# For those of you who keep scorps as a hobby and not a job



## Aztek (Oct 28, 2007)

what do freinds and family think of it?:? 
They think It's weird at times and a waste of money.
I just say I like them because of the Durango thing, which I do.


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## Snake_Eyes (Oct 28, 2007)

They think I'm weird and that I should get a cat/dog.


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## Ted (Oct 28, 2007)

whats a durango thing?

i like them because i like nature.
and i tell friends and family my money and hobbies are my own, and none of their business.
if they dont want you telling them how to spend their time or money, tell them get lost.


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## tarsier (Oct 28, 2007)

They think Im weird but then again, they are probably right


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## Farom (Oct 28, 2007)

I don't tell friends.  Family thinks I'm wierd.


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## ZoSoLp510 (Oct 28, 2007)

Family? The scorpions are my family


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## lostriverdoc (Oct 29, 2007)

Everyone I come in contact with thinks I'm weird for keeping scorps and T's. But they really go off when I tell them I also have two Diamondbacks a blacktail and have a Mohave on the way. The expression on there face"PRICELESS"


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## reptist (Oct 29, 2007)

*what they think......*

my scorps are always telling me how strange I am for spending so much time w/ humans, I just tell them a guy has got to have his hobbies/vises, I think they are coming around though, I talked one of my flat rocks into actualy climbing on one of my human friends, and she did it too, had the willys for a day or 2 but last I heard she was telling the others that we arent slimy like she had always thought we would be, and she thought she may even get her a human of her own, I may have created a monster!!!! the only drawbacks she says are that were so expensive to feed,  always craving so much atention, and our life spans are such that we'd have to be passed on for 30-55+ generations, now thats a responsibility and a half, the fact that she is even considering a human pet says alot though as she was humaphobic bigtime her whole life, to the point that if one approached her she would, with all her might, cram her whole body into a rock crevice or between a couple rocks that mathmaticly shouldnt have been possible, and she couldnt even think of watching a show like cheers or mash without going into a molt, I'm w/ my scorps I think my friends and family are kinda creepy, JK guys, PEACE,    B.


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## Johnny Savage (Oct 29, 2007)

Well, I don't have any scorpions yet but that's maily because my mom is horrified at the thought that I would want something that "ugly" as a pet. My dad thinks I'm insane for wanting somethin' venomous and my older sister is on both of those trains. If only I didn't think furry animals were so borin' it wouldn't be a hassle tryin' to get a pet!


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## P. Novak (Oct 29, 2007)

My family likes my tarantulas more, but most of my friends like my scorpions more. It's a 50/50 thing, but that doesn't matter because I love both alot!


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## 7mary3 (Oct 29, 2007)

My parents think I'm nuts for having scorps and T's. Same with my Ball python. My roommates are all on board, but they've all got T's, snakes, or Pyxie frogs. My girlfriend doesn't mind, so I guess she's a keeper. Everyone loves my Tiger Salamander though.


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## Quixtar (Oct 29, 2007)

Most of my friends don't mind my Ts and scorps, but are deathly afraid of my pedes because they look "gross" to them. No one minds the herps, or are more accepting of them. Everyone except for one of my friends loves my chinchilla. That one guy is deathly afraid of my chinchilla yet finds all my inverts and herps fascinating. It's the weirdest thing ever.


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## kayhuckaby (Oct 29, 2007)

Everyone pokes fun at me! but no one has called me weird, thankfully. They all  know I'm not an average bear  I love my scorps! and will probably have some  forever!


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## Pink-Poodle88 (Oct 29, 2007)

A chance to observe nature is never a waste of money. Besides, most that are so against them are only that way because they're ignorant when it comes to the animal in question, believing they're all "deadly" and yes, some select species can be _potentially_ deadly, but death from a spider bite/scorpion sting is actually a lot more rare than one would be led to believe, thanks to the over-exaggeration done by the media and/or by the sheer lies and "stories" of uninformed people in general. 

