A great cat toy (Spider Catcher)

Member Name: Tracy_1127

Product:	Spider Catcher
Date:	02/09/08 (92 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: none

Disadvantages: doesn't work, bristles bend, plastic spider isn't a realistic test

I bought one of these last year. It was about £7.99 from one of the gadget websites plus a couple of pounds p&p. I'm terrified of spiders but feel bad when I gas them with insecticide, however my terror usually outweighs my compassion.

This arrived with a plastic practise spider so you can allegedly perfect your skills before trying it on a real spider. It is a handle with a trigger that when pressed closes the bristles together and supposedly holds the spider in the bristles so you can deposit it outside. It's supposed to be that simple and you are supposed to be able to use it on other insects too.

I already have one of the plastic box types with the sliding lid but found that only worked if the box can be held sideways for the lid to slide shut, which means if the spider is on the ceiling or floor you have to close it with your hand (I shudder at the thought of my hand so close to a spider) and it doesn't get into corners either and the handle is flimsy so the end can fall off. Imagine having a huge spider trapped in the box only for the end to fall off and deposit the spider at your feet?! It's not useful for spiders but is for bees and wasps.

So this gripping catcher seemed ideal. My first thought upon looking at it is the handle isn't long enough. It's only a couple of feet long which isn't really far enough away from the spider to make me feel safe. However I tried it on the plastic spider and found I was quite good, but let's not forget the plastic spider doesn't move!

The first real spider I tried this on was a small one. I felt safe enough to have a few swipes at this spider but couldn't get the bristles to close around it no matter how much I tried and my partner picked the spider up and took it out after several attempts.

The next trial was outside on a larger spider but it too escaped the bristles and ran away sticking it's tongue out at me and celebrating my uselessness with the tool!

We get some massive spiders in our house every year, huge beasts that come from the fields at harvest time and I really didn't feel confident about this spider catcher. I kept thinking what if there's a huge beast on the wall and I miss it? They run so fast.

So I kept practising for a while on small spiders and the plastic spider and found the bristles not only didn't grasp the spider as they are supposed to but started to bend with the frequent sweeping near the floor action.

Once the bristles have bent that's it, game over. They no longer close properly and catch nothing, not even the plastic spider. I eventually gave up with this, the spiders still have to die if I'm alone or be removed by my partner. I use my catcher as an occasional toy with one of my cats now, he likes the way the bristles are wide open around his paws and then I close them and he goes crazy for it!

The plastic spider had to be thrown away after a few "jump out of my skin" incidents when I forgot it was in the drawer and opened it!

This is a bad invention and doesn't work, would someone please invent one that does work???? And also that is far enough away from your hands to be viable.

Summary: Don't bother with this