Biggest tarantula keeping pet peeve?

[N1ghtFire]

That never happened to me. Must be an 'American' thing to want to kill every living thing I mean, not all Americans, of course. Or perhaps I am protected against ignorant statements because I only share information about my hobbies with the people I think are worth it to share personal information with. The worst response I received so far was from a close friend who said: "I think they are a bit creepy, but I understand why you find them interesting."

One visitor thought I kept coffee in plastic boxes when she saw the coco fibre substrate from a distant

I hear it often! It angers me. I have heard statements from my family mostly, and a few friends. Their first reaction to seeing a spider is to smash it. So they come into my room and feel it is okay to say things about smashing my pets after I tell them how fond I am of the little critters.

 

[Tenevanica]

I hear it often! It angers me. I have heard statements from my family mostly, and a few friends. Their first reaction to seeing a spider is to smash it. So they come into my room and feel it is okay to say things about smashing my pets after I tell them how fond I am of the little critters.

I've had people directly threaten my animals. Go as far as to tell them that I should make sure they don't get near them because they will kill them all the first opportunity they get.

Even if it's not specifically about my tarantulas, most of the time the first tarantula related thing someone tells me is about all the tarantulas they smashed on their mission trip to Belize, or about how they set the Aphonopelma they see in Arizona on fire with a DIY flamethrower made from sunscreen and a lighter. Like, why do people think this is an acceptable thing to say when I've just expressed how much I love tarantulas?

 

[Trenor]

Must be an 'American' thing to want to kill every living thing I mean, not all Americans, of course.

Clearly that's the case. What a rude unwarranted comment about people you don't even know.

I've heard of plenty of people from other countries that have said they had that problem too.

 

[sasker]

I have heard statements from my family mostly, and a few friends. Their first reaction to seeing a spider is to smash it. So they come into my room and feel it is okay to say things about smashing my pets after I tell them how fond I am of the little critters.

I've had people directly threaten my animals. Go as far as to tell them that I should make sure they don't get near them because they will kill them all the first opportunity they get.

I still have the feeling that this is a cultural thing more than anything else. I live in Bulgaria and people are not always very friendly to animals. However, they are respectful to other people, especially to the people that offer them hospitality. It is 'not done' to have a big mouth about what someone has in his house, whether you like it or not. I have never been to the US, but the impression I have from the Americans visiting Europe is that they can be quite rude and bad mannered sometimes. Again, not everyone is the same and I am no anthropologist, so I could be gravely mistaken.

 

[keks]

I've had people directly threaten my animals. Go as far as to tell them that I should make sure they don't get near them because they will kill them all the first opportunity they get.

Even if it's not specifically about my tarantulas, most of the time the first tarantula related thing someone tells me is about all the tarantulas they smashed on their mission trip to Belize, or about how they set the Aphonopelma they see in Arizona on fire with a DIY flamethrower made from sunscreen and a lighter. Like, why do people think this is an acceptable thing to say when I've just expressed how much I love tarantulas?

That's why I don't tell anyone that I keep spiders and invertebrates. It only makes stress.

 

[sasker]

What a rude unwarranted comment about people you don't even know.

Sorry if my comment offended you. That was not my intention. I can only base my observations on the people I know and met. And on comments about people stamping on every critter they don't like or use home-made flame throwers to torch them. I can't remember meeting anyone in my life who admitted to doing such things. I am either lucky, or I have a different social circle/background than others. There are terrible people everywhere in the world. Unfortunately this crosses cultural borders.

 

[miss moxie]

With all this negativity going around, I would like to bring up something more positive. My nephew's mother (she never married my adopted brother so she's not really a sister-in-law) has since become more open to spiders after seeing mine and hearing about them from me. She still shudders and yelps if one of the bigger tarantulas is visible when she comes into my room but she leaves house spiders alone and no longer kills them.

Same with a friend of mine, her arachnophobia has calmed down quite a bit since I taught her more about spiders and tarantulas.

So it goes both ways-- ignorant jerk waffles who spout bigotry, and open minded people who respond positively to proper education.

 

[Chris LXXIX]

I've heard of plenty of people from other countries that have said they had that problem too.

Ain't so sure that's always a problem my man. I mean, in the U.S, well, nation is huge and you T's guys are a lot so yes, I understand.

But here in Italy? Well, screaming Ladies that hate spiders are the best ally of people like me:

"give those freaking spooderz to him, give those to him I've said!"

And me "But... for free? I mean, can I offer you a coffee, at least?"

 

[keks]

I still have the feeling that this is a cultural thing more than anything else. I live in Bulgaria and people are not always very friendly to animals. However, they are respectful to other people, especially to the people that offer them hospitality. It is 'not done' to have a big mouth about what someone has in his house, whether you like it or not. I have never been to the US, but the impression I have from the Americans visiting Europe is that they can be quite rude and bad mannered sometimes. Again, not everyone is the same and I am no anthropologist, so I could be gravely mistaken.

