# Urticating Hairs



## Captainmatt29 (Feb 28, 2009)

Well my smithi is now on the way to Garlicpickle which is all good, but when i was transferring it to the cricket tub ready to package it flicked a load of hairs at my arm and now i have constant itching and redness on my inner left arm.

Anyone got any suggestions on how to get it to go away, its really itchy and annoying.


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## garlicpickle (Jan 16, 2009)

oh thanks a lot, I'm gonna get ANOTHER bald spider to add to my collection! :whip: :Na_Na_Na_Na:

Not much you can do about the hairs really, washing in cool water (heat seems to make it worse) and I found that E45 Itch Relief Cream seemed to help a bit when my A. genic got me badly one time. you can try an antihistamine tablet such as Clarityn, but I'm not convinced it does much. It should go away in a few days - just try not to scratch!


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## Gomjaba (May 25, 2009)

garlicpickle said:


> oh thanks a lot, I'm gonna get ANOTHER bald spider to add to my collection! :whip: :Na_Na_Na_Na:


pwned :lol2:


Someone suggested Bepanthen creme, not sure, never tried it (never been flicked upon) .. I can tell you that it works perfectly for healing tattoos though :whistling2:


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## garlicpickle (Jan 16, 2009)

if the damn thing is a flicker, I'm gonna shave it!


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## Captainmatt29 (Feb 28, 2009)

It isnt a hairless one garlicpickle he has lots of hair, just didnt like me moving it from one place to another.


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## garlicpickle (Jan 16, 2009)

i think a shaved smithi would look quite cute :flrt:


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## Captainmatt29 (Feb 28, 2009)

Lol well i cant say i ever though about it, its the hairs that make them look bigger


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## BenjaminBoaz (Jan 6, 2006)

If you get little blisters don't pop them! I believe that it can spread the blisters and the itching. I got some the other day on my wrist. Burning like anything. You can try antihistamines but don't seem to work much. Bactroban can help as can eurax cream. To be honest it don't stop the burning feeling. I have found it takes about 12-14 days sometimes to go! Pain killers help if you can get them. Something like dihyrocodine dhc30. But they only from doctors and not given out so beg. The hotter the more painfull. Had it once where the blisters spread around the whole of my first finger and took a few months to go. I guess popping the blissers just washes the hairs into another part of the skin.
Prevention is the key. After this anyone saying hair don't hurt ur going to tell them to shut up.


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## joeyboy (Jul 19, 2008)

I'd assume exfoliating hand scrubs, those ones with the sandy rough particles in, would help. I assume the hairs literally get stuck half way in half way out of your pores their that thin. So scrubbing your skin with those exfoliating scrubs might scratch them out better then itching would.


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## Captainmatt29 (Feb 28, 2009)

lol well it has receeded again for now as i havent scratched it although when i was washing up earlier i felt a funny itching sensation on my hands and arms so i guess warm water irritates it more.


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## BenjaminBoaz (Jan 6, 2006)

joeyboy said:


> I'd assume exfoliating hand scrubs, those ones with the sandy rough particles in, would help. I assume the hairs literally get stuck half way in half way out of your pores their that thin. So scrubbing your skin with those exfoliating scrubs might scratch them out better then itching would.


wash hands but don't scrub! Will make it worse! Have you ever looked these hairs up or seen them under a microscope? There are two main types. The ones at .2mm are covered in spikes. They also hollow with a chemical in side to make it worse! However it's classed as a mechanical action. Scrubbig could spread blisters if popped.


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## Captainmatt29 (Feb 28, 2009)

Well i scratched my bell and well its gone all red now grrrr, gonna need to get these hairs gone.

Anyone known a 100% way to get rid immediately.


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## Young_Gun (Jan 6, 2007)

messengermatt said:


> Well i scratched my bell and well its gone all red now grrrr, gonna need to get these hairs gone.
> 
> Anyone known a 100% way to get rid immediately.


Quick cold shower with Lynx Snake Peel, works perfect for me if I get a bad flicker.


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## Captainmatt29 (Feb 28, 2009)

Young_Gun said:


> Quick cold shower with Lynx Snake Peel, works perfect for me if I get a bad flicker.