The truth is that aggressive, stray dogs and male deer defending their territory from hunters kill WAY WAY WAY more people annually than spiders do, yet hardly anybody hates dogs or deer, they all hate the small, nearly blind, virtually harmless spiders that only bite in self defense instead, because they think it looks "scary" or "ugly." Solid proof that people judge too much by physical appearance.


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## Alakdan (Oct 29, 2007)

My family is ok with it.  They are very supportive.  I guess they are already used to it.  I've been keeping true spiders and beetles as young kid.

My friends think it is weird, but they are usually thankful that they got to see one up close because of me.


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## PhilK (Oct 29, 2007)

Pink-Poodle88 said:


> Solid proof that people judge too much by physical appearance.


Said the girl who linked to a picture of herself in her signature.   

All good


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## xVOWx (Oct 29, 2007)

Funny story, the roomates I had a year ago didn't have a problem with the A.mauritanicus (I made sure they were well aware of the venom level of this sp) in my closet, but when I bought a 1/4" G.aureostriata they were not happy about it being in the apartment at all


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## dragonwolf (Oct 29, 2007)

Almost no comment from either family or friends...it's a well known belief that I'm weird


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## Da1Dezzy (Oct 29, 2007)

nobody seems bothered either way in fact the only ppl that have the concern for our sid is peeps on here lol


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## keqwow (Oct 29, 2007)

*weird*

I find it amusing that most everyone who has responded to this thread has made a comment along the lines of "everyone thinks/knows I'm weird anyway so I am ok with that."  I do feel sorry for the one person who said that their friends don't know...almost as if they are afraid of what their friends would think.  Everyone has always felt I was a little strange....my quick come back to those comments are simply "normal is boring."  I've always been fascinated with nature.  I was able to keep various reptiles while growing up, but my mother drew the line on tarantulas in particular.  I kept some hissing roaches while I was in college, and as soon as I got my own house I went out and purchased 8 different tarantulas to start my collection (all colorful docile species).  Now I think it is time to expand into the other goodies I've always liked....scorpions, giant millipedes, perhaps a centipede, vinegaroon, and possibly a tailless whipscorpion to round it off


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## g-thing (Oct 29, 2007)

*hobby*

my father doesnt care because there not in his house 
mom siad "i figured you do some thing like that"
but im havent been told im weird more on the lines of "crazy";P


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## pandinus (Oct 29, 2007)

well, i didnt need to keep scorpions to know that i was insane


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## Kenobi (Oct 29, 2007)

My family thinks I'm weird: "Why get a scorpion and not a normal animal? They don't do anything." <--- My sister, who has a hamster. To which I responded, "If you don't stop annoying me, it'll be ripping your hamsters face off!  ".

My friends think its cool though. They're just interested in watching my Emp maul stuff.


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## emmille (Oct 29, 2007)

*hey*

my friends can't think of any reason why i really loved scorpions.

well, i just tell them...

"Each of us has it's own hobby or things that would keep us happy & busy. No matter what it is, either if it's just cute little puppy or creepy crawlies like scorpions, as long as it would make us happy...GO FOR IT!!!! :} :}


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## mr.wilderness (Oct 29, 2007)

Family and friends may think its a weird hobby, but who do they _always_ come crawling to when they find one in their house or want to know how to get rid of them from their property(and this goes for all non-conventional pets i.e snakes, t's, etc.)?  That's right: the "weirdos"


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## emmille (Oct 29, 2007)

mr.wilderness said:


> Family and friends may think its a weird hobby, but who do they _always_ come crawling to when they find one in their house or want to know how to get rid of them from their property(and this goes for all non-conventional pets i.e snakes, t's, etc.)?  That's right: the "weirdos"


You are right!!!! :} :} :}


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## Cyris69 (Oct 29, 2007)

Family/Friends don't care, and don't share any interest. 
They think I'm wasting my money, but I say if it makes me happy and brings me much enjoyment that they have no right to tell me what is and isn't a waste of money.

I love nature and all forms of life since I can remember, my mom would always find me looking under rocks and logs when we lived in the middle of a good size forest aka hill billy town martensville, indiana  and ask me what I was doing, I'd say "looking for snakes and spiders. 

