Although not as paranoid about snakes and spiders as I am about centipedes I am curious about whether there are poisonous snakes and spiders on the island. I saw a snake the other day about four feet long. I have had to kill death adders and brown snakes before. Not liking to do it, but necessary under the circumstances I was faced with at the time. I would rather not have to kill snakes and spiders so if I know which are dangerous and which are not my lapsed buddist predisposition would be partially satisfied.
I have hardly seen a spider on the island.
I never would have thought moving to cosmopolitan Hong Kong from a land reputedly still practicing cannibalism and routinely partaking in tribal warfare would be teeming with wildlife.
The irony of life still flabbergasts me as it did 20 years ago.

Yes, cobras, vipers & kraites - the snake you saw was mostly likely a medium sized Rat Snake........ non-venomous, but can be aggressive when cornered or agitated

But no real need to go round killing the venomous ones as most have a friendly disposition.

how about this for a spider? it made a web on my balcony. they seem quite benign, though the webs are sticky if you happen to walk into one.

Yes to both. I've seen a few venomous bamboo pit vipers. There are reputed to be cobras, but any long brown snake is labelled a "cobra", when it's much more likely to be a rat snake, non-venomous. Many spiders, including the Woodland Spider above, are venomous, but I've never heard of anyone being bitten by one. I don't know how you could miss these; if you walk along any tree-lined path outside the "built-up" YSW area, you'll see them everywhere.

The worst health risk are mosquitoes. HK used to be a malarial deathtrap. We've still got the mozzies, but though malaria was wiped out, some do carry dengue fever.

Yes Wantok, ating yu tok long peles bilong mi, laka?

The most common large spider found in houses is the huntsman.

According to http://www.termite.com/spider-identification.html,

Huntsman Spiders...low risk - non-aggressive

Venom toxicity - the bite of Huntsman Spiders is of low risk (non toxic) to humans. They are a non-aggressive group of spiders. However, a large individual can give a painful bite. Beware in summer when the female Huntsman Spider is guarding her egg sacs or young.

Area of distribution - Australia-wide.

Spider Identification - an adult varies greatly around 15 mm in body length - has long legs - the diameter of an adult including legs may reach 45 mm - the first 2 pairs of legs are longer than rear two - it is hairy - buff to beige brown in colour, with dark patches on the body.

Habitat - a hunter that prefers to live under the flaking bark of trees, under flat rocks and under eaves or within roof spaces of buildings. The Huntsman Spider often wanders into homes and is found perched on a wall. It is a shy, timid spider that can move sideways at lighting-fast speed

(This is Australian data, but is probably similar to the HK situation)

Look, no hands. A lodger on my balcony last summer.

Hey there... can anyone please help me to identify a snake? Didn't have time to take a photo...but i couldn't get into my flat the other day (Yung Shue Long New Village - 1st floor!) as there was a long thin brown & green snake @ the doorway. There seemed to be a conversation going on btwn him & my cat on the other side of the door... anyway...waited for it to slither away (10 mins or so) Buuut...can't find a pic of this snake on the www. Though fish & ag would have something that allowed ppl to identify lil slitheries...but...no dice.
Sorta scared now...carrying a torch when walking @ nite.
Ewwwwwwwwwwwww.
Thanks
Sher

I found this gigantic spider in my room (yikes!) tonight. I was totally stunned to find it there because my windows were closed and though my door was open, I had been in the next room and had not seen it go in there.

Any help in identifying it would be a relief to me

I might be paranoid but I have been stung (and bitten) by a black forest scorpion (though it was not in Asia) once before, for which I was flown to a clinic for medical treatment (near death experience! I'm not kidding).

Thanks!

Here is the photo:

<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/jLFWG3Hl1jmJcimha3b0pQ"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_ZTDULaEd0zA/SQn4Zr1EpMI/AAAAAAAAAZQ/EkQKNPvQdbk/s144/IMG_1042.jpg"></a>
From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/philipandemi/Misc">misc</a>

It is a large house spider (Heteropoda venatoria - google images of this for more nightmare fodder). Here's what it says in Hong Kong Animals by Dennis Hill and Karen Phillips:

"A large brown wolf spider, this species hunts by speed and pounces on its prey. It is most abundant in old houses, but is now becoming established in many blocks of flats. Its legspan is about 10 cm...

This spider has large poison fangs (chelicerae) and is reputed to have a very painful bite. It is expected to feed mainly on the American cockroach."