Dude thanks so much, will get this done asap :notworthy:


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## JustJordan (Jul 2, 2008)

the very reason i refuse to handle mine lmao
if i sold her id have to hand over the viv as well haha


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## joeyboy (Jul 19, 2008)

animalstorey said:


> wash hands but don't scrub! Will make it worse! Have you ever looked these hairs up or seen them under a microscope? There are two main types. The ones at .2mm are covered in spikes. They also hollow with a chemical in side to make it worse! However it's classed as a mechanical action. Scrubbig could spread blisters if popped.


well young_gun below just said a shower using lynx snake peel shower gel works for him. Which is an example of the ones which contain the sand like exfoliating grains.


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## Captainmatt29 (Feb 28, 2009)

messengermatt said:


> Well i scratched my bell and well its gone all red now grrrr, gonna need to get these hairs gone.
> 
> Anyone known a 100% way to get rid immediately.


i ment belly : victory:


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## C_Strike (Feb 20, 2007)

messengermatt said:


> Well i scratched my bell and well its gone all red now grrrr, gonna need to get these hairs gone.
> 
> Anyone known a 100% way to get rid immediately.


Classic!:lol2:


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## garlicpickle (Jan 16, 2009)

look here and scroll about halfway down the page - then you'll see why those hairs itch so much!

The Tarantula Store -> effects of urticating hairs on myself


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## jagos12 (Aug 4, 2008)

think i saw somewhere about puting sticky tape over the affected area then pulling it off .. dont know if this would work but may be worth trying


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## BenjaminBoaz (Jan 6, 2006)

joeyboy said:


> well young_gun below just said a shower using lynx snake peel shower gel works for him. Which is an example of the ones which contain the sand like exfoliating grains.


Driving these hairs deeper into the skin dont help at all. Of course washing the area will help to remove any on skins surfacebut scrubbing is only going to irritate the skin further. These hairs can be a night mere and the rash can re occur well after it's been and gone. If you get the little blisters- sometimes clear and other times looking like White heads for goodness sake DONT scrub them! I'm talking from experiance. I had it in my hands a good number of times and on 4 occasions realy bad. The worst was for months and it spread complete over my finger, I couldn't bend it, was on fire, skin blisters up bad. This time I have a some on my wrist and killing. Gone red and sore, itching loads, starting to burn again. I've heard of sticky tape but can only see that removing any that haven't got into the skin. The barbs on the microscopic hairs won't aloud for them to be pulled out.


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## Captainmatt29 (Feb 28, 2009)

Well i went to bed and couldnt sleep as the itching was horrible, just woke up and can already feel the itching coming back grrrr.


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## BenjaminBoaz (Jan 6, 2006)

messengermatt said:


> Well i went to bed and couldnt sleep as the itching was horrible, just woke up and can already feel the itching coming back grrrr.


You will! I've woken up loadswith hands raw due to itching in sleep. See if you can get some pain killers from doctor. Say it's burning like it's on fire (well it is !) say normal ones no good and you need something. It will last for about 12 to 14 days normaly like I've said before. Between fingers is horribal. I'm going to take picture of my wrist in a but and get it up on here. Not spread far at moment. Strange thing is that I cleaned and fed the spiders last Friday and itching didn't start till Sunday. And I had washed hands loads between Friday and Sunday or washing don't always work. Keep area clean and as cool as possible to stop germs and to lower burningfeeling. A fan helps blowing cold air over the area.


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## BenjaminBoaz (Jan 6, 2006)

heres the picture that i promised.









if you look closely you can see the white blisters that have come up. to the left of these 4 white blisters where its red is where i poped a blister which i thought was a splinter - it wasnt and now spread - dont go popping blisters. sometimes the blisters look like little holes under the skin (almost like a verruca).


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## Hedgewitch (Feb 12, 2008)

animalstorey said:


> I've heard of sticky tape but can only see that removing any that haven't got into the skin. The barbs on the microscopic hairs won't aloud for them to be pulled out.


None the less, early application of sticky tape may help matters... Removing those that haven't gotten into the skin at least stops them getting in later.

I seem to remember about a year ago moose from here got a lungful from her GBB... Wasn't happy about that I remember.

And by lungful I mean inhaled a few by accident.


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## BenjaminBoaz (Jan 6, 2006)

sticky tape will only remove those that havent entered the skin. any that have cant be removed with tape, and thats if you know where they have landed.
Still the problem is what happens when you do get them and reaction starts......not much it seems!

on this occassion i didnt even know that i had hairs on me as it was 2 days later that it started to itch and show!