It's no longer a wow thats cool as it is an interest and fascination thing now. I still get the holly crap thats sick thing now and again.


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## mr.wilderness (Oct 29, 2007)

Cyris69 said:


> Family/Friends don't care, and don't share any interest.
> They think I'm wasting my money, but I say if it makes me happy and brings me much enjoyment that they have no right to tell me what is and isn't a waste of money.


Hmmmm, I wonder what they spend their money on then that makes them happy?  Jewelry?  Expensive clothes?  Both of which are bigger wastes of money to me than some bugs.  And you can't even learn anything from them, except how much money you have to dish out for it  .  I'll stick with the gross weird bugs, thanks :} In any case I can only semi-sympathize with those whose friends and fam call them weird and despise their hobby.  My parents have loooooooong since gotten over it my odd animalian interests, and actually told me that they are thankful they had me when I was growing up, because they used to be so ignorant about such things as insects, snakes, spiders, etc and I essentially "opened their eyes" to a world they didn't even know existed.  Now they feel the house just wouldn't be the same without the various "critters" I bring into it  and whenever they have their friends over they instantly want to know if I'm home so that they can see some of my weird stuff!  As for the rest of the family, like I said earlier, they all for the most part think it is strange, but they still value having a guy around who they can call if there's some weird thing in their house that is freaking them out and they don't know what it is, and all my friends think its totally weird (in an awesome sorta way  ) that they've got a friend with spiders larger than their hands and a snake big enough to eat their pitbull lol


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## Cyris69 (Oct 29, 2007)

Yeah, I second that.


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## ZooRex (Oct 29, 2007)

My family is pretty indifferent. They don't really mind, but aren't exited by my scorps eithor. When I brought my first scorp my mom was worried for 15 seconds, but when she saw it she said "Well it is pretty cool" and went about here buisness. I think what keeps people in high spirits the most is that the scorps (and all my other exotics) are in their own pet room, that and because they make me happy. ~ Rex


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## K3jser (Oct 29, 2007)

My Girlfreind is pretty ok with all my scorpions, but she have told me to take it abit easy now, got allmost 70 of them so she thinks i need to take a break allso got some orther stuff, spiders and stuff like that, my family dont really get it and just thinks iam weird, and doesnt even understand its possible to take them to a higher level, but i dont care.. my apartment my life, my scorps


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## Encryption (Oct 29, 2007)

I'm glad my family sees that a scorpion is just like any other creature, and that they aren't some kind of "monster". They are 100% okay with it. And my aunt has even got a few .


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## ~Abyss~ (Oct 29, 2007)

Aztek said:


> what do freinds and family think of it?:?
> They think It's weird at times and a waste of money.
> I just say I like them because of the Durango thing, which I do.


YEah hi five. But I my origins are what started this whole scorp thing. After learning more i became more and more interested.


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## signinsimple (Oct 29, 2007)

I think it's natural for the majority of people to have an aversion to arthropods.  Their physiology is alien to our own.  Their body is inside out with the skeletons on the outside, most of them move around way too quickly with multiple legs, their teeth are on the outside of their face.  There is pretty much no way to relate to something so strange except abstractly.  The result:  Intrigue, fear, or disgust.  I mean, most people don't even think of scorps and T's as anything other than a bug.  They are bugs as far as most people are concerned.  They just eat other bugs.  And I suppose, to some extent, they are correct.  I'm not even sure why I think scorpions are any more interesting than roaches, other than the whole predator fascination thing.  Fundamentally, I don't see any solid reason to prefer one to another.  I just do.  But I digress.

I haven't told many people about my scorpions, but I don't actually have them yet so it's not like I'm ashamed.  The couple of friends who came over and saw the tank set up know about it and they seemed pretty cool with it.  I'm fairly certain that most any girls I bring over will be weirded out.  But life's rough.  We get through these difficulties. When those scorps come, anyone who asks will know about it.  The tank's right there on my desk so It's not like they're gonna miss it.


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## arachnonick2 (Oct 29, 2007)

To tell you the truth none of my friends think its weird, if anything they find it cool. And my family wholeheartedly supports it! Its nice. Also women love it!


