type, rub my belly and holler at my wife to kill a bug all at the same time...I've been practicing. Results are usually mixed.
 

MikeFisher

The Fisherman/Weather Mod
Feb 28, 2006
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www.mikefisher.fun
Gringo jams all his words into one dissertation


CCCCCCCCCCCologne spreads his pearls ofwisdom around by writing midget responses to 50 threads a day.

both are prolific writers and favorites of mine

Think 'War and Peace' and O. Henry's short stories.......

somebody needs to add up all those small contributions....

Me? too busy living with the wife, pets, retiring, being bored and drinking to do it

hahahaha

plus the ocassional chases in between once in a while.
hey,
i live the same boring life as you,
and I enjoy it to the fullest, too., lol

Mike
 

MikeFisher

The Fisherman/Weather Mod
Feb 28, 2006
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Aren?t Dominican women not just a little bit like tarantulas?

nop'e.
it is the Gringitos from up north who could be well more compared to Tarantulas.
like making a big deal out of nothing.
trying to enter my world but at the end i just use the Escoba y lo tire afuera.
they come to have fun but once stepped on 'em it was them who paid the bill for invading my soil.
.....
lol

Mike