I'm scared of spiders, I want to get over my fear is It a good idea to get a pet tarantula?

[Misty Punzel]

I don't know why I'm scared of spiders but it's dumb and I love them and want to get into the hobby but they scare me. I want a pet tarantula to get over my fear but I know if it bites me, it will scar me for life. What should I do?

 

[TownesVanZandt]

As long as you don´t handle your tarantula and choose one of the more docile species you don´t run the risk of getting bit

 

[Misty Punzel]

As long as you don´t handle your tarantula and choose one of the more docile species you don´t run the risk of getting bit

Yeah but I'm not scared of it if it's in a tank and I want to be able to pick it up if I need to and once I got used to it and healed myself of the fear being bitten won't matter to me it's just if it gives me a reason to be scared I'm not gonna get over my irrational fear do you see the dilemma

 

[KezyGLA]

Unfortunately its the best way to get bitten. If you are interested in keeping tarantulas but dont want bitten, just don't handle.

I was arachnophobic until I got my first T 13 years ago. I have never been bitten. And that is pretty much down to lack of handling.

 

[Misty Punzel]

Unfortunately its the best way to get bitten. If you are interested in keeping tarantulas but dont want bitten, just don't handle.

I was arachnophobic until I got my first T 13 years ago. I have never been bitten. And that is pretty much down to lack of handling.

Have you ever handled them?

 

[Walker253]

Stick with a New World terrestrial like a Grammostola or Brachypelma species and you will in all likelihood, be good. Keep your hands out of the container, get some tongs to pick things up.
The above genus of tarantulas usually like to be visible (when older, of course), they are usually very hardy and really need no special conditions in their care.
I wouldn't start with a spiderling. I'd start with a juvenile at minimum and grab an adult if you see one. They are much more forgiving of a mistake in their care. A female would be preferable as they live much longer than a male.

 

[KezyGLA]

Have you ever handled them?

Yes I have handled some species. But most werent purposly handled.

Beginners should certainly not handle.

 

[Devin B]

The thing about handling a tarantula is the only thing the tarantula will get is a risk of injury. In my opinion handling a tarantula is selfish and irresponsible. Tarantulas cannot leave to love or care about their owners in any way so there's no reason to purposely handle it.

It is really coolthat you want to over come your fear by getting a tarantula and its a reasonable goal to do so. I would suggest doing a boat load of research. It seems to me like the cure to fear is knowledge which research will give you plenty of. Then when you feel ready get a docile new world terestrial tarantula.

 

[grumpycow3]

I've only ever handled a T when i was rehousing a G. Porteri and it climbed up my arm and into my shirt by accident

 

[Demonclaws]

I don't know why I'm scared of spiders but it's dumb and I love them and want to get into the hobby but they scare me. I want a pet tarantula to get over my fear but I know if it bites me, it will scar me for life. What should I do?

Most people have mild fear of insects/spiders/snakes/centipedes either due to evolution or cultural impact. This fear doesn't impact most people, and there is no need to get over your fear unless you have some extreme symptoms such as having panic attack when someone mentions spiders or having fear about walking through bushes because of the possibility of a spider may be present. If this the case, you should seek therapy. I'd imagine most people here keep tarantulas because they love them, or found them interesting. Yes, some people may have initial fear of spiders, but I think it is after they conquered their fear that they started keeping tarantulas.

Don't get a tarantula if this is your reason.

Yeah but I'm not scared of it if it's in a tank and I want to be able to pick it up if I need to and once I got used to it and healed myself of the fear being bitten won't matter to me it's just if it gives me a reason to be scared I'm not gonna get over my irrational fear do you see the dilemma

It sounds like you are confused. You mentioned that you are afraid of spiders, but you love them, then you said if a spider bites you, it will scar you for life. Being afraid of getting bitten is rational, and this is why you should not handle your tarantulas.

To solve your dilemma, you can find all kinds of spider near your surrounding. Keeping garden spiders, jumping spiders, or wolf spiders should do the trick for you. They are basically free, and not as intimidating as tarantulas.

 

[chanda]

Observing a spider over a prolonged period - really paying attention to it, not just casually glancing at that spider in the cobweb in the corner of the garage every time you walk through or putting up with the orb weaver in the garden - is a great way to get over being arachnophobic. I used to be terribly afraid of spiders - particularly black widows - ever since I was a kid. I squished them on sight. Then I tried keeping one as a pet. She made me a little nervous - even sealed up in her container - but the more I watched her, the less scary she became. I fed her and watched her kill and eat her prey. I watched her molt - a strangely graceful and balletic act. I learned to appreciate her and see her as beautiful - and also fragile, totally dependent on me to provide for her needs. I learned that she was not a thing to be feared but one to be appreciated - and respected.