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## RoachGirlRen (Oct 29, 2007)

My friends are fine with it and accept it as one of my character quirks. My family is fine with them as long as they stay well hidden and don't come out of the bins when they're around.


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## keqwow (Oct 30, 2007)

*girls....*

....a lot of folks have mentioned that it will "weird out the girls" thhat come over...probably not do a whole lot for their personal lives etc.....I've always found that I never had much interest in the girls that WEREN'T interested in this stuff.  I'd have to say the goal for most of the guys on this board would be to find a woman who thinks this stuff is just as cool as we do, or at least thinks they are interesting and certainly don't have a problem with us keeping them.  My fiancee doesn't care much for watching my T's eat, but she likes to watch them now and again when they are roaming around the tank or just hanging out.  It helps to have some more colorful "pretty" specimens also


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## RoachGirlRen (Oct 30, 2007)

^ Amen to that. If the guy/girl I'm interested in is disgusted by, disinterested in, or disrespectful to any of my critters, we simply aren't going to work out. Unfortunately, I keep most of kingdom animalia, and I find that most mammal/bird lovers don't like herps/amphibs/inverts, and most herp/amphib/invert lovers don't like mammals/birds. I'd be on cloud 9 if I could find a decent guy/gal who loves all of the above and wouldn't refer to all of my mice as "food" (except for Food, who happens to be named food).


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## keqwow (Oct 30, 2007)

*^a challenge but they are out there.....*

I'm sure it's a challenge but we are out there.  I love all of the above for different reasons.  Dogs are like having a buddy, cats are more quiet and independent, I raised rats for "food" when I was keeping a 10 foot Burmese python, but there were a few of those rats (one in particular), that lived a full life...she was just too nice/intelligent, so she became my personal pet.  Kept hissing roaches as pets....they also turned into food.  Fat-tailed and leapard geckos didn't do much for me, I didn't keep them too long, nor did I favor my green iquana or savanah monitor, but I LOVED my two bearded dragons...definitely the most personality for a reptile.  Ball python was pretty cool too.  My tarantulas all have different characteristics that make them very interesting to watch, but again, if I want to pet and play with something I go to the dogs or cats.  I've never kept birds.  I kind of wanted an African gray, but I guess I couldn't justify keeping something that beautiful in a cage.  I thought about love birds for a while too...but again, just couldn't keep something like that in a cage...plus they get a bit loud (the reason my hissing roaches went from pet to food category(bearded dragons loved those).  When I get a larger piece of property I had thought it would be pretty cool to keep a few emus though.....beautiful birds...and definitely very cool to see in the wild (compared to our deer here...grass is always greener down under   )


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## pandinus (Oct 30, 2007)

i often do lectures to classes of various age groups (mostly college and grad school). I usually also bring along several inverts for demonstration. usually i ask at the very end if anyone has any questions, and invariably one of the first asked is "you live alone dont you?" or interchangable, "youre single arent you" when i answer "no" i almost always get the follow up, "and what do _they_ think of all this?" my other favorite is when i handle a harmless spp. or pick up a piece of bark that a calm, mild spp. is sitting on, and people ask me "is it just the fact that youre around them so much that you can handle them like that?" to which i say, "no, its because im an idiot." 



John


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## Michiel (Oct 30, 2007)

My family is very supportive and are used to the scorpions and T's I keep and so are my friends. They don't know any better  Most of my colleges used to react stereotypically as: Why do you keep these creeps/ filthy animals?

Why do you keep a dog or a rabbit, or a goldfish? why does someone hangs a painting on a wall? Why does someone collect stamps or coins? Are the questions I ask in reply. 

But when they get used to it, and you explain people what fascinating creatures they are, the anxiety or antipathy is replaced by interest and certain understanding...


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## keqwow (Oct 30, 2007)

*well said...*

I think many folks can find something interesting about these things...its just a matter of getting most of them to stick around long enough to look closely at them and observe them.  My sister's friends used to think it was totally disgusting when I fed my pythons, but invariably, most would stick around to watch in fascination as the snake's bottom jaw dislocates and the mouth expands to be able to take the rat down.  I never get over the rump dance (as I call it), when I feed my T's....they grab up those crickets and then start laying down some webbing on the substrate to make a nice little powerbar for themselves to snack on later (hot pockets!!)


