Lol...I have never had a fear of spiders (grasshoppers are another story entirely tho)...I can vaguely remember sitting in the basement, letting daddy-long-leg spiders race across my hand, what, at maybe 5, 6 years old? lol...I was also endlessly fascinated with the wolf spiders down there, but no way was I picking THAT one up! Same thing with snakes and other reptiles, never once do I recall thinking they were bad, evil, slimy, scary. Would try to catch gartersnakes in the back yard and remember being upset that if they happened to strike because "I just wanted to hold it!" Oh, makes me chuckle, because I still cannot resist the urge to catch, hold and photograph any snake, lizard, toad, etc that I happen to come across! I enjoy showing my unconventional pets to others and helping them to understand that these creatures are not evil, scary and out to get them as many believe!