# Spider poop
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spider-poop/65329
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [May 13, 2001, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spider-poop/65329 "2001-05-13T17:59:00Z")
**Posts on this page:** 4
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)
#### Post date: [May 13, 2001, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spider-poop/65329/1 "2001-05-13T17:59:00Z")
I was over at a buddy’s house last night and his mom was visiting and somehow the conversation got on to the subject of spiders. His mother can’t stand them and she made the comment about them, “running around all over the place and pooping.” Naturally, this got me thinking. Not only does this explain a few things about my friend, but exactly how much does a spider poop? I mean, there can’t be a lot of it (if there was, can you imagine people bagging the stuff up and selling it as gardern fertilizer?), so anybody know anything about it? Do they have “firm” bowel movements or are they watery? What does the spider do with its poop? Do they make web “outhouses” that they dump into or do they just dump on to their web, or do they scurry off to a dark corner someplace and do it? I realize that this isn’t one of the greatest academic questions of all time, but considering some of the loonier things that have gotten grant money in the past, someone _must_ have studied this.
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### Author:  [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)
#### Post date: [May 13, 2001, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spider-poop/65329/2 "2001-05-13T21:21:49Z")
Some people _have_ studied this, **Tuckerfan**. Check out Google, for example, searching “spider” + “excretion”. There are whole _papers_ devoted to the stuff. Good luck understanding them!
From [this site:](http://entowww.tamu.edu/extension/keepspid.html)(for pet spiders & scorpions keepers)
> [@](#):
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> Excretion by the spider is quick-drying, odorless, typically white liquid. This can be cleaned from the container periodically. Replace the substrate and clean the container every few months.
Mind you, that didn’t say whether it was coaxal or anal excretion. I think I’ve looked into this long enough.
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### Author:  [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)
#### Post date: [May 14, 2001, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spider-poop/65329/3 "2001-05-14T02:52:46Z")
I love the Internet.
[http://www.bug-guy.com/more\_spider\_information.htm](http://www.bug-guy.com/more_spider_information.htm)
> [@](#):
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> Depending on your outlook, spiders in the house can be an advantage or disadvantage. A few spiders are rarely noticeable and help control other insects that find their way into the house. Spiders do, however, produce sheets or strands (cobwebs) of silk webbing, and small white specks of excrement which may drop on underlying items.
Huh.
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### Author:  [@Theios](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Theios)
#### Post date: [May 14, 2001, 9:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spider-poop/65329/4 "2001-05-14T09:46:13Z")
I hate spider poop. My front porch seems to be some sort of “spider mecca”. The little bastards hide during the daytime, but I can tell where they’re hanging out by all of the poop on my porch railings.
They leave little off white to dark brown little specs of poop. Probably the size of this “O”. It’s liquid as it’s “pooped”, but quickly dries. I swear, the crap is like paint. No amount of scrubbing seems to get it off my railings. I just give up and repaint periodically.
Creepy little buggers.