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## telow (Oct 30, 2007)

well well thats an odd ?.


my family and alot of people ive met think im nuts 
and ask why i would keep something like that
but my wife likes to say its time and money
but its one of the very few things i enjoy in life so they just deal with it

but hey how could you not like a centruroides or a tityus species ?

so i say some people have cars , some people have addictions,
but i have scorpions and other inverts 
and they are not bothering anyone or hurting anyone
also you have your things and i deal with it so leave me alone

hahaha
but with each person you will get alot of the same awnsers
and some with different awnsers
if you like your hobby and all just stick to it unless its not realy for you


i went into a few hobbies and only 2 ever stuck  guns and inverts
nothing is realy for me i guess haha.


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## YouLosePayUp (Oct 30, 2007)

reptist said:


> and she couldnt even think of watching a show like cheers or mash without going into a molt


Would this work on Parabuthus


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## signinsimple (Oct 30, 2007)

RoachGirlRen said:


> ^ Amen to that. If the guy/girl I'm interested in is disgusted by, disinterested in, or disrespectful to any of my critters, we simply aren't going to work out. Unfortunately, I keep most of kingdom animalia, and I find that most mammal/bird lovers don't like herps/amphibs/inverts, and most herp/amphib/invert lovers don't like mammals/birds. I'd be on cloud 9 if I could find a decent guy/gal who loves all of the above and wouldn't refer to all of my mice as "food" (except for Food, who happens to be named food).


You named your mouse 'Food'?...Funny.  Is he or she a feeder mouse as well?  That would have a poetic practicality to it.

There must be plenty of people out there into both orders of pet.  If you've ever had mainstream pets growing up and are on this forum, you probably like both.  I do.  I decided to go with a few desert scorpions cause they kick ass and require very little maintenance (useful for someone who has to work too many hours and likes to go on trips once and a while).  I'd get a cat too if I didn't develop an allergy to them


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## RoachGirlRen (Oct 30, 2007)

> You named your mouse 'Food'?...Funny. Is he or she a feeder mouse as well? That would have a poetic practicality to it.


Yeah, she is a feeder mouse. Or at least she was destined to be a feeder mouse and wound up being a pet.


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## FromHell (Oct 31, 2007)

My family doesnt even know im keeping scorpions. They just wonder whats behind that locked door every time they come over. Saves me the headache of all the questions and arrogant remarks and opinions. Its just better that way...they need to know, only what they need to know...


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## BelfastScorpion (Oct 31, 2007)

My family doesn't think I'm weird but some of my friends do.  I don't really care though.  I would much rather have pet scorpions than any other pet.  They can have their dogs and cats, I'm sticking with the scorps which are far better animals and pets.

BelfastScorpion.


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## Jaffster (Oct 31, 2007)

Nobody has called me wierd at all! I have a shed I built outside were I keep my wonderfull Scorpions and everyone who's had the privalege of entering the shed has loved it.

Infact, a friend of mine bought an emperor shortly after seeing mine then went on to buy a few buthids!

Scorpions in the UK are definately becoming more and more popular as are most other exotic animals.


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## NevularScorpion (Nov 1, 2007)

men some of you guys are lucky because my whole family are ganging up on me they think im wierd and delinquent they always said "WHO WANTS TO TAKE CARE OF SCORPION AND T's JUST BUY A DOG OR A CAT YOUR JUST WASTING YOUR TIME WITH THOSE THINGS" then i told them i can money my pets and they said "WHERE ARE YOU GOING TO SELL THOSE THINGS NOONE WILL BUY THEM" plus they always blame my pets if something goes wrong they even tried to tricked me to despose my pets they said that its illegal to have too many inverts SON OF BISCUIT. They even said that a swat team will pucking raid my house and confiscate my pressious Ts. also when it comes with my friends, its 50/50 some like them some dont.


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## Vfox (Nov 1, 2007)

Family, they all think I'm insane.....although much moreso for the roaches than the scorpions oddly. 