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## The T Lord (Mar 28, 2009)

Whenever ive been flicked at, usually by my Nhandu Chromatus, it has resulted in a little tching for a min or so, then nothing?
John


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## BenjaminBoaz (Jan 6, 2006)

imagine these getting up the nose or into eyes!?
and i still come across people putting chilli roses on peoples chests and head at parties, school visits etc. Came accross one web site advertising they let the kids stroke the legs of the tarantula! STUPID in my eyes.


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## BenjaminBoaz (Jan 6, 2006)

The T Lord said:


> Whenever ive been flicked at, usually by my Nhandu Chromatus, it has resulted in a little tching for a min or so, then nothing?
> John


 this can happen - had if often like this. - a few minutes or longer, however if you get enough or they get in deep it can be a totaly different matter. I never believe it could be bad till it happened to me.


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## Gomjaba (May 25, 2009)

animalstorey said:


> heres the picture that i promised.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


nasty :censor:


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## BenjaminBoaz (Jan 6, 2006)

itches like hell! feels like burning too. hust hope it dosent spread any further. Not too bad this time though - last time it was between all my fingers and i had to walk around with my fingers all splayed out! 
shops dont tell you much about hairs when they sell T's. 
this time i was just feeding some led legs and one flicked up. I moved back out of the way quickly but not quick enough it seems.


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## BenjaminBoaz (Jan 6, 2006)

hows it going messengermatt? have you got any blisters or is it just itching? somethimes they feel like spelks or splinters yet you cant pinpoint them easily just itches. can you post a picture?


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## garlicpickle (Jan 16, 2009)

I found it was worse at night and when my hands were warm, I had the tiny blisters too.

That smithi must have taken out all its frustration on Matt, it didn't flick me when I unpacked it


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## BenjaminBoaz (Jan 6, 2006)

sorry was it garlicpickle that had them....yes it gets worse toward the end of the day for some reason.....there again so do colds and flu etc...wierd!
I need to take another couple of painkillers


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## Young_Gun (Jan 6, 2007)

I've never had a reaction like that before and been flicked on innumerable occasions.


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## BenjaminBoaz (Jan 6, 2006)

Young_Gun said:


> I've never had a reaction like that before and been flicked on innumerable occasions.


 its not every time ive had hairs on me. This is the 5th time ive had it like this in past 7 yrs. most of the time its nothing to worry about.


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## Young_Gun (Jan 6, 2007)

animalstorey said:


> its not every time ive had hairs on me. This is the 5th time ive had it like this in past 7 yrs. most of the time its nothing to worry about.


What did you do when you were first flicked on?


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## BenjaminBoaz (Jan 6, 2006)

this time i didnt realise i had been. I just washed hands as normal with soap when i finnished feeding everything. Worse time was a yr ago i was doind a demonstration of the spinneretts and knocked the abdomain and sent a dust cloud up - couldnt wash hands for another 30 mins - still the itching didnt start for another hour or so after that!
this is a good web site to look at:Treating Urticating Hair Allergic Reactions (or Why Handling Tarantulas is NOT advised)


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## BenjaminBoaz (Jan 6, 2006)

could be that it depends on which hairs get into the skin. Some are just pointed and dont have barbs. Once when i was doind a school visit the school had a new digital microscope so i scratched off some hairs and loaded them up - pure evil is what they are. wicked shots though.


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## $dean (Jan 19, 2009)

what t were you speared by? i have my a genic flick a few times at me and i find i itch around the nose from breathing the hairs in, but it has always been minor for about a minute and thats it, has the genic got less irritating hairs than others?


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## BenjaminBoaz (Jan 6, 2006)

usually its chilli roses or red legs or red knees. This time it was a B.emelia (red leg) last 4 really bad accounts was chilli rose. but as said had mild itch loads of times.


The Tarantula Defense Mechanism - Urticating Hairs
this is rather interesting. especial this bit:
Many a creature has succumbed to the might of the underestimated urticating hairs, which can be deadly to most. As mentioned before, the hairs are slightly venomous, and can instantly poison another creature that attacks the tarantula. However, humans are the exception, as the urticating hairs are not known to cause fatal injuries.....Several tarantula enthusiasts have actually had to give up their hobby due to unexpected allergic reactions....Once the terrestrial tarantula makes its silken web, they outline the area with urticating hairs to indicate a prohibited zone.

so you can get them in your skin without them flicking hairs at you.


