Arachnophobe Joins the Hobby!

[Earthworm Soul]

This is my first post, I've been looking around the forum for a few weeks now and this thread caught my eye because I'm a pretty severe arachnophobe considering a pet T. I've been horrified of spiders as long as I could remember, I've even jumped out of moving vehicles due to spiders on separate occasions. However, I've always found them fascinating as well, I guess it's an adrenaline thing. I work with a guy that has collected T's for 30+ years and I started asking him questions out of curiosity. He brought in a molt for me to check out and everything and told me stories of T's he's had and they're temperaments and getting tagged and finding out he's allergic....lots of stories. So it's been about 4 months or so since I first considered getting a T and I've been doing long and extensive research on the different species and proper care of each. I've gone to some local pet shops that sell exotic pets and looked around, taking baby steps. I haven't made up my mind on which type I want but I am certain I am getting one, now I just have to convince my also arachnophobic wife to go along with it. I think that might be a harder task than getting over my own fear haha

Congrats on trying to conquer your fear!

I suggest a Grammostola pulchripes or pulchra. They're hard to beat in terms of hardiness and being docile. Keep us up to date on your decisions.

 

[harmroelf]

I once converted a friend, he totally went for it, but then he got married and lost his hobby again.... the wife didn't accept, i think its bad she keeps him from having a nice hobby.

 

[BlackVenom]

An extra hooray for getting someone that fears arachnids into the hobby. Spiders are probably the number 1 phobia in the world or at least that's the way it seems and I think its awesome when someone realizes that spiders are friends not are enemy's.

 

[Dravensmom]

aww thats nice If your ever in the area I have some freinds that wont come in my house...

 

[jonnyquong]

A fellow worker was telling me how his wife is terrified of spiders, and that she was passing that fear on to their daughters, and how much that bothered him. I sort of jokingly suggested he should get a tarantula. After some good discussion, I sent him home with a copy of the TKG, then later, a book on spider biology. He has now convinced his wife that the best way for her to get over her fear, is to get to know a spider by keeping one! I have a 1 inch B. albopilosum I plan to set him up with. The spider's name is Steve, named by my youngest granddaughter. I first thought of an A. versicolor, but decided it may be too jumpy for a beginning keeper.
I was thinking about delivering it to their home, so I could also bring a couple of larger, mellow spiders to show, and to answer any questions they might have.

 

[GOMER113]

Thanks for bringing this thread back up.

My co-worker that I mentioned in the first post still has the B. smithi I sold him two years ago. I can't believe it was that long ago!!! :-O

Months later, he decided he wanted another one and went straight for an H. maculata as his second T. It was a 1/2" sling and it only molted once in his care before it suddenly died and probably got eaten by a cricket. I also gave him a 1/2" B. vagans that has grown quite a bit.

He's no longer afraid of spiders in the sense that he was before he started working here. He'll get close enough to take pictures of spiders in the wild, but he still won't touch one, not even his Ts. He's come a really long way since I first met him.

LordPofas: Welcome to the boards! This is a great community of arachno-enthusiasts. I rarely post here (this is my first post in about 5 months, or so), but most everyone here is very knowledgable, helpful, and encouraging. I'm sure we'll help get you over your fear.

 

[LordPofas]

Thanks for the welcome! And I will definately keep everyone updated once I get my first T. It will most likely be after the new year, gotta get past all the holiday chaos first.

 

[gmrpnk21]

I was definitely afraid of spiders growing up, as I lived next to a wooded area and stumbled across giant wood spiders in my house more times than I can count! I guess I kind of outgrew my fears one day, and they haven't bothered me for a long time. Now I own 3 T's (so far) and am trying to get my girlfriend over her fear of them using my furry friends. She is ok with me having them, but still has a panic attack when she sees a banana spider. *sigh* I still can't get her to hold my A. avic, but I am slowly wearing her down.

 

[KungPao]

Hi guys,
I was also an arachnophobe. I have handled friends tarantulas in the past, mostly the common terrestrials, but I did end up letting what I now know to be some sort of poecilotheria SIT ON MY HAND!!! I didn't know at the time that those are best not handled! I'm surprised it even let us touch it, knowing what I know now! LOL

I never got past the point of wanting to get my own, and even felt a bit squeamish afterward. I finally buckled and got a B. smithi sling I can grow with. I have a feeling I will move towards those OW beauties, though.

 

[Bizgaard]

I, myself was (is) an arachnophobe.. Me and my girlfriend had just moved in together and we wanted to get a pet that was "ours". We simply couldn't agree what pet to buy.. She wanted a rodent of some kind, i wanted something that i did not need to handle;-)

One day when we discussed it i said "hell! Lets get a tarantula" (clearly meant as a joke.
Her reply was "mm.. Yeah!"
Then i was like "well.. Okay.. Were getting a tarantula!!"

