Tarantula keeping and friends

[ArachnoHazard]

So, I have yet to get my first tarantula, but I am planning to get one for myself as a birthday gift at the end of next month, beginning of July. I’ve only ever had the “typical” types of pets before; dogs, cats, rabbits, etc. The one thing I’ve noticed is that a lot of people become VERY uncomfortable when you mention the possibility of getting a pet T. The reactions have ranged from “as long as it stays in its enclosure” to “I am never coming in your house again”.

Basically, I’m just wondering if anyone else has noticed a kind of strain in friendships once you got a T or once people find out you have a collection of them. It’s not going to change my mind about getting one, since my boyfriend is okay with us having one (he thinks they’re creepy but he also loves how excited I get about them). But I really am wondering how much of a change it makes in the way people view or interact with you.

 

[Malo]

I think it's mostly off-the-cuff responses that aren't serious. Once they see it in the enclosure they'll likely feel ok about it and probably quite curious.

 

[ArachnoHazard]

I think it's mostly off-the-cuff responses that aren't serious. Once they see it in the enclosure they'll likely feel ok about it and probably quite curious.

Well, I do know one friend means it, but she can’t come to my house anyway because of her horrific rabbit allergy. I’m aware most people just have a very instant and strong reaction to the thought of creepy crawlers, especially as pets, but I’m genuinely curious how many actually let it get in the way of how they view the keepers.

It’s less of a “I’m worried my friends are gonna ditch me” and more of a sociological and psychological curiosity I have over the situation.

 

[Pseudo]

Basically, I’m just wondering if anyone else has noticed a kind of strain in friendships once you got a T or once people find out you have a collection of them.

I haven't. People seem to do alright as long as they stay in their enclosures, which I have no intent on getting them out. Even an arachnophobic family member was interested at looking at one through her plastic container.

 

[KezyGLA]

If they are really bothered by your hobbies, then they aren't your friends.

.. just my .02

 

[Orionoid]

Luckily for me, my friends are great at least faking enthusiasm for my hobbies that I can tell they are sort of weirded out by, so I have no input here

 

[AnimalNewbie]

So, I have yet to get my first tarantula, but I am planning to get one for myself as a birthday gift at the end of next month, beginning of July. I’ve only ever had the “typical” types of pets before; dogs, cats, rabbits, etc. The one thing I’ve noticed is that a lot of people become VERY uncomfortable when you mention the possibility of getting a pet T. The reactions have ranged from “as long as it stays in its enclosure” to “I am never coming in your house again”.

Basically, I’m just wondering if anyone else has noticed a kind of strain in friendships once you got a T or once people find out you have a collection of them. It’s not going to change my mind about getting one, since my boyfriend is okay with us having one (he thinks they’re creepy but he also loves how excited I get about them). But I really am wondering how much of a change it makes in the way people view or interact with you.

I just don’t really mention it that much unless they come over.

 

[ArachnoHazard]

If they are really bothered by your hobbies, then they aren't your friends.

.. just my .02

I’m old enough to not really be worried about that. That’s not really what my question was about.

My question was about whether or not people have noticed if others treat them differently based on the knowledge of their tarantula keeping. I’m more interested in the background as opposed to any practical worry in my life. It’s just something I’ve always been curious about.

To others who have answered,
Thanks!

 

[Toddydog]

I've lost friends because of this hobby but honestly tarantulas have made me very happy and I couldn't imagine my life without them. I don't need friends who are going to treat me differently because I have tarantulas.

 

[basin79]

Who even needs friends when you've got tarantulas?

 

[forfun]

So, I have yet to get my first tarantula, but I am planning to get one for myself as a birthday gift at the end of next month, beginning of July. I’ve only ever had the “typical” types of pets before; dogs, cats, rabbits, etc. The one thing I’ve noticed is that a lot of people become VERY uncomfortable when you mention the possibility of getting a pet T. The reactions have ranged from “as long as it stays in its enclosure” to “I am never coming in your house again”.

Basically, I’m just wondering if anyone else has noticed a kind of strain in friendships once you got a T or once people find out you have a collection of them. It’s not going to change my mind about getting one, since my boyfriend is okay with us having one (he thinks they’re creepy but he also loves how excited I get about them). But I really am wondering how much of a change it makes in the way people view or interact with you.