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## $dean (Jan 19, 2009)

wierd how you get different symptoms different times


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## BenjaminBoaz (Jan 6, 2006)

just read on another fourm (arachnobarads) that differnet types of hairs can bring on different results and different people etc...:devil: devils pitch forks is what i call them


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## Captainmatt29 (Feb 28, 2009)

Well went to the doctors today, have been given antihistimine cream and steroid pills to take every 4 hours :S


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## BenjaminBoaz (Jan 6, 2006)

also found this:

On the 18/8/04 I was doing the regular clean up of the spider tanks after feeding the day before, got to my Acanthoscurria geniculata, feisty as always she chased the long tweezers around the tank as I removed the debris from the night before and removed the water bowl replaced the lid went and cleaned it out came back replaced the water bowl and she attacked it in the normal way started to fill the water dish and she kicked of a cloud of urticating hairs right at me. Now I have never been affected by any sort of urticating hairs before but this time it was different.!!!!!!!!

I sneezed and as sneezing I took a gulp of air the pain was almost instantaneous in the back of my throat so I knew what had happened. After 1 hour my body started to react to the hairs by producing copious amounts of mucous and regular coughing to try and resolve the irritation. I put up with this for the rest of the day.

19/8/04 no change so I took 2 nurofen and 2 paracetamol at regular intervals through the day but did not make any difference to the problem.

20/8/04 still no change the pain was getting worse so time to try the next thing in my, arsenal antihistamines that I take for hay fever so I took 2 of these and carried on with the nurofen and paracetamol but still no effects. Towards the evening I started to loose my voice (which I think the wife and kids were happy about).

21/8/04 voice nearly gone completely so the wife phoned the doctors made a Saturday emergency appointment 10am got to see the doctor armed with a few books explaining about urticating hairs told him what I had tried he said it’s the order of things he would have suggested to try so he said we will try anti-inflammatory lozenges that will coat the area directly. So off I go to the chemist and get my lozenges quite hopeful that they will work.

22/8/04 no real change again body still producing copious amounts of mucous pain still there the lozenges had helped with the voice though which had started to come back slightly.

23/8/04 no further change in the condition so decided to go back to the doctors again armed with books to try and resolve the problem. So the doc and me thumbed through the books and came to an article on urticating hairs in the book the tarantula keeper’s guide by Schultz and Schultz it stated that you can treat external irritation by using a 2 or 2 ½ hydrocortisone cream this gave the doc something to go on. He told me to carry on with the lozenges and prescribed some steroids in tablet form this time I was hopeful. Straight to the chemist picked them up and started the 5 day course of tablets.

24/8/04 great it was improving the pain had reduced by half and my voice was almost back to normal.

25/8/04 by the end of the day my voice was totally back to normal and very little throat pain.

26/8/04 almost back to normal still a slight discomfort in the throat.

27/8/04 every thing back to normal.

28/8/04 still every thing ok today finally cured.


Hope this might be of interest to some of you.
All the best
Darren 


however notice that this is over a 10 day period. As i mentioned it takes about 12 days to usually stop. I believe it must take the body 10 - 14 days to replace the 7 layers of skin our bodys have and to push the hairs out naturaly.
need to speack to some skin doc to prove it though


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## BenjaminBoaz (Jan 6, 2006)

this one is unreal - check out this picture!!!!!!!
File:Urticating.hairs.reaction.jpg - Wikimedia Commons


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## Captainmatt29 (Feb 28, 2009)

Cheers much appreciated, now i have an understanding


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## BenjaminBoaz (Jan 6, 2006)

another interesting fact ... which i didnt know till now is:
Ephebopus species are exceptional with respect to their urticating hairs: they are the only tarantulas that have their urticating hairs on the palps rather than on the abdomen. This was discovered by Marshall & Uetz (1990) but detailed descriptions on the morphology of the urticating hairs and on the mechanism of the »palp flicking« response were lacking so far.


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## garlicpickle (Jan 16, 2009)

I must have breathed in a few hairs from my boehmei when I was doing her tank one time, and I had a scratchy throat for a few days.

