# Spiders



## lehaley (Jun 25, 2011)

Hey guys, I wasn't entirely sure where to post this thread, so I figured General Questions was the best place. Lately I've been having issues with medium-sized spiders invading my apartment. I think it has a lot to do with the weather getting colder, since I live on the first floor and had the same problem here last fall. I'll be honest, I'm a big baby when it comes to spiders. I will kill/dispose of them myself if I am alone, but believe me when I say it involves a lot of screaming, stomping around, and yelling "OMG DIIIIIIEEEEEEEEE!". I'm a bit ridiculous, and my neighbors probably think I'm insane. 

Tonight I found a spider in a place I never expected. I was moving things around Felix's cage and noticed something brown in the corner under his liner. I assumed it was poop, but when I went in to pick it up with some toilet paper, IT MOVED. The amount of screaming and stomping that ensued was pretty much off the chart.

So my question is, should I be concerned about Felix getting to a spider or a spider getting to him? I'm going to start checking his cage for them daily, but obviously there's always a chance that another could get in there and I will miss it. I'm not entirely sure if he would eat one (he's never had a live insect bigger than a mealworm), but would it be a big deal if he did? I'm more concerned about one biting him, but other than checking his cage for them every day I'm not sure what else I can do to prevent that.


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## shawnwk1 (Jul 8, 2011)

YES!!!! spider bites can be fatal to a hedgie


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## Hedgieonboard (Nov 15, 2009)

It could be a problem. Do you know what kind they are? If you are wanting to get rid of the spiders I know there's always a chance one will get through undetected but I have found that the Lemongrass ant spray I got does kill spiders too, I took a chance and it worked. The spray is all natural with Lemongrass oil and I've tried a soybean oil one too. The only problem is it is oily and feels yucky if you get it on carpet, I got some on a bathroom mat on accident and found that one out. Hopefully there will be some ideas on how to help keep them out. I feel for you with that. Here its usually rain that will have creepy crawlies trying to find a place to hang out.


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## lehaley (Jun 25, 2011)

To be honest, I didn't take much time to get a close look at the thing before squishing and flushing it. I know it was brown and about the size of a nickel. After reading the first response here, I googled hedgehogs and spider bites and am absolutely horrified by the pictures I saw. 

First things first I'm thinking I'm going to go on a crazy OCD cleaning spree of my apartment and leave absolutely no dark corner unturned. I will probably look into some sort of natural bug spray as well. Hedgieonboard, where did you find yours? My apartment gets treated for "pests" once a month per my landlord's instructions. I don't allow them to spray my bedroom because it's where I keep Felix, plus I get migraines and can be sensitive to things like that. It would take a load off my mind to be able to treat my apartment myself with a product that is safe for both me and Felix.


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## Kalandra (Aug 25, 2008)

Even spiders that are considered non-lethal can cause series tissue damage and be life threatening. I lost one of my first hedgehogs from a common house spider bite. I learned a lot about "non-lethal" spider bites from my little girl, but it came at a massive price.

I am one of those people who love arachnids. I find them to be amazing creatures. But when it comes to my hedgehogs, spiders are not allowed. 11 years later, common house spiders still have a kill on sight death warrant, all others I capture and remove from the house.


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## Hedgieonboard (Nov 15, 2009)

lehaley said:


> Hedgieonboard, where did you find yours?


I think I got both of them at Lowe's, I know for sure I got the soybean oil one there. If I didn't get the lemongrass one there then it would have been Walmarts.


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## lehaley (Jun 25, 2011)

Hedgieonboard said:


> lehaley said:
> 
> 
> > Hedgieonboard, where did you find yours?
> ...


Thanks! I know there's not a ton I can do to prevent them from getting in my apartment, but at the very least I can spray something to kill the nasty things once they're inside. I may also spray outside to further discourage them.

Kalandra, I can't say that I'm really shocked that spider bites can be so dangerous for hedgies. I usually have nasty skin reactions to bites from your typical, everyday house spider. Something that is a small, irritating bite for me is a HUGE bite for a hedgie when you take their size into consideration.


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## Liylababygirl (Mar 1, 2013)

I thought hedgehogs were toxin tolerant. does that only count for ingesting and not being bitten?


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## nikki (Aug 28, 2008)

Wild hedgehogs are thought to be resistant to some toxins, but its not know if our domestic hedgehogs are.


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