I was really scared of those things.. But the second we got our B. Smithi (Holly) inside our appartment, my view changed completely!! I quickly got to like my eight-legged friend.. And now i got three.... :-D
And to this day, when people ask me why i keep them i answer: "because i'm scared of them... And thats the reason why my fascination of them is without limits

Today me and my girlfriend have tons of different pets.. But Holly was still The first.. And the best!! And we both agree

That was just my story

 

[ZergFront]

Very cool. Well done agent GOMER113. That user sounds SO secret agent ID.

I used to be pretty nervous with centipedes, NOT freaked out by them but didn't want one crawling on me. I had the silly opinion as a kid that they were like venomous snakes with legs and an armor.

 

[LordPofas]

So I ordered my first T a few days ago, should be recieving her after the New Year. I went with a 2" L. Parahybana. I'm pretty excited about it, wish me luck

 

[jb62]

I was arachnophobic till may last year I had 44 years of hell being scared of any thing that was todo with spiders.
Last year I made my mind up to beat it once and for all and started getting books with spider pictures and placing my hands on them till I stoped panicking.
Then I joined the bts forum and asked questions and then got an offer to hold one that was B.vagens and female.
Since then I've now got 9 t's and I've held one of them before I got her.
Holding a moult is also good as I found it's the not knowing that scares you and that is what I had the fear of "what if it does this or what will it feel like "
The fact of a bite did not enter my mind.
I'm now trying to help my step daughter over come her fear and it's taking time but one day I know she will get there.
It's great to have these forums too that have members/owners/breeders to help too.
Thanks to you people that are scared can learn and get help..

We ex arachnophobics thank you

 

[Arachnethegreek]

Wow, reminds me of my fiancé, she hates anything too complex looking, thus pedes an t's were public enemy number one. After six months of wearing her down, I wa finally allowed (probably out of annoyance lol) to get a T. Since then the collection has grown to 4, with a scorp in the works, and a bunch of millipedes on the way. (centipedes being fascinating but even I realize they are as rational as a tigress during her period) she even wants one of her own, so I'm considering a birthday surprise of A. Avic or A. Versi. Small and cute.

 

[jb62]

Wow, reminds me of my fiancé, she hates anything too complex looking, thus pedes an t's were public enemy number one. After six months of wearing her down, I wa finally allowed (probably out of annoyance lol) to get a T. Since then the collection has grown to 4, with a scorp in the works, and a bunch of millipedes on the way. (centipedes being fascinating but even I realize they are as rational as a tigress during her period) she even wants one of her own, so I'm considering a birthday surprise of A. Avic or A. Versi. Small and cute.

I'd choose A.versi then she will love the colors.
I'm in England by the way.

My T's are *Euathlus sp."red", Euathlus sp blue , G.porteri ( all females )
B.smithi male , E.campestratus MM , B.albopisum male juvi , A.guyana male , GBB sling and a sling salmon pink .
A.versi is next and maybe a G.pulchra.

 

[LordPofas]

So it has been about 2 months since my last post on this thread and now I'm up to 5 T's, and I'm going to a show tomorrow and plan to pick up some more. I think I've come a loooong way

 

[Wilowisp]

Thats great news!
I used to be afraid of spiders as a child...that gradually dissipated to nothing recently over the course of two years.
I looked into Tarantulas to get my boyfriend a small pet and was really fascinated but nervous about them. I didn't ever see myself owning one, but I still liked them. That was a year ago.
Two weeks earlier, I saw a picture of a new pet Rose Hair online, and it rekindled my fascination for them. The tiny bit of fear for insects and spiders from the last year was completely gone, I now had respect and admiration for invertebrates. I dove head first into the T world, re-learning everything and wondering why I didn't already have one. Two days ago I received my first babies, juvie & sling Curlys. They are wonderful, stunning, beautiful, adorable, and I'm completely in love. My boyfriend begged me for the sling, hes always wanted a T... I think I know what to get him on another occasion.

 

[Elithial]

Hi guys,
I was also an arachnophobe. I have handled friends tarantulas in the past, mostly the common terrestrials, but I did end up letting what I now know to be some sort of poecilotheria SIT ON MY HAND!!! I didn't know at the time that those are best not handled! I'm surprised it even let us touch it, knowing what I know now! LOL

Wow! That was a very nice pokie!
I myself hated spiders until I found pictures of jumping spiders. I never thought I'd see such a CUTE spider! :O After that I watched videos of them on youtube and then began watching tarantula videos. Pinktoes caught my eye, I'd never seen something so beautiful and fuzzy and blue! And the pink toes! I wanted one so bad but I knew that wasn't going to happen if I didn't know if I liked even touching Ts. So I went to the pet store on a whim and asked to hold their nicest T (She's mine now >: D I named her Cinnamon), she was a brown little chilean rose and the most light and fuzzy feeling in my hand. I was enchanted by her and how she was perfectly fine just sitting there. So I caved and bought her. Ironically I still won't touch or get near anything that isn't a T or a Jumper But now I want an A.versi....so cute :O