I'm NEVER going to Australia!!!

[Colin]

It's funny, of all the Aussies I know they are more afraid of the animals we have here in North America. A good friend just recently moved from Perth and has never seen a shark, crocodile, or had too much exposure to the snakes or spiders, but now lives in a neighborhood in BC where bears in the yard are really common, we have had cougars (not just the ones in leopard print either) and a wolverine in the area. We have coyotes outside all the time.

I'm still going one of these days as I hear the country is beautiful and based on the Aussie I have meet while traveling and while visiting the local "Australian province of Whistler, B.C." they are a fantastic bunch of people too.

[ccga3359]

It's funny, of all the Aussies I know they are more afraid of the animals we have here in North America. A good friend just recently moved from Perth and has never seen a shark, crocodile, or had too much exposure to the snakes or spiders, but now lives in a neighborhood in BC where bears in the yard are really common, we have had cougars (not just the ones in leopard print either) and a wolverine in the area. We have coyotes outside all the time.

Yup we have the old leopard print cougars here in Ontario. They not dangerous though, nary a kilt check... Still! They all seem attracted to McMurdo.

[kiltimabar]

A while back a cable channel had an hour's program entirely devoted to poisonous Australian spiders, some of them quite large, and many of them to be found in NSW, if not Sydney itself.

[davedove]

we have had cougars (not just the ones in leopard print either)

Yup we have the old leopard print cougars here in Ontario. They not dangerous though, nary a kilt check... Still! They all seem attracted to McMurdo.

Ay, yes, the North American leopard-spotted cougar is widespread. Fortunately, they tend to only prey on young males, so I no longer have much to worry about.

[Colin]

Ay, yes, the North American leopard-spotted cougar is widespread. Fortunately, they tend to only prey on young males, so I no longer have much to worry about.

Sadly I have fallen prey once of twice but have been lucky enough to live and tell about it. Of course I am 32 in a few weeks, so I am likely safe now.

[AL-58]

I can understand that entirely. I've fielded lots of travel questions about OZ because I do travel and camp quite a bit. Just about every American that's ever asked me about coming here asks about the spiders and snakes. I think it's because too many shows/documentaries promote that fact, while we might have these bitey things, you don't encounter them very often. And we do not have any land based predators, animals that will go after you to eat you. A 200kg lump of fur that wants to kill me is a much scarier concept to me compared to a spider that will bite if I tread on him or a snake that will bite if I'm stupid enough to disturb him (walk noisily in the bush and you generally won't see snakes cause they get out of your way).

All that said, I've had snakes in my front yard (cause I live adjacent to 5000 acres of bushland). I do not take my dogs walking out there in the summer(snakes become more active in the warmer months) as they are Terriers and at least one of them is likely to hunt snakes and get bit. Seen a few crocs in 2002 in the Territory, boy do they move fast, you wouldn't stand a chance of outrunning one.

I'd rather have the snakes than the bears I think.

Al

It's funny, of all the Aussies I know they are more afraid of the animals we have here in North America. A good friend just recently moved from Perth and has never seen a shark, crocodile, or had too much exposure to the snakes or spiders, but now lives in a neighborhood in BC where bears in the yard are really common, we have had cougars (not just the ones in leopard print either) and a wolverine in the area. We have coyotes outside all the time.

I'm still going one of these days as I hear the country is beautiful and based on the Aussie I have meet while traveling and while visiting the local "Australian province of Whistler, B.C." they are a fantastic bunch of people too.

[Cat]

I used to be a pretty severe arachniphobe. But once I got a pet tarantula about ten years ago (RIP Klaus...who was actually a female, although her previous owner didn't know that), and started studying up on spiders, I've since become really fascinated by them. While golden-orb weaver venom is slightly toxic to humans, it usually just causes localized pain, occasionally blisters and a rash around the wound for a day or two. Nothing too severe, and many "non-toxic" spider bites can cause the same reactions. Most relatives of this species in the US only inhabit south-eastern states like Texas, the Carolinas, and Louisiana. It's nothing to worry about, even if you get bitten (and up to 50% of spider bites are "dry", meaning that they don't inject any venom.) If I see a spider in my apartment, I usually either A) leave it alone, or B) let the cat eat it. Unless it's a black widow (which are pretty common throughout the entire US), they don't bother me anymore. Hey, at least it's not an Sydney Funnel-Web spider! They're considered one of the most dangerous spiders on the planet, and most ER's in the Sydney region actually have special treatment units and doctors to deal specifically with their bites. They look like tarantulas (except shiny and black, like a black widow), and their venom can be fatal pretty quickly (within an hour or two, usually far less.) "Atrax Robustus" is a nasty little bugger, and I wouldn't want to meet one...ever. Atraxotoxin is pretty nasty stuff, and can kill in as little as fifteen minutes. Plus, they tend to be really aggressive, which most spiders are not. Sleep tight!;-)

[Nick the DSM]

that...is...one huge spider!!! surprised there isn't a spider-man floatin around!

[scratchy]

I find this thread disturbing.

[BoldHighlander]

I find this thread disturbing.

Aye, and I knew I shouldn't have looked at it just before bed!!