Spider & Snake Bite First Aid: What to Do (Australia)

Redback Spider Bites

The redback spider (Latrodectus hasselti) is found across Australia, often around sheds, letterboxes, outdoor furniture and garden woodpiles. The female is the one to worry about — glossy black with a distinctive red or orange stripe on her back. A bite causes an immediate sharp pain that, unlike most insect bites, tends to get worse over the following 30–60 minutes rather than settling down. Pain can spread from the bite site to the whole limb, and may be followed by sweating (sometimes just at the bite site), nausea, headache, and general malaise. This pattern of symptoms is called latrodectism.

• radio_button_uncheckedApply a cold pack or ice wrapped in a cloth to the bite for pain relief — this is the correct first aid for a redback bite.
• radio_button_uncheckedDo NOT apply a pressure-immobilisation bandage. Redback venom is a large molecule that moves slowly through the lymphatic system, so restricting the limb does not stop it spreading and may make the pain worse.
• radio_button_uncheckedTake the person to a hospital emergency department or call 000 if pain is severe, spreading widely, or accompanied by sweating, nausea or feeling unwell — antivenom is available and can be given if needed.
• radio_button_uncheckedSimple pain relief such as paracetamol can help while you arrange medical review; check the label and avoid products you cannot take.

Funnel-Web Spider Bites: A Medical Emergency

Funnel-web spiders are large, dark, glossy spiders found mainly in New South Wales and the ACT, with related species in parts of Queensland, Victoria and Tasmania. They are considered among the most dangerous spiders in the world, and a bite from a male funnel-web can cause severe, rapidly progressing venom effects: intense pain at the bite site, followed within minutes to hours by sweating, salivation, muscle twitching, nausea and vomiting, and in severe cases, breathing difficulty and collapse. Because symptoms can escalate quickly, every suspected funnel-web bite is treated as a medical emergency, even if the person feels fine at first.

White-Tailed, Huntsman and Other Common Spiders

Most spider bites in Australia — including from white-tailed spiders and huntsman spiders — cause only a sharp, momentary pain, mild swelling and redness that settles within a few hours to a couple of days, much like a bee sting. A cold pack, simple pain relief and keeping the area clean is usually all that is needed. The mouse spider is the exception here: its venom can be as serious as a funnel-web's, so treat any suspected mouse-spider bite as a medical emergency from the outset — call 000 and apply pressure-immobilisation straight away, without waiting to see whether symptoms develop.

White-tailed spiders have a persistent reputation for causing flesh-eating ulcers (necrotic arachnidism). Large Australian case-series and toxinology reviews have not supported this link — necrotic skin ulcers that were once blamed on white-tailed spider bites are now understood to usually have other causes, such as bacterial infection. That does not mean a white-tailed bite cannot hurt or become locally infected; it means the necrosis myth specifically is not well supported by the evidence. Watch any bite for the general signs of infection below rather than assuming the worst about a particular spider.

Snake Bites: What You Must NOT Do

Australia has some of the most venomous snakes in the world, including brown snakes, tiger snakes, taipans and death adders, and bites can occur even from species people assume are harmless. Bites are not always obvious — there may be no pain at first, and puncture marks can be tiny or absent. Treat any suspected snake bite as venomous and call 000, even if the person feels well.

• radio_button_uncheckedDo NOT wash the bite site. Doctors use a swab of the skin to identify the snake venom involved with a venom detection kit, which guides the right antivenom. Washing removes this evidence.
• radio_button_uncheckedDo NOT cut the bite or try to suck out the venom. This does not remove venom, delays proper first aid, and risks infection.
• radio_button_uncheckedDo NOT apply a tourniquet. Cutting off blood flow entirely can damage the limb and does not reliably stop venom spread — pressure-immobilisation is the correct technique instead.
• radio_button_uncheckedDo NOT try to catch, kill or identify the snake. This wastes time and risks a second bite; hospital venom detection kits identify the venom type from the bite site instead.
• radio_button_uncheckedDo NOT let the person walk, run or move around. Movement pumps venom through the lymphatic system faster. Keep them still and bring transport to them if possible.
• radio_button_uncheckedDo NOT elevate the bitten limb. Keep it at or below heart level and as still as possible.