A. genic seems to be worse for me, Brachy hairs not so bad.


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## $dean (Jan 19, 2009)

thats a nasty pick looked painfull :lol2:


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## $dean (Jan 19, 2009)

been flicked by a red rump aswell same days as my genic once and was fine must of got away lucky looking at the pics:lol2:


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## Captainmatt29 (Feb 28, 2009)

Well day 3 and here come to large red hives :S, the steroid cream is stopping the itching a bit but not enough the pills i have to take well i have no idea what they are for lol.

Slept for about 4 hours since yesterday morning and had to get up and have a bath at 2am because i couldnt stand the itching.


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## BenjaminBoaz (Jan 6, 2006)

Could you let us know the name of the cream and tablets u been given please? Do you have anyway of posting a picture of your hives! LOL. Cheers


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## Captainmatt29 (Feb 28, 2009)

I'm not going to post any images just yet as it flares up and down.
However i can inform you that that medication i am now on is the following.

Elocon Cream and 60 Chlorphenamine pills that i have to take every 4 to 6 hours.

Aparantly they make you very sleepy so i wont lose anymore sleep over it


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## BenjaminBoaz (Jan 6, 2006)

day 6 of my skin : you can see that although i have kept the area clean infection has spread. I dont know if this is cos the hairs do have some kind of chemical in them which is the cause or if its that the hairs are dirty and thats the cause or if its just the hair thats causing it. What i can say is that it was burning last night and had to get up and take a painkiller. Hurting again this morning so took these pictures for you all to see.
























below is original pic so you can see spread.


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## BenjaminBoaz (Jan 6, 2006)

Chlorphenamine is an antihistamines. not that i think it does much to help though.


hows you feeling this morning buddy?


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## garlicpickle (Jan 16, 2009)

blimey you two, it sounds really bad! Is it possible to actually be allergic to the hairs rather than it being a "simple" mechanical irritation from the barbs? Because when I got a bad dose of A. genic hairs, it itched a lot and I had teeny blisters and redness between my fingers for a week or so, but nothing like what you are describing.

Animal storey, that looks as if it might be infected. Is there pus in those blisters? It could be that a secondary infection has got in where you've scratched and you might need antibiotics. I'm not a doctor but my husband got cellulitis once from a mosquito bite which got infected, and he was really ill. If you feel at all ill (feverish etc) please go to the GP and get it looked at.


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## BenjaminBoaz (Jan 6, 2006)

some are filled
With a re liquid others look like puss. I dare not pop them as this causes more problems. Antibiotics will help I suppose. Other half going
To make A Doc Appointment. Just goes to show it's
Not really good to handle spiders especialy kids.


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## Captainmatt29 (Feb 28, 2009)

Today for me the large blotchy lumps have gone away, now its just annoying itching again grrr.

If i scrath it burns so putting on the cream they gave me. the anithistimine pills i was given are a very strong dose hence sending me to sleep lol.

I was told the b.smithi doesnt have poisonous hairs just very irritating ones according to the gloucestershire poisons unit.


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## garlicpickle (Jan 16, 2009)

sounds like you must just be extra sensitive to them Matt - perhaps you'd better stick to Old World T's - no hairs to worry about, at least only one end of them is capable of causing you damage!


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## Captainmatt29 (Feb 28, 2009)

GarlicPickle i am rather amused that you have my quote on your sig lol, hows the little one doing.


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## garlicpickle (Jan 16, 2009)

messengermatt said:


> GarlicPickle i am rather amused that you have my quote on your sig lol, hows the little one doing.


LOL I couldn't resist! It's fine mate, settled in its new home and already had a cricket.


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## Hedgewitch (Feb 12, 2008)

Gods you guys are suffering :?

Don't let it get infected, it'll just make things worse. Also, I would think people might be able to become allergic to the hairs... they're protein based, immune response (which is what allergy is) is based or recognising non-self (foreign, i.e. not yours) proteins in your system.

Plus infection could lead to scarring or a systemic infection.


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## BenjaminBoaz (Jan 6, 2006)

I have kept area as clean as possible but still infection got in as before u fess it's just down to hair itself. It's been bad today a bit itchy but haven't scratched it at all. Still applying cream it's thick and makes a barrier which is good. Hasn't spread anymore although blisters have filled up more. Last time doc told me it was like a contact dermatitis. 
Even so all I've had today is moaning kids saying why can't we hold the tarantula!