Keeping a spider of any sort - whether it's a little house or garden spider that you catch yourself or a large, exotic tarantula - is a great way to face your fears - but I would strongly recommend against handling it. Yes, I do handle a few of my own spiders on rare occasions - for classroom demonstrations, 2-3 times a year - but I still do not advocate casual handling, particularly not for a novice keeper. I had been keeping spiders for a couple of years before I ever touched one. Tarantulas do not benefit from being handled. It can be a stressful experience for them and it carries with it the risk of injury or death. You already know that you are afraid of spiders. What will you do if that spider you are trying to hold decides to bolt up your arm? Or flicks urticating hairs at you? Or goes into a threat pose on your hand or even bites you? Any sudden or unexpected movement by the spider - however inoccuous - can be misinterpreted as a fangs-first lunge at your unprotected flesh. Can you be 100% certain that you can calmly recapture the spider (if needed) and put it gently and safely back into its enclosure? Or are you going to jerk your hand back out of sheer reflex - and hurl the poor spider against the wall? Even keepers who are not afraid of spiders in general can still react in the moment if startled or injured. For those who are afraid of spiders, it will be that much worse.

Your own fears - and your lack of experience and confidence with spiders - increases the risk of a bad outcome, should you try to handle. You may miss the subtle (or not-so-subtle) body language or other clues that the spider wishes to be left alone. You may move abruptly or in a way that increases the tarantula's perception of you as a potential threat. When you are holding the spider, your hands may be shaky, making the spider feel insecure, like it is about to fall or be dropped. A spider who feels unsure of its footing may attempt to steady itself with its fangs against your hand - not the same thing as a bite at all, but still very frightening if you don't know what's going on. You may flinch or jerk in reaction to the spider's movements. Any of these things will add to the tarantula's stress, making it feel vulnerable - and increasing the chance that it might bolt or bite. A bad outcome - whether you are bit or haired by the spider, or your new pet ends up dropped or spattered against a wall - is not going to reduce your fears. If anything, it will make them worse.

At the very least - if you feel that handling a tarantula is the litmus test by which you can confirm that you've finally overcome your fear of spiders - wait. Overcoming a phobia does not happen overnight. The simple act of buying and picking up a spider will not overcome that fear. Consider a long-term approach. Get a sling or juvenile and watch it grow. Take care of it. Observe it. Feed it. Clean up after it. Rehouse it as it outgrows its container(s). Long-term interactions with the spider will demystify it for you and help you to really get to know it. By observing it, you will learn what makes it nervous - and how it reacts. Does it bolt for cover when you open the tank to clean out dead prey? Or go into a threat pose? Does it turn around and start flicking hairs? Or sit calmly while you go about your business? Is it startled by noises? Vibrations? Shadows, like when your hand passes between the cage and the light source? Is there anything that you can do, next time you have to open the cage, to reduce the spider's stress? If you move a little slower or turn down the lights, does that help? Only after a prolonged period of studying and caring for your spider - after that sling has grown up - should you even consider handling it.

A safer alternative to handling would be to set the cage gently on the floor, then set your hand flat on the bottom of the cage, and let the spider walk across your hand - without actually lifting your hand or picking up the spider. (If you are determined to handle, this is still a good first step, just to get you used to the feel of the spider's tarsal claws and the way it moves, while minimizing the risk to the spider.) If you do handle the spider, it should never be more than a few inches above the floor, because falling or being dropped can be fatal. Also, you should have a catch cup right there, in case it gets away from you. The door should be closed so the spider cannot get out of the room - and so pets or children or other potential distractions/threats to the spider can't get in. There should be no clutter nearby that the spider could hide under if it gets away from you. A clear field of view - or an enclosed space, like a large rubbermaid tub - can help you to control the situation. These are the same precautions that you should take when rehousing a spider, even if you use a transfer cup and never touch it with your bare hands at all.

 

[Walker253]

Have you ever handled them?

I know this wasn't directed at me, but I'll chime in on it. First, it is generally discouraged to free handle intentionally or any tarantula as a consensus of the opinions in this forum. It does nothing for the tarantula. They get no joy from it. It can stress them out. They can fall and become injured or die. They are fragile. They can run away and become lost and you may never find them again.
That being said, there are many people who handle their tarantulas. I was one of them. Nothing ever happened as a result. I was never bitten. I've never dropped one. But in reality, I was only feeding my own ego. Once the novelty wore off, I never really found the desire to handle anymore. Some people need to do it, get it out of their system, and move on. Cross your fingers and hope every occasion is boring and nothing happens. Others are a bit smarter or don't feel the need to feed their ego or curiosity and never hold intentionally.
Most hold the "Don't Handle" thought process because if you are here long enough, usually a few times a year, a thread pops up where something catastrophic happens and they knowingly or unknowingly want to share their concern by starting a thread. Those never go well for the person by the way.
If you do get the tarantula, just be really careful. I wouldn't suggest holding it. If you do, do it on your bed or lay on the floor where there is no fall risk. Have a catch cup near by in case the tarantula makes a run for it. Know the risks and keep your tarantula safe. They break, they die.

