Ok, the scorpian thing...

[CarnivalGal]

Originally Posted by Jennibc

I know I've posted on this topic ad nauseum, but it totally depends where you live as to whether you will encounter them. We built in the wildflower Park area of Circle C right next to the veloway and the year we lived in that house, we found 40 of them INSIDE our house between the months of April and October. Fortunately I was never stung (I too am
Scorpio so maybe they left me alone just like THL )

We went and looked at open houses last week and in one of the newer houses where they are still developing in the neighborhood, I opened a closet, and there one was taking a little nap. Needless to say, we are NOT interested in buying that house

New construction areas tend to have more of them because their little scorpion homes are disturbed by all of the digging. That's probably why you saw so many of them in those houses.

[ritterbride]

I live in Lakeway in a new house too, but still, no problems. I did have a tarantula in my house once right after we moved in but that was it.

[Jennibc]

Originally Posted by ritterbride

I live in Lakeway in a new house too, but still, no problems. I did have a tarantula in my house once right after we moved in but that was it.

How long have you been there? We were in a couple of months before the onslaught began - my understanding is that scorpions are only active certain months of the year.

[ritterbride]

3 years

[miche111e]

I've lived in central Texas and Austin all my life (minus the last 11 years) and the only scorpions and tarantulas I have ever seen were in a cage.

I hope it stays that way

[Jennibc]

Originally Posted by ritterbride

3 years

You are probably safe then. Only our neighbors across the street had the problem we did, everyone else maybe saw one or two or none after they moved in.

[hank0604]

Originally Posted by mm57553

We live in Steiner Ranch and see a scorpion about once a month in the house. About half of those are dead in the light fixtures, but the rest are alive and well.

As far as tarantulas go, we have lived here for 4 years and seen about 4 tarantulas, all were outside (thank goodness).

But they are definitely around. Steiner is actually pretty far west and it's surrounded by preserve, so maybe we just have more of them here than in more populated areas closer to town.

And don't forget about the snakes....we have rattlesnakes and I have seen 2 coral snakes. We see rat snakes all the time, but they are harmless. Only one rat snake was in the garage (it was a small one). All the other snakes have been outside.

I used to see them quite a bit at my aunt's place out on Travis. They would come up the sink drains when you came into the bathroom, that was a little crazy. But for the most part, they stay outside, along with the tarantulas, and leave you alone. Critters like that only start to come inside during really dry periods, searching for water.

As far as snakes go, I personally never saw a rattler while I lived in Austin, though I lived downtown. I did see plenty of water moccaisins out at the lake. But in the city, I saw a lot of kings and garter snakes (I actually watch a garter snake hunt and eat a toad one night, the coolest thing I've ever seen in person). So please excercise caution when you encounter a snake. Many times, a person's first reaction is to kill any snake they see, even without knowing if it's poisonous. Sure, kill all the cottonmouths you want, but leave the rest alone.