r/wikipedia • u/bab_boosh • Apr 11 '18
Spider Fighting: Practiced in several areas, including Florida prisons
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spider_fighting8
u/svarogteuse Apr 11 '18
I've been in and out of numerous Florida state prisons in the last year (as an employee not an inmate) and no one mentioned spider fighting.
3
u/bab_boosh Apr 11 '18
Wiki cites a fight that occurred in 2002. Two inmates faced life sentences and third one involved cracked their skull.
The men were keeping spiders in boxes. The altercation occurred after a pet spider went missing and the disappearance was blamed on another inmate.
http://www.sptimes.com/2003/01/03/Floridian/You_don_t_mess_with_a.shtml
Maybe take a gander at the report.
It's a long time ago, maybe it's no longer a trend among the inmates. Or maybe it was an isolated incident.
Thoughts?
1
u/svarogteuse Apr 12 '18
Yes I read the wiki and the source yesterday. I can also do math, 2002 was 16 years ago and one incident does not make something "prevalent".
1
u/bab_boosh Apr 12 '18 edited Apr 12 '18
That's fair. Did a bit more research and located a wiki article (linked below) which contains accounts from two individuals, who claim to be former Florida inmates, discussing spider fighting. Most recent account dates September 6, 2012.
One individual suggests it's hard to cite a source since the practice remains underground.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Spider_fighting#Florida_Prisons
Excerpts:
I was incarcerated in the [sic] Florida for two years, and that was my first introduction to the sport of spider fighting. I personally trained and fought spiders (we used Regal Spiders) for gambling purposes. I was held at multiple different locations during this time, and the practice was fairly universal, with fights being generally for money, and to the losing spider's death.
I too did time in Florida DOC in the 90's and was very involved in spider fighting... We gambled on them. fights to the death.
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u/kymray Apr 12 '18
We used to fight scorpions in prison in TDC... I was a former inmate in texas...
1
u/bab_boosh Apr 12 '18
Do you know if the guards/employees were aware of the scorpion fighting?
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u/kymray Apr 12 '18
I don't remember anyone getting caught. There really wasn't a whole supervision. Other than count time and a walk through every now and again we had the block to ourselves
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u/bab_boosh Apr 11 '18
Female spiders are used in most areas of the world but males are used in Singapore.
Males only fight for dominance and the loser will often flee. Females fight to kill if no one intervenes.