The Pressure-Immobilisation Technique, Step by Step

Pressure-immobilisation is the first aid technique recommended across Australia for snake bites and suspected funnel-web spider bites. It uses firm, even pressure and complete immobilisation to slow the movement of venom from the bite site into the bloodstream, buying time until the person reaches hospital and antivenom, if needed.

• radio_button_uncheckedCall 000 first, or send someone else to call while you start first aid.
• radio_button_uncheckedKeep the person completely still and calm — reassurance helps, as anxiety and movement both speed venom spread.
• radio_button_uncheckedApply a broad, heavy crepe bandage directly over the bite site first, firmly (about as tight as you would for a sprained ankle), without cutting off circulation.
• radio_button_uncheckedContinue wrapping the bandage up the limb, covering as much of the limb as possible, starting from the fingers or toes and working towards the body if you have enough bandage — the goal is to compress the whole limb, not just the bite.
• radio_button_uncheckedSplint the limb (a stick, rolled newspaper or piece of wood works) to keep it completely immobile, then bind the splint in place.
• radio_button_uncheckedKeep the bitten limb at or below the level of the heart, and do not let the person walk. Carry them or bring a vehicle to them.
• radio_button_uncheckedNote the time of the bite and mark the bandage location if possible — this helps the treating hospital team.
• radio_button_uncheckedLeave the bandage and splint in place until the person is in an emergency department and medical staff decide it is safe to remove them.

Preventing Spider and Snake Bites

• radio_button_uncheckedWear enclosed shoes, thick socks and long trousers when walking through long grass, bushland or gardens, especially in warmer months when snakes are more active.
• radio_button_uncheckedWear gloves when gardening, moving woodpiles, garden furniture, or clearing sheds — classic redback territory.
• radio_button_uncheckedNever put your hands or feet into places you cannot see, such as under rocks, logs, letterboxes or storage boxes.
• radio_button_uncheckedIf you see a snake, stay still or back away slowly. Do not try to move, catch, or kill it — most bites happen when people try to handle or corner a snake.
• radio_button_uncheckedKeep your yard tidy: clear woodpiles, long grass and rubbish where spiders and snakes like to shelter, and check outdoor shoes and clothing before putting them on.
• radio_button_uncheckedKnow the pressure-immobilisation technique and keep bandages in your first aid kit before you need them, not after.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does a redback spider bite look like?

Often not much — you might see one or two tiny puncture marks and mild local redness, but nothing dramatic. The giveaway is the pain pattern: sharp pain at the bite that gets worse over the next 30 to 60 minutes rather than settling, sometimes with sweating, nausea or spreading pain. Apply a cold pack and seek medical care rather than relying on how the bite looks.

Should you suck out snake venom or cut the bite?

No. Cutting the bite or trying to suck out venom does not remove it, wastes valuable time, and can introduce infection. It is an outdated idea with no place in modern first aid. The correct response is the pressure-immobilisation technique and an immediate call to 000.

How long do you have after a snake bite?

This varies hugely by snake species, the amount of venom injected, and the person's size, and it is not something to guess at. Some venom effects can develop within minutes; others take hours to become obvious, which is exactly why every suspected bite is treated as an emergency even if the person feels fine. Applying pressure-immobilisation immediately and calling 000 gives the best chance of a good outcome, whatever the timeline turns out to be.

Is a white-tailed spider bite dangerous?

For most people, no — it causes a sharp local pain and mild swelling that settles on its own, similar to a bee sting. The old idea that white-tailed spider bites cause flesh-eating skin ulcers is not well supported by current evidence; those ulcers are now generally understood to have other causes, most often infection. Still, keep an eye on any bite and see a doctor if it becomes increasingly red, hot, swollen or starts weeping.

Should I use a pressure bandage for a redback bite?

No — this is the one exception to remember. Pressure-immobilisation is for snake bites and funnel-web spider bites, not redback bites. For a redback, apply a cold pack instead and get to a hospital or call 000 if the pain is severe. Using a pressure bandage on a redback bite does not help and may increase pain.

What should I do if I can't tell if it was a funnel-web or another spider?

When in doubt, treat it as the more serious possibility. If a bite could plausibly be from a funnel-web (a large, dark, glossy spider) or you are unsure, apply the pressure-immobilisation technique and call 000 rather than waiting to see what happens. It is far safer to apply pressure-immobilisation unnecessarily than to withhold it from a genuine funnel-web bite.