Friends, also think I am insane, and at school I am "that kid with the bugs" to people who see my workbench. (I have a corkboard covered in inverts) 

I honestly just get a roll of the eyes, a few questions, and that's about it for my scorpions. I get a lot of "Oh wow, you're friggin nuts" or "Eww, they are such dirty bugs" when I talk about my roaches, which I then tell them they are wrong about the dirty roach part, maybe not the nuts part, but definately the dirty roach part, lol.


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## chandlermonster (Nov 1, 2007)

Yep, the reaction I get from my close friends and family is my least favorite part about owning T's and Scorps.  I'm in college now, and up until a few months ago I spent any time I wasn't doing school work out with friends partying.  The truth is, that got old and I had to find a new hobby.  Since I've started collecting and keeping arachnids I've gotten a LOT of flack from the friends mostly.  My room mates are always telling me how dorky of a hobby it is.  Man, it's annoying.  Don't get me wrong, I still go out a few times a week, but it feels like a lot of people want me to feel embarrassed for keeping critters that I love and hopping on arachnoboards all the time.  

But then when I want to restore my Dad's old bike from the ground up everyone is all for it.  It's weird how people pass judgment on hobbies that don't even affect them.


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## Vfox (Nov 2, 2007)

That's the world we live in, anything people don't understand, or don't think is normal is judged as "wrong" "stupid" or "creepy". It just shows how closed minded some people are in my opinion.


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## looper (Nov 2, 2007)

At first my mother was dead against me having a scorp but when i got one and brought it home...she was asking questions like no end and as time has gone on she actually enjoys it...she is more scared of it's dinner lol.... and since then i have bought a few more scorps.... and looking to buy more..none of my friends or family think am weird maybe the whole lot of us are just strange i guess... but any way my hobby is slowly taking over my life. but i love it... you cant just have on you need more..its like the pringles advert once you pop you cant stop!


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## Craiger (Nov 2, 2007)

Friends and family don't think I am weird. I just get the same phrase over and over, "i just can't see you having those." All in all my friends ask tons of questions and are interested, as well as my family.


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## bitan_p (Nov 4, 2007)

Man, i havent even got my scorp yet, and im gettin grief for it, my mum is completely against them, my girlfrined thinks its "geeky" one of my housemates is threatening to move out but the other 3 are cool with it, they think its ironic because im terrified of spiders. Still gettin it though, i love nature and think the whole predator instinct of animals is incredible, really fascinated by them. I just wish other people werent so ignorant,the number of times my death has been prophecised (sp), you'd think i was living with Nostradamus.


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## Drachenjager (Nov 4, 2007)

Ted said:


> whats a durango thing?
> 
> i like them because i like nature.
> and i tell friends and family my money and hobbies are my own, and none of their business.
> if they dont want you telling them how to spend their time or money, tell them get lost.


yeah what is that? Durango, Texas?


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## Aztek (Nov 4, 2007)

No Durango Mexico.

There's a legend about a jail cell that whomever was sentenced to it died the next day suddenly.

Then oen day this one guy went in didn't sleep asked for a candle and saw the scorpion. 

Something like that, anyways That state is known for scorpion. You ever see an emblem of a scorpion with a Mexican, they're from Durango 

I believe there was also a plague of scorpions at one time when it was being colonized by the spaniards, or just overrun.


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## Don&SallysZoo (Nov 5, 2007)

Aztek said:


> what do freinds and family think of it?:?
> They think It's weird at times and a waste of money.
> I just say I like them because of the Durango thing, which I do.


Well my wife is OK with me keeping scorpions, although there not her favorite animals we have, we breed various reptiles. About the only thing she doesn't want us to keep in our apt are T's. Need to wait until we get into a shop.


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## Zman16 (Nov 5, 2007)

My family doesn't like them but they don't mind them either. As for friends, I don't have any.... Jk Jk Jk. They think I'm crazy, but there the ones that are crazy ;P


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## pugsley26266 (Nov 6, 2007)

i really don't care what they think........it's my hobby, my money, my time anyway. ;P


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