This behavior is not only US-behavior. Here the people are very rude too. They can be very vicious when somebody is not on the mainstream. Like me for example. I am sure when they knew what I keep they would try to harass me til I move away. People can accept people who keep chameleons. But it is sick to keep spiders. This creatures are only good to be killed. People who keep spiders should be in a psychiatry hospital.

 

[Chris LXXIX]

People who keep spiders should be in a psychiatry hospital.

Have you ever considered my Lady that maybe the 'hell' is outside and the lucky ones are those people inside such places, nurtured by sweet pills and such?

I mean, from which kind of Italian place do you think I'm chatting with ya, now?

 

[miss moxie]

Clearly that's the case. What a rude unwarranted comment about people you don't even know.

I've heard of plenty of people from other countries that have said they had that problem too.

As a born and raised citizen of the USA, I have to say Americans didn't have a peaceful origin story. We built our country on the bones and blood of an innocent race and to this day we still subjugate them and treat them with scarcely an ounce of respect.

But we aren't the only ones. Australia did/is doing the same thing to the aboriginals for example.

It has nothing to do with a certain group of people or nationality. The soil under your feet and it's location on Earth has nothing to do with whether you are a good person or a bad person. It is simply a trait of humanity. There are awful people and there are good people. That's it, it's just that simple.

Massacres have been happening ever since humankind realized that if someone had something they wanted, they could take it by killing or oppressing them.

 

[Trenor]

I hear it often! It angers me. I have heard statements from my family mostly, and a few friends. Their first reaction to seeing a spider is to smash it. So they come into my room and feel it is okay to say things about smashing my pets after I tell them how fond I am of the little critters.

It is common for people to relate to some animals better than others. It has a lot to do with how we relate to the animal. That's why people get upset when someone talks of clubing a baby seal. Though they don't get upset in the same way for a manatee cause they are not as cute an animal to us. The same with snakes and crawly bugs etc. It's that odd creepy feeling people get when they hear of things that look/move oddly that HP Lovcraft used to creep people out in his books.

When people are not used to a animal they will often react poorly to that animal. I mean you hand my any bug and I'm good. You slip one on my back and let it get all crawly before I realize it's there (or what it is) and I'm going to do what I need to to get it off.

My folks raise bees and I've been around them all my life. Wasps, bees, hornets etc fly around/land on me and it's no big deal. Most everyone I've met freeks out when a bee lands or flys around them. They aren't used to it and react with panic and spray and anger. It just in our nature.

I've kept exotic pets all my life. Everyone loves the sugar gliders but most people dislike the snakes. It's just the way it is.

 

[Chris LXXIX]

As a born and raised citizen of the USA, I have to say Americans didn't have a peaceful origin story.

Oh well c'mon now at least USA was able to change after that, and managed to become a of utmost peaceful nation

For instance, I'm Italian (we aren't a so 'ruly' breed, on the other hand) and here U.S tourists are much loved, much much loved... it's a sort of eternal battle for the first place with the Japanese about who's really the one that here easily end scammed and overpay stuff

jok

 

[keks]

As a born and raised citizen of the USA, I have to say Americans didn't have a peaceful origin story. We built our country on the bones and blood of an innocent race and to this day we still subjugate them and treat them with scarcely an ounce of respect.

But we aren't the only ones. Australia did/is doing the same thing to the aboriginals for example.

It has nothing to do with a certain group of people or nationality. The soil under your feet and it's location on Earth has nothing to do with whether you are a good person or a bad person. It is simply a trait of humanity. There are awful people and there are good people. That's it, it's just that simple.

Massacres have been happening ever since humankind realized that if someone had something they wanted, they could take it by killing or oppressing them.

Europeans are not angels too. Thinking of the Holy Crusaders, Holy Office, some Dictators .... it is in every part of the world the same game.

 

[sasker]

Europeans are not angels too. Thinking of the Holy Crusaders, Holy Office, some Dictators

Indeed. The English, the Spanish and the Dutch roamed the sea, conquering colonies, trading slaves. When you think about it, most Americans are of European origin.

 

[Chris LXXIX]

When you think about, most Americans are of European origin.

Well, you have a point, Sherlock

 

[Ungoliant]

I'd much rather have a cockroach running around in my heart than an unwashed unprotected human hand, haha!

"Well, there's your problem."

 

[Mila]

That right there is the thing I hate the most. It boggles my mind as to why that's the first comment you'd make about someone's pet. Like, what if I said the same about your cat?

I do say that about people's cats..... jk

 

[Mila]

It seems that if you'd be considered attractive by 60%+ of society having a tarantula is cool and edgy if you're not that conventionally attractive you're the social outcast. Imagine if margot Robbie started posting cool videos of her handling tarantulas on instagram people would love it

 

[ThisMeansWAR]

Yep, everything is 'giftig', just like in Dutch

Norway too! We only use the word "giftig"