 

[miss moxie]

I won't go into my anti-handling rant, others will do that for me. If you want a tarantula that is docile, and will help you get over your fears, and you want to maybe handle them (the BEST way, I won't say the CORRECT way because the correct way is to leave it be. But if you want to handle a tarantula, bring its enclosure to the ground on a floor with a wide open space, no clutter. Take it out and let it crawl over your hands while your hands rest on the floor. Do not raise your hand or the tarantula more than 3" from the floor until you are going to put it back in it's enclosure. Even small falls can kill tarantulas, that's why it's a bad idea to handle a T. Especially if you're scared of spiders, you might flinch or overreact for no good reason-- as in you think it's gonna bite but it's not, it's just walking.) then I'd recommend doing it right and investing in a female Euathlus sp. "red".

It won't be easy to find them. I'm almost convinced EVERYONE is searching for these jewels, even if they aren't actively seeking them out. Hard to turn down such a great spider if you find one. It'll probably cost around $100, likely more than. They're gentle, I've never heard of one biting though make no mistake-- all tarantulas CAN and WILL bite if need be. This is one of the only Ts I've seen climb slowly up and out of their enclosure on their own volition. I can't see how ANYONE wouldn't like a Euathlus sp. "red" because they're just great tarantulas.

 

[Deb60]

I never liked Ts to begin with , but had three in my house for six weeks till they were collected by my daughter to keep . From being scared of them I actually found myself really interested in them . A few weeks later I saw an add for a Eauthlus Red sp for sale locally. ( I was won over by how cute and inquisitive he /she ) i did hold him whilst the previous owner let him walk from his hand to mine , but I’ve never done it since ( it did get me over my fear in case there was ever an occasion when I may have to handle one ) when it’s a case if they could fall , or in any situation where they could cause themselves harm of any sort . That’s the only time I’d actually hold on now , I’ve always got a caught cup on hand when feeding or doing any maintenance. It’s much safer for you and yourt to not handle in general. By the way the Eauthlus sp Red is in my eyes a brilliant T to start of with , I found as they are smaller ( not a true Drawf) that I found mine to be the one most of liked by friends due to being smaller , the bigger ones tend to appear more scary if your not keen on Ts !

 

[The Grym Reaper]

They're gentle, I've never heard of one biting though make no mistake-- all tarantulas CAN and WILL bite if need be.

I don't know if it's some Arachnoboards myth or something but I swear someone mentioned that a member of the boards has/had one that would throw up threat postures and drip venom from its fangs, that'd be hilarious to see.

 

[KezyGLA]

I don't know if it's some Arachnoboards myth or something but I swear someone mentioned that a member of the boards has/had one that would throw up threat postures and drip venom from its fangs, that'd be hilarious to see.

My Dolichothele diamantinensis does that

 

[The Grym Reaper]

My Dolichothele diamantinensis does that

I think I'm unwittingly starting an army of psycho Brachypelma, I got a threat posture from my emilia yesterday

 

[KezyGLA]

Be funnier to see a Euathlus sp. red doing that though...

 

[Garth Vader]

It might be more helpful to start with looking at pictures of spiders and approaching spiders and insects you see in real life.
I provide cognitive behavioral treatments for anxiety disorders for my job. I usually start people with things that are less challenging than being with a live spider, such as saying the word spider, reading stories about spiders, and looking at pictures and videos of spiders. I have them do these things for periods of time (at least 10 minutes) and regularly (daily). What maintains anxiety and fear is mistaken beliefs and AVOIDANCE. So don't avoid and also don't engage in behaviors to try to change the anxiety response (like doing deep breaths or walking away from the feared object). What your brain needs is new experiences to demonstrate that the fear response is unfounded, that if you get nervous while watching a video, danger never actually occurs. This is what starts to change the anxiety response. On the other side, also start to recognize that most people have some response to things like spiders and snakes as it is a wired response for humans through evolution, many of us get startled around these animals. Through repeated (effective) exposure, it will start to shift.
Anyone who has been phobic of insects and wants to conquer that fear should eventually be THE person in the household and office who manages insects, whether that be letting them be, putting them outside of smooshing them (I am a fan of the first two options). A tarantula may help you conquer your fear, but it may also make it harder and your fear may make it challenging to care for the T. Anxiety and tarantula care, or any pet care, do not mix well together. Ts require patience and not a lot of hovering, at all. I found that I was a terrible T owner until I had at least 4 of them so I wouldn't spend so much time hovering over them. But now I am encouraging tarantula hoarding!

Anyway, if this fear is pretty debilitating (like I have seen people unable to really be outdoors or go into certain rooms due to these fears) and you are really serious about overcoming this fear, don't do it alone and hire a really sold behaviorist to help you out, which by the way Tony Soprano should have done, but that it a totally other topic.

 

[Garth Vader]

I don't know if it's some Arachnoboards myth or something but I swear someone mentioned that a member of the boards has/had one that would throw up threat postures and drip venom from its fangs, that'd be hilarious to see.

I have read this on here too. It is like an Arachnoboards Legend- the fierce and defensive E sp red. It is so hard to imagine, mine is such a little sweetie, which is a weird word to explain a T, but she really is a little sweetie.