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## Captainmatt29 (Feb 28, 2009)

My right wrost has swollen lumps on it from the hairs, i guess it got into both arms


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## BenjaminBoaz (Jan 6, 2006)

Surprising that it can take a few days to show up! How's it going mate? Any picture yet? Mines been mostly ok today untill about an hour ago now it's burning again! Rest of fingers a bit itchy with tingling feeling no sign of hair, blotches etc. Matt is it just your hands? Will get some more pictures taken tomorrow.


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## Captainmatt29 (Feb 28, 2009)

Update :- Well my arms have pretty much stopped itching now apart from the occasional random itching sensation. I thought it was all over but guess what it's worse. 

I now have stinging/itching finger tips and the base of my thumb has swollen up.

The itching extends from finger tips right down to the palm surrounding the fingers, the itching seems to have moved to both hands around the base of the thumb, index finger and the area below all the fingers.

I have ready suggestions that this could be an allergy to the meds im on but im sceptical about that.


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## BenjaminBoaz (Jan 6, 2006)

well its now the ninth day (i think) so a few more updated pictures. Wasnt to bad yesterday burning feeling not too bad but know its there. some of the blisters have gone down others have surfaced. hands from time to time itch but no other signs of blisters. have a few red itchy blotches on left arm - could have picked up a few hairs there.


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## BenjaminBoaz (Jan 6, 2006)

day 10 and the white puss blisters have dried up under the skin and burning has stopped although still some itching and on my wrist. To the side of the area there is a little hole/circle under skin which worries me a little cos last time thats how it went and spread completely over one of my fingers. However i believe worst is over though. the red dried areas are starting to crack. in a few days the dead skin will come off with any hairs trapped inside. 
I RECOMEND NOT HANDLING SPIDERS UNLESS YOU REALY NEED TOO!

:whistling2:


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## BenjaminBoaz (Jan 6, 2006)

day 12 and the blisters have dried out and skin started to crack. By end of day I ended up pulling of dead skin. Still itchy but not burning anymore. 
Day 14 still itching. From one little blister the end result is a penny size infection which has now about gone. I've been putting moisturiser on to stop skin drying and itching. 

Hows it going matt? I gather almost done by now?


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## Captainmatt29 (Feb 28, 2009)

I have still got horrible itching on the palms of my hands, it comes and goes but is there more when i wake up until about lunch time.

Hot water still causes it to sting like a you know what along with any other heated surface.


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## BenjaminBoaz (Jan 6, 2006)

Hang on in there matt! Few more days and It will be 
almost gone


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## BenjaminBoaz (Jan 6, 2006)

Well the blisters dried out and the akin cracked and can off. Stopped burning but continued to feel itchy. Im not sure how many days it's been but fir past week it's been itchy where theblisters were. Noticed today a blister forming and a circle under the skin- it's back!! Starting to be irritating again. Have taken some antihystamines and put some cream on again, just hoping that ur doesn't come back as bad and that I catch it in time. I do hate these hairs.


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## Captainmatt29 (Feb 28, 2009)

Mine has also started to come back no thanks to the heat, its been itching like crazy


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## Hedgewitch (Feb 12, 2008)

Christ almighty, effective defence or what?


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## LincsReps (Jul 2, 2009)

You've convinced me to wear gloves when spot cleaning:gasp:

hope the effects fade completley soon, those pics look really painfull


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## Captainmatt29 (Feb 28, 2009)

Always wear gloves, the T that flicked at me has gone and its still reaping its revenge on me grrr.

My left arm was itching like crazy earlier on grrr


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## TEENY (Jan 4, 2008)

I would try hard not to itch it as it will make it worse. Try germaline as this will numb it then put a barrier like Aqueous or E45 over top. I suffer from eczema on my hands and i find using a barrier to stop air getting to it and it drying out helps so it may work for this too


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## BenjaminBoaz (Jan 6, 2006)

pissed off - started to itch again yesterday and today can see clear little circles under the skin again so back taking the antihistimines and slapping on the cream! same place as last time told you it can be a pain!


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## garlicpickle (Jan 16, 2009)

blimey, you had it bad - must be the hairs working their way out.


