Do I Have a Vinegaroon Bite?
A vinegaroon is one of the unique creatures of the Southwest United States. Looking like a cross between a scorpion and a spider, the main threat of a vinegaroon isn’t its bite, but its slightly acidic spray that it has for defensive purposes. By spraying this substance in the eyes of its predators, it is able to get away quickly. Vinegaroons very rarely attack humans and even when they do, it is often only because they feel threatened. A vinegaroon bite can be quite painful, however, so here’s how you can tell if you’ve been bitten by one.
Did You Have Your Hand In A Dark Place?
Vinegaroons are nocturnal animals by nature and they really don’t like sunlight at all. It’s often said that the darker a place is, the more the vinegaroon is going to like it. If you were out in the desert in the SW United States and happened to put a body part somewhere that was dark and hidden and felt pain, then there is the possibility that you experienced a vinegaroon bite. Finding them outside of the southwest deserts in the wild is extremely rare.
Did You Think You Were Bit By A Scorpion?
Scorpions don’t tend to bite – they sting with their tail. Vinegaroons look a lot like a scorpion, but instead of that curved tail with a stinger at the tip, they have a thinner, whip-like tail that is used as a sensory organ. Some think of a vinegaroon as a spider because it looks like it has eight legs, but the front two legs are used like their tail is used because of the creature’s poor eyesight. Where the bite occurs is from the pinching mouth parts, which aren’t fangs, and this can be painful.
The Bites Are Not Poisonous
Getting a vinegaroon bite might not be the most pleasant experience you ever have in life, but you don’t have to worry. Their bites are not poisonous. You would actually experience more discomfort by being sprayed in the eyes with their self-defense spray then you would with a bite. Imagine pouring a bottle of white vinegar over your open eyes – that’s what being sprayed by a vinegaroon would feel like.
Leave It Alone And It Won’t Bother You
Vinegaroons are very anti-social creatures. You can often find them in zoos as an educational opportunity for kids because they are a relatively safe creature. They like to feed on worms, bugs, and other insects, which means they don’t really want to come bite you. Stay away from dark scrub in the desert while you’re out hiking or exploring and you’ll probably never even see a vinegaroon!
Standard home treatment remedies will help to alleviate any pain you may have had from a suspected vinegaroon bite. They are not poisonous. If you develop further redness around your bite site, the bite becomes warm to the touch, or an ulcerous sore develops, and then would be time you would want to schedule a visit to the doctor.