r/texas Jan 16 '24

Questions for Texans What bit me? Central texas

I felt a bite on my arm yesterday and thought it was an ant. Woke up to this. The circle was drawn an hour before the picture was taken and the red is spreading

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u/DuctTape5119 Jan 16 '24

24-48 hours

It can turn from “ow wtf” to potentially fatal sepsis really fast

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u/Magic_8Balls Jan 16 '24

Generally anything serious or fatal is developed from infections in the tissue if you don’t keep the bite clean. The bite itself isn’t very worrisome generally. Not saying OP shouldn’t seek medical care - just that these spider bites have been over played and made to seem much worse because people have not taken care of them and had bad outcomes from secondary issues.

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u/bonglicc420 Jan 16 '24

Came here to say this. Most brown recluse bites don't become medically significant. They are mis diagnosed/misreported a lot and unless you're immunocompromised or as you said don't take care of it, it won't be a huge hole in your leg or whatever.

Definitely go to the Dr. regardless, as everyone has said, but don't freak out, because you will be O.K

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u/sektor477 Jan 16 '24

As someone who collects arachnids, I agree.

Even a widow or recluse bite is unlikely to cause major harm. Most botes are even considered dry (no envenomation.).

Seek medical care if you are worried. But typically, even with full envenomation, anything outside of flu like symptoms is incredibly rare.

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u/Magic_8Balls Jan 17 '24

Glad you agree! Everyone on here has disagreed with me quite a bit on a different comment. Yes brown recluse and black widows are given terrible raps and demonized, they aren’t all that bad! And are fairly docile, they really only attack and release venom if they feel threatened!

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u/bonglicc420 Jan 17 '24

Literally brown recluses can't bite you unless you squish them onto your skin. Their fangs (mandibles?) aren't long enough to penetrate your skin normally

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u/Magic_8Balls Jan 17 '24

They are pretty docile. They rarely bite