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## BenjaminBoaz (Jan 6, 2006)

not sure by i hate tarantulas!lol.
and people buy them for kids!


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## tiesto (May 6, 2009)

sort of gloves you suggest using? would surgical gloves be good?


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## BenjaminBoaz (Jan 6, 2006)

i guess they would be a good idea. will be trying a box in future.


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## Captainmatt29 (Feb 28, 2009)

This past week the hairs have reaped their revenge again, i have had an itchy palm and in this random heat its been irritated alot.


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## LincsReps (Jul 2, 2009)

I'd forgotten about this thread, but after reading it again I should really say thanks as I use gardening gloves now, if I hadn't have read your pain I may not have taken the risk seriously, so thanks and sorry about what happened


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## Chaika (Jun 5, 2009)

Yikes, this hair business is nasty, if that's what it can do to your skin I don't even want to imagine getting one in your eye or something :gasp:! 
Makes me glad that I started out with Psalmos (no hairs) at least I know that I only have to watch for the bite, rather than something barely visible that can be flicked or picked up during tank maintenance :devil:.
The only 'hairy' t's I have are a couple of avics and after this thread I think I'll just stick to the old world Ts, at least you know where you are with those...


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## Gomjaba (May 25, 2009)

40 "Spontex Disposables" at Waitrose for £3.99


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## Captainmatt29 (Feb 28, 2009)

Well today and last night has been very annoying, its funny how the hairs decide to randomly come back and irritate the crap outta me almost 2 months down the line !!!!!


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## BenjaminBoaz (Jan 6, 2006)

I've been ok today. But don't believe it's gone yet.


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## tiesto (May 6, 2009)

i no this is gonna sound crazy.. but an idea... lighter over the infected area to burn the outer section of hair to prevent it going deeper?? if there like human hairs they will burn with the slightest of heat on them


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## sage999 (Sep 21, 2008)

I was once emptying a load of T blondi substrate on the garden. It was dryer than i thought and when it came out it the ground kicking up a cloud of dust. There must have been hundreds of urticating hairs mixed up in it which ended up on my hands, arms and face. Some even went in my eyes and i even inhaled a few. The next few days were horrific. The only thing that seemed to help was cold water.


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## mythicdawn07 (Jun 18, 2009)

i think i read some where put tape over the area and rip it off and it can pull the hairs out. not sure if its true as i dont seem to be effected the hair's. (Had a B.smithi that LOVED to flick hair's but i never got any bad rashes)


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## Captainmatt29 (Feb 28, 2009)

This irritation has been on and off for almost 2 months, it usually takes a sudden temp fluctuation to cause them to irritate again


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## LincsReps (Jul 2, 2009)

Worrying that it's still affecting you Matt, I honeslty thought it would have been long gone by now


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## Captainmatt29 (Feb 28, 2009)

LincsReps said:


> Worrying that it's still affecting you Matt, I honeslty thought it would have been long gone by now


 
Aparantly they can last a long time, problem is they are so small and even a hot bath triggers them again grrrr


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## LincsReps (Jul 2, 2009)

I suppose once they're barbed in then it lasts untill all the layers of skin have been shed off you to release them.

bloody shame as they're clearly causing you grief.

I've taken extra care since this thread. I know it doesn't help your situation now but I do think people are learning off it


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## Gomjaba (May 25, 2009)

LincsReps said:


> I've taken extra care since this thread. I know it doesn't help your situation now but I do think people are learning off it


Same here, I don't even open the exos without gloves ..


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## rob-stl-07 (Jun 3, 2007)

try using calomile to reduce the itching.

i have urticaria and use that; are they the same pretty much? 

i mean does it have the same itching/reddening effect?


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## Captainmatt29 (Feb 28, 2009)

it makes your skin blister up and makes it red almost looks ive hives until they blister :-(

I have had some irritation today and no creme or pharmacy remedy has helped at all because the hairs work themselves further in - its just going to take a while


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## Captainmatt29 (Feb 28, 2009)

Well here we are today 9/9/09 a long time since i created this thread, i am sad to say that last night it all kicked off again around the bases of my fingers on the palm of my left hand!!!!!

I tell you what its horrible its a very tickly itch that will not go away and if you scratch it it either gets worse or you scratch to the point you redden your skin.

no matter how much you scratch the itch will not go away :-(

Well just thought i'd let you all know after all it has been a looong time since i created the thread.

