traumatized by vermin

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I live in Tucson. I'm on the far northeast side. I've lived here for a few years. The vermin are traumatizing me. I just had an encounter with the BIGGEST SPIDER I HAVE EVER SEEN INSIDE. I'm still shaking. I realized after I saw it that it was too big to kill with a shoe. Long story short, it has left this world and its corpse is on my patio.

I am moving to Phoenix for nursing school soon, when my pre-reqs are done. I know that the newly developed areas have the most insects indoors, but still? Are certain areas worse than others? Does Phoenix have as many 'vermin' as Tucson? Here's what I experience outside: tarantulas on my sidewalk last week, bobcat by trash can a few days ago, a snake by my drive a few weeks ago, and javelina come by my bedroom window at night. Indoors: spiders, roaches, and the occasional scorpion. I have been stung by a scorpion. It actually wasn't too bad. A little nausea, cramps, rapid heart beat, and numbness. (((It's the large spiders that I cannot handle.))):uhoh3:

Specializes in RN, BSN, CHDN.

My friend lives in centre of Phoenix and she has a hanging glass jar with red stuff inside and they attract humming birds, you might wanna try something like that

Specializes in Acute Care Psych, DNP Student.
Oh, I would love to see them. I am actively trying to tempt different birds to my garden, but we are in a very populated area. No chance of quail here.

I envy you. Do you get different kinds of hummingbirds too?

So much more pleasant than spiders etc....

I don't have hummingbirds. I didn't even know the quail family was there until my cat started making hannibal lecter type sounds "ths-ths-ths" and charged under the stairs. I grabbed my little feline friend and discovered the most adorable little family.

Specializes in med surg.
Specializes in med surg.

I'm afraid of snakes and tarantulas.I have seen rattle snakes in zoos but never inside my house. I have never seen spiders as big as our hand.Must brace myself for the vermin!:uhoh21:

Thanks for the warning!

Specializes in Acute Care Psych, DNP Student.
I'm afraid of snakes and tarantulas.I have seen rattle snakes in zoos but never inside my house. I have never seen spiders as big as our hand.Must brace myself for the vermin!:uhoh21:

Thanks for the warning!

It was an aberration. It took me over 20 years of living here to see such a spider. Don't worry. And you will not have rattle snakes in your house.;)

Specializes in Cardiac.

No, no rattlesnakes in the house!

I grew up in a very small mining town in the middle of AZ, and we used to run around barefooted in the desert all the time! I've never even gotten close to a rattler before. Don't worry!

I have a family of woodpeckers in my front saguaro, though!

Specializes in Too many to list.
No, no rattlesnakes in the house!

I grew up in a very small mining town in the middle of AZ, and we used to run around barefooted in the desert all the time! I've never even gotten close to a rattler before. Don't worry!

I have a family of woodpeckers in my front saguaro, though!

I'm a birder, hence the question, what kind of woodpeckers?

Specializes in Cardiac.

Gosh, I didnt' know we had more than one kind. I only ever see the same ones. It's the same family though. They come back every year, and then I will hear the baby chirps when the babies are born! I throw trail mix under the cactus for them (probably not good since it attracts other vermin!).

Brown and white, with a white strip on it's wings. It's funny, because they will come and knock on our door and swamp cooler to let everyone know that we are it's territory! When they crack on the cooler, it echos throughout the whole house.

Here is what they look like:

http://home.earthlink.net/~richditch3/gilawp7.htm

Specializes in ICU, Research, Corrections.
I'm a birder, hence the question, what kind of woodpeckers?

Woodpeckers that can knock holes right through the wood siding on the facements in your house right into the attic!

Specializes in SDU, Tele, Hospice, Radiology, Education.

Someone mentioned brown recluse spiders a couple of posts back and I sympathize! I was bitten on each leg (2 different times!) and the first time my leg swelled up and the RN that took care of me told me that if I waited much longer to come in and be treated, I would have had to get surgery. As it is, it left a nasty scar on each leg. When I went to be treated, they told me that they like to live in small, dark places (i.e. closets, under bed sheets, etc) and that it probably bit me while I was sleeping. *shudder*

*edit for spelling

Specializes in Too many to list.
Gosh, I didnt' know we had more than one kind. I only ever see the same ones. It's the same family though. They come back every year, and then I will hear the baby chirps when the babies are born! I throw trail mix under the cactus for them (probably not good since it attracts other vermin!).

Brown and white, with a white strip on it's wings. It's funny, because they will come and knock on our door and swamp cooler to let everyone know that we are it's territory! When they crack on the cooler, it echos throughout the whole house.

Here is what they look like:

http://home.earthlink.net/~richditch3/gilawp7.htm

Thank you for that photo link. I live in New England so no cactus here for the Gila woodpecker. We just have the ordinary type of redbellied woodpeckers as well as red headed, northern flickers, hairy and downy woodpeckers. They all like to live in our New England trees.

As for varmints here, the fisher cats, that will eat your house cats and other small animals, and coyotes that will do the same, are what everyone talks about. When I first moved to Maine, I thought the fishers were only a legend. I saw my first one a week ago. Kind of a weasel like appearance, pretty large, with shaggy long black hair, and a long hairy tail. At least I think it was a fisher. It sure did not resemble any other animal I have ever seen. It was examining fresh road kill as we drove by a lake. Scarey looking varmint! They say it will eat all parts of it's victim including the fur. One of my CNA's was visiting a friend a week ago whose cat had been attacked by one, and got away dragging what was left of it's leg. It is now a three legged cat. Another CNA watched as her cat was attacked and killed. She had her baby in her arms and could not do anything. These are very dangerous, vicious animals.

Thank you for that photo link. I live in New England so no cactus here for the Gila woodpecker. We just have the ordinary type of redbellied woodpeckers as well as red headed, northern flickers, hairy and downy woodpeckers.

I have one living outside my house. I've never seen it, but managed to get it's call recorded

http://www.420dude.com/dudesounds/woody2.wav

Any ideas?

Cheers

OG - ready to take on any AZ critter apart from snakes, scorpions, spiders, mountain lions, those hogs with sharp teeth and Gila monsters.

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