Spider fighting

The sport of spider fighting occurs in different forms in several areas of the world. Among them are the Philippines, Japan, and Singapore. The fights that occur in the Philippines and in Japan are staged between females of various species of web weavers. Female spiders will kill a rival if the loser does not quickly flee or receive the aid of a human handler. The contests that are staged in Singapore are fights between male jumping spiders. The males fight only for dominance, and ordinarily the loser will flee, though sometimes they will lose a leg in the fight.

In the Philippines, spider fighting (Hiligaynon: pahibag sang damang; Cebuano: paaway kaka or sabong sa kaka) is staged between female orb-weavers from the genus Araneus. In Japan, the contests occur at an annual festival and use females of the genus Argiope. In Japanese these contests are called Kumo Gassen (spider battles). In Singapore, they use males of the genus Thiania, and most commonly use the species Thiania bhamoensis, although another species of that genus may sometimes be used. Like cock fighting, spider fighting is a sport that usually involves betting and events occur frequently. In Singapore, they are known as "fighting spiders" in English and 鬥蜘蛛 dòu zhī zhū （fighting spiders) in Chinese, analogous to the Chinese term for gamecocks 鬥雞 dòu jī (fighting chickens).

Philippines

Spider of the genus Araneus.

Spider fighting (Hiligaynon: pahibag sang damang; Cebuano: paaway kaka or sabong sa kaka) is a popular blood sport among rural Filipino children, especially in the Bisaya region. The game begins by placing two spiders at opposite ends of a stick. The spiders are then prodded to move along the length of the stick until they encounter each other and fight.

 
Catching and Care

The spiders are usually caught in trees and bushes in the early morning or during dusk when the spiders come out to spin webs.Some spiders are even caught along power lines. These are believed to be more aggressive and much tougher fighters since spiders that live in areas exposed to predators fight better than those that live in more protected areas.

Used matchbox serving as a 'stable' for fighting spiders in between derbiesSpiders suitable for spider fighting are orb-weavers from the genus Araneus. Only the spiders coming from this genus are called damang or kaka. They are carefully chosen since catching the wrong spider can result in being bitten and envenomated. Spiders which do not resemble the typical Araneus morphology are avoided. Spiders having shiny or waxy abdomens, spiders with green or loud coloration, and iridescent spiders are also regarded as dangerous and are not caught.

Spiders with slender bodies and long legs are also favored as better fighters. Slim, black spiders from guava or tamarind trees are also prized as fighters.

One can also buy spiders from sellers near public schools. Prices range from as low as 3 pesos (US$0.10) to as high as 400 pesos (US$9.00) per spider. They are usually sold inside plastic bags inflated with air.

After capture or in-between fights, the spiders are stabled in used matchboxes. These matchboxes usually have separate cells to house several spiders. The cells are normally made from discarded cardboard or a single blade of coconut leaf bent several times inside the matchbox. Some trainers assemble a "langsaranan" where the spider is released to a plant enclosed by a net or a plastic bottle with tiny holes.

Spiders can be fed with insects although some trainers, especially adults, have their own secret feed formula. Some trainers will push the spider to fight with a small, plastic spider as a form of training. Prior to a match, the spider might be intentionally starved to increase its ferocity.

Fighting

Two fighting spiders.Most spider fights are done with a single piece of dried coconut leaf midrib (usually taken from a broom made from such midribs; Cebuano: "Silhig tukog", Tagalog: "Walis tingting") or bamboo. Spiders are placed at both ends and encouraged to move toward each other and fight. The sticks are thin enough to ensure that the spiders have no choice but to meet. It is held by one child who ensures that the spiders do not escape by alternately switching grip from one end to the other. How a fight ends is agreed upon beforehand. Fights to the death will end with one spider being bitten, paralyzed, and swiftly wrapped in silk.Non-lethal matches end when one spider falls from the stick (once or several times, depending on the agreement). Occasionally, the child holding the stick may need to quickly intervene in a non-lethal fight to prevent the winning spider from eating the losing spider.

More formal fights, called Kaka Derbies are held in an arena made of 2 poles connected by a tight string. Underneath is a padding (usually polystyrene foam) to ensure that the spiders are not injured in case they fall down. A fight that includes large sums of money normally has a "kuyme" (referee) similar to cockfighting.

Legal and moral issues

The practice is now generally discouraged since it affects the educational performance of school children.Top fighters can fetch up to 100 pesos (US$ 2), making the sport lucrative for children. They could spend so much time hunting and training spiders that lessons and homework are missed. Adults also play the sport but in a way similar to cockfighting. Derbies are also held and bets could go as high as 30,000 pesos (about US$638). The cheaper maintenance cost of raising spiders compared to raising fighting cocks caused some players to switch to spider fighting.

Ordinances against the sport are now in effect in some cities. The sport might also be indirectly responsible for crop damage since spiders are useful in controlling insect pest populations. The spider derby is treated as a threat to public morals in Negros Occidental province. Bets as high as P50,000 (US$900) were being placed in Aidsisa, Silay City. The Bacolod City police provincial director issued an order warning residents of participating in a form of illegal gambling. In Cudangdang village in EB Magalona town, spiders were sold from P20 to P100 per box, and most buyers come from Bacolod City and Silay City. In the spider derby, the combatant that falls three times from a wooden stick loses; one that wraps its opponent in silk is declared the champion.