Nope not all. Most of the times i meet my friends outside my home or at their place. Also my T's is in a room. I don't talk about my tarantula hobby to people that's not interested. Also i dont care what my friends think about that ^^

 

[Greasylake]

I've been roundly blessed and cursed. I've had people call me crazy, weird, a future murderer, and other such unoriginal names (seriously people I've heard them all before I'm just getting bored of it now, at least try to make it interesting). I have also however experienced the complete opposite. After coming to my house and seeing my rather small collection a friend wanted a T, so I got her one I thought would be suitable. I gave her the rundown and told her how to keep it and it's been doing great so far. Just two days ago I had someone stop by my house just because they wanted to see my animals and the whole time he kept saying how cool they were. He was very impressed by my inch and a half N. Chromatus slings for some reason. I guess what I'm trying to get at here is that there'll be people who are too closed minded to accept that anything they themselves aren't interesting in could be fascinating to someone else, and then there's going to be people who like it just as much as you do. If you're lucky you may also corrupt one or two people. My cousin can't figure out why her daughter is so interesting in animals, but I know exactly why

 

[nicodimus22]

Have no friends. Need no friends. Animals are better than almost all people.

 

[basin79]

This is a job for wise mantis.

 

[Greasylake]

friend? Is that a new species? I haven't heard about it yet what genus is it under?

 

[SquidStina]

I got a lot of those sorts of comments from coworkers/friends/parents, when I got my Phidippus Regius jumping spider, and a freebie K. Brunnipes tarantula. I loved them both, but they creeped out most people around me (aside from one friend who was into entomology).
I have a macro filter for my phone, so I of course took about 8 billion pictures of them, and showed those off. I think my jumper was the best way to introduce the idea that "spiders are cute/neat". Now I have 3 more Ts, all with super interesting colours/patterns. If I tell someone my C.Versicolor is blue, and is going to grow up to be red and green, they get interested in seeing a "rainbow tarantula". I have a couple of coworkers who've grown interested enough to ask to get texts with pictures when my Ts molt or do something neat. My parents came to visit this last weekend and we even spent about an hour handling my jumper, and then rehousing two Ts that had outgrown their pill containers.
I still get comments from people sometimes, because they can't get past the idea of keeping a spider as a pet. An extremely arachnophobic friend told me she finally got it when I said to her "You know how you feel about your cat? I feel that exact way about my spiders."

 

[Hoops71]

Like SquidStina I started off keeping and breeding P Regius jumping spiders. Most of my friends and family thought I was 'weird'. A year later when I got my first T, they thought I was crazy as well as weird! Nowadays I try to keep my addiction to myself!

 

[DanBsTs]

Who even needs friends when you've got tarantulas?

(Nods deeply in agreement and mutters "Indeed". Puffs on pipe)

 

[Anoplogaster]

I suspect many people are simply conforming to “nope” culture. Homo sapiens are naturally social animals. And what comes along with social beings is the drive for uniformity in thoughts and behaviors. In other words, like-minded people get along. Therefore, in order to benefit from the advantages of being included in a group, humans tend to behave in ways so others may perceive them as like-minded. Keeping spiders is not the social norm in our culture. So when you keep them, you stand out. And pack instinct drives others to ridicule you for it.

 

[StampFan]

So, I have yet to get my first tarantula, but I am planning to get one for myself as a birthday gift at the end of next month, beginning of July. I’ve only ever had the “typical” types of pets before; dogs, cats, rabbits, etc. The one thing I’ve noticed is that a lot of people become VERY uncomfortable when you mention the possibility of getting a pet T. The reactions have ranged from “as long as it stays in its enclosure” to “I am never coming in your house again”.

Basically, I’m just wondering if anyone else has noticed a kind of strain in friendships once you got a T or once people find out you have a collection of them. It’s not going to change my mind about getting one, since my boyfriend is okay with us having one (he thinks they’re creepy but he also loves how excited I get about them). But I really am wondering how much of a change it makes in the way people view or interact with you.

Telling other people things is overrated. That's why there is Arachnoboards. So you have a place to question, share, discuss, vent, etc. to others in the hobby. Its likely also why its a great discussion board and very successful.

If other people don't like what hobbies you have that's their problem, not yours.