Matt


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## mikemike118 (Aug 15, 2009)

*wax!*

last week i got flicked by my smithi (is it me or are they really common to flick?) and i got a pretty annoying rash, all i done was steal one of ma sisters leg waxing strips, stuck it on my arm on the affected area then ripped it off....and this works a treat!, but just remember that you WILL get a bald patch on your arm, as i didnt know it would remove arm hair :lol2: but it did and i was like ahhhh :whistling2: 

mike


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## ph0bia (Feb 21, 2009)

Gomjaba said:


> Someone suggested Bepanthen creme, not sure, never tried it (never been flicked upon) .. I can tell you that it works perfectly for healing tattoos though :whistling2:


Works quite nicely, just you look weird buying Nappy Rash creme... 

The best thing to do if you're covered in hairs? Proceed immediately to the bathroom without touching the area. Turn on the taps, lukewarm seems to be best, and run it over it. Don't touch the area. The idea of this is to wash away urticating setae that haven't penetrated yet. 

After a short period, I lather up my hands (as long as they're not an affected area) with soap (prefered choice is Dove, something with a good moisturizer seems to work best) and _*gently*_ massage the area. Rush it clear as above, then very softly pat it dry.

Apply bepanthen or antibiotic creme (if you have one, I've one left over from an old prescription) that works well. *NOT* an eczema creme! 

Bepanthen works brilliantly though too.


This sounds a bit overkill, and it usually is. I normally am not too affected by urticating setae, but this practice quashed T.blondi hairs well, and eradicated any itchiness from my B.smithi.

*Top Tip:* Wash your hands as per the first paragraph after working in any spider enclosure that has a New World bristled tarantula in it. This both stops contamination and clears your hands of setae from the floor of the enclosure (which do gather well, tarantulas often kick bristles onto silken mats for food and molting, and others fall off as the spider moves).


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## ph0bia (Feb 21, 2009)

rob-stl-07 said:


> try using calomile to reduce the itching.


Doesn't work, and if it does, it's placebo.



LincsReps said:


> I suppose once they're barbed in then it lasts untill all the layers of skin have been shed off you to release them.


Which should be about 3 days.





messengermatt said:


> This irritation has been on and off for almost 2 months, it usually takes a sudden temp fluctuation to cause them to irritate again





messengermatt said:


> Well here we are today 9/9/09 a long time since i created this thread, i am sad to say that last night it all kicked off again around the bases of my fingers on the palm of my left hand!!!!!
> 
> I tell you what its horrible its a very tickly itch that will not go away and if you scratch it it either gets worse or you scratch to the point you redden your skin.
> 
> ...


Then I'm sorry to say this isn't due to urticating bristles anymore. They may have triggered something, but the bristles are LONG gone from your body by now. Go see your GP, if not a specialised dermatologist. It sounds like the urticating bristles may have triggered an underlying eczema condition.

I am in no way a dermatologist or doctor by any stretch of the imagination, but it sounds very much like what would happen every year at school when we bought new trousers. My skin would flare up (especially on the back of the knees) due to chemicals in the trousers. Washing the trousers first before wearing them always worked, and I'd never had skin conditions before, these chemicals triggered it.

Sounds like you've had a trigger too, but I'd seriously recommend seeking professional advice now.


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## Captainmatt29 (Feb 28, 2009)

I have seen my GP and they can confirm from the venom and poisons department that the hairs can stay in your skin for months on end causing no end of rashes and itchiness.

I had my arm looked at again recently and they ruled out eczema due to the fact the skin blisters and doesnt dry out leaving small boil like lumps behind, i am also not the only person to have had a kick back from them months down the line AnimalStorey has also had the same problem.

Heat irritates the hairs 10 fold which is why i was told not to go near any prominent heat source such as a hot bath unless i wanted to experience burning inside my hand which i have now done twice.

I wouldnt medically adivse someone on here either it hasnt annoyed me but it could cause ruptions with other people who have also got the same problem i have.

I know it is the hairs because it always crops up in the same place and i get the same symptoms, swelling of the immediate area and acute itching / burning depending on what i come into contact with and its also at the base of my fingers on the palm of my hand where i do believe eczema does not buildup commonly in people.


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