Spider bites

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Spider bites in Australia

It can be difficult to know if a bite from a spider is dangerous or not. This article explains the best first aid treatment needed for different spider bites.

In some people, spider bites can cause anaphylaxis (a severe allergic reaction). Learn more about first aid treatment for severe allergic reactions in the ‘anaphylaxis’ section below.

Different types of spider bite

In terms of first aid, there are 3 types of spiders in Australia:

Funnel-web spiders and other big black spiders — bites from these spiders are very dangerous and can cause death.
Redback spiders — their bites may cause significant pain, but they aren’t life-threatening.
All other spiders in Australia are generally harmless.

Funnel-web spider and other big black spider bite symptoms

A funnel-web spider bite causes:

bad pain
lots of sweating
nausea and vomiting (feeling and being sick)

Other symptoms that you may have include:

drooling
difficulty breathing
confusion
numbness
tingling
twitching of your mouth and tongue

Mouse spider bites are not common, but their symptoms are similar to a bite from a funnel-web spider.

First aid for a funnel-web spider bite

Stay calm and follow these steps:

lie down
mark the site of the bite on the skin with a pen or take a photo
apply a pressure immobilisation bandage (see below)
use a splint to keep the limb still — this slows the movement of venom around your body
keep still
wait for the ambulance to arrive

If someone is with you, they can try to carefully catch the spider so it can be identified. To do this:

place an empty jar over the spider
push a stiff piece of card under the mouth of the jar
up-end the jar so that the spider falls to the bottom
quickly remove the card and replace the jar’s lid

Pressure immobilisation bandage

An elasticated bandage is recommended for anyone bitten by a funnel-web spider. An elasticated bandage slows down the movement of spider venom into your blood.

Follow these steps to apply an elasticated roller bandage:

wrap an elasticated bandage over the bite itself
wrap a second bandage over the whole limb

The bandage should be tight — but shouldn’t cut off your circulation. You should not be able to easily slide a finger between the bandage and your skin.

When wrapping the second bandage, start just above the fingers or toes of your bitten limb and move towards your body.

Write down:

the time of the bite
when the bandage was put on

Redback spider bite symptoms

A redback spider bite can cause:

pain
redness
sweating at the bite site

First aid for a redback spider bite

If you have been bitten by a redback spider:

wash the bite area with soap and water
use a cold pack for 15 minutes to relieve pain
see your doctor if you have bad symptoms

If your pain is very bad, go to your local hospital emergency department.

First aid for other spider bites

For all other spider bites:

apply a cold compress to the bite site for 15 minutes
reapply as needed

You can use an ice pack wrapped in a clean cloth. This treatment will help relieve your pain.

Don’t put the ice directly on your skin as it might cause a cold burn.

White tail spiders

White tail spiders aren’t considered dangerous to humans. They can cause:

an initial burning pain
swelling
itchiness

Current evidence suggests that skin ulceration (necrotising arachnidism) isn’t commonly due to a white tail spider bite.

Anaphylactic shock

Some people occasionally have a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) to being bitten by a spider. Anaphylactic shock is very serious and can cause death.

Symptoms of anaphylactic shock are: