06 March 2023 , 09:59
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A terrified British woman living in Australia offered $50 for someone to remove a huge venomous spider from her room.
The expat walked into her room in Coogee, Sydney, to find a massive huntsman spider - which are harmful to humans - lurking in the corner.
Taking to Facebook, she offered any soul brave enough to remove it $50AUD, around £28.
But hundreds of locals turned her down, saying the arachnid was far too big, with many saying they wouldn't do it for $500.
Some advised her to take more drastic measures like burning her house down.
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Coogee Beach in Sydney, Australia (Getty Images/iStockphoto)Posting her "spider removal" advert on a local expat page, she asked: "Is anyone good with spiders? Will happily pay someone $50 to get this spider out my apartment in Coogee."
It's common to find huntsman spiders during the Australian summer, which just ended on February 28.
The insect struggles with the intense heat and goes inside to stay cool.
Commenting on the post, many were horrified.
One woman said: "Maybe it’s time to move country."
The huntsman has a venomous bite but is reluctant to use it (Getty Images/iStockphoto)"Burn the house to the ground," another chimed in.
Some couldn't believe how massive it was.
One man asked: "Is that thing on steroids or what?"
While some commenters said they would have turned down $500 to remove the creature, others said they were overreacting.
"That’s a huntsman it won’t hurt you and they kill mosquitoes. I suggest a vacuum cleaner," one woman explained.
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Another said: "Don’t hurt them just get a pint glass and a bit of cardboard and trap it then put out the door."
Though they look nightmarish, the large spiders aren't considered dangerous - even if they can grow up to 15cm.
They have a painful bite, which can also cause nausea and headaches, but they're reluctant to use it - only striking when they feel threatened.
Spider experts recommend removing the spider by putting a piece of cardboard under it and a container over it at the same time and ferrying it back into the wild.
On March 3, a man in Cape Town shared shocking pictures after finding another huge huntsman on his light switch.
Whilst Steve says he is used to encountering strange beasts in his job running a reptile rescue company, Deep South Reptile Rescue, he was still shocked to find the huge critter crawling on the switch.
"I went in as I always do and when I turned around to put the light off, I noticed this huge rain spider," he told NeedToKnow.online.
"I didn't expect it so it was a surprise, but I was happy to see one of them. They are very docile, beautiful, and sweet spiders," he said.