The first aid treatment for a spider bite depends on the specie according to Healthdirect, a government-supported website. It does not specifically mention the Tasmanian Cave Spider, but it explains that cold compress helps many of the spider bites. As it only mentioned the dangerous ones such as the funnel web and redback. But, the website also discusses the possibility of a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) from spider bites. It considers this condition fatal so it’s better to learn how to respond to it in case of emergencies. Find more information about this and Tasmanian Cave Spiders in the discussion below.Â
What is the First Aid to the Tasmanian Cave Spider Bite?
Healthdirect suggests applying a cold compress to all the other types of spider bites, possibly including those of Tasmanian Cave Spider. If you do not have a spider bite first aid kit, you may use an ice pack wrapped to help relieve the pain. The same resource discourages applying ice directly on the skin as it may cause a cold burn instead.Â
If you are still concerned, you may use Healthdirect’s symptom checker on its website. It will provide advice on when to seek medical attention.Â
What is the First Aid to Severe Allergic Reaction from a Tasmanian Cave Spider Bite?
Healthdirect explains that there are people who experience a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) from spider bites. A casualty may experience anaphylactic shock which the website considers very serious and life-threatening. So, it has another page that contains a discussion about this emergency such as the following first aid response for it.
- Keeping a casualty still and laying them flat
- Placing them in a recovery position if they are unconscious
- Outstretching their legs if they are vomiting
- Injecting adrenaline if there is one available
- Calling 000 for an ambulance
- Injecting adrenaline again if the casualty does not respond after 5 minutes
- Transferring the person to a hospital for observation
The proper application of the above steps is part of first aid training for anaphylaxis.
Are there Many Tasmanian Cave Spiders?
Australian Museum, the country’s oldest hub of collection, explains on its website that there is a wide distribution of Cave Spiders in Tasmania. It also outlines the following habitats of this specie.
- Underground drainage
- Cave entrance and systems
- Twilight zones
- Hollow logs
- Undersides of bridges
If you are from Tasmania, you may want to enroll in an anaphylaxis first aid course in a nearby city, Melbourne. CPR First Aid (RTO NO 21903) has a training centre here that holds classes every day.
Where Do You Attend the First Aid Training for Tasmanian Cave Spider Bites?
CPR First Aid (RTO NO 21903)’s Melbourne centre is at Level 9 Suite 904, 343 Little Collins St Melbourne CBD. It is approved to deliver first aid courses in the following Victorian areas near Tasmania.
- Ballarat Central
- Bendigo
- Blackburn
- Bundoora
- Cheltenham
- Dandenong
- Frankston
- Footscray
- Geelong
- Greensborough
- Laverton
- Tullamarine
- Werribee
- Wheelers Hill
Visit the organisation’s website to find the address details of the above centres.
What is the Appearance of the Tasmanian Cave Spider?
The Australian Museum describes Tasmanian Cave Spiders as large that weave a sheet web about a metre long. Males are known to have a smaller size than females with longer legs. The carapace is reddish brown and it has a greyish abdomen.
What Do Tasmanian Cave Spiders Eat?
The Australian Museum lists the following animals the Tasmanian Cave Spiders eat.
- Crickets
- Beetles
- Flies
- Millipedes
Its website says that it will hang by its long legs from the underside of the web while waiting for its prey. As it waits for the animals to fall into the vast cribellate silk sheet it created.
What is the Conservation Status of the Tasmanian Cave Spider?
The Australian Museum states that the Cave Spider is an icon species for faunal conservation in Tasmania. It further explains its importance in the management of caves in the region.Â
What is the Life History Cycle of the Tasmanian Cave Spider?
The Australian Museum discusses on its website that the courtship and mating in the Tasmanian Cave Spider take place from late winter to spring. Once there is an egg, the female would guard her egg sacs. Those living outside the caves would disguise the eggs with fragments of wet, rotting wood. After eight to ten months, spiderlings emerge from the sac and disperse within a month. The newly borns may last long as this specie is known to have up to decades of life.
Conclusion
The first aid to the Tasmanian Cave Spiderbite is a cold compress and adrenaline injection if necessary. A spider bite first aid kit and anaphylaxis training from CPR First Aid (RTO NO 21903) may help you perform these correctly. It has a training location in Melbourne, which is close to Tasmania, and in other areas of Victoria. Cave Spiders live in many caves in Tasmania that live decades long. The government considers it an icon for faunal conservation and important in cave management.
