# What do your friends and family think about your Ts



## bugs4life (Nov 9, 2005)

What do your friends and family members think about your Ts?  Two of my brothers and my sis all have T's themselves, so they're cool with it.  My mom thinks they're gross and my dad only prays to God they don't escape lol.  Some of my friends are like "Remind me to never go to your house again"  and others are like "Oh cool, I'll have to see it sometime"


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## Scott C. (Nov 9, 2005)

Most of them think I'm crazy.


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## fleshstain (Nov 9, 2005)

i've got about a 60/40 split....60% like em and the other 40% think i'm crazy....the coolest part for me is i've gotten a few people over their arachnophobia with some of my calmer t's....


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## Socrates (Nov 9, 2005)

When I told my mother (in Germany) about my new hobby she told me I needed to seek "professional help".      Nobody is really enthused by the spiders at all, when in fact my younger son got me hooked when he decided he really really wanted one sometime in March last year.

Mostly I get the "crazy" look from family and friends now, as they've given up on explaining to me that it just isn't right.  What do they know?   

---
Wendy
---


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## Anubis77 (Nov 9, 2005)

My mother completely dispises my tarantula and always wants me to get rid of it (that's never going to happen). My dad doesn't mind but doesn't really care about it. My sister could also care less. My friends all think I am crazy and need professional help as well. No one I know likes them in the least bit.


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## Varden (Nov 9, 2005)

Most of them think I'm crazy.  My dad just shakes his head.  My husband just shakes his head.  My mom actually thinks they're interesting and even bought a couple Ts herself, although they all stay at my house and she just comes over once in a while and looks at them.  My sisters won't come upstairs into the spider room.  They get as far as the living room and then invariably someone asks if there's been any escapes lately.  Sheesh!  I only had the two and both were recovered!


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## ArachnoHaze (Nov 9, 2005)

Most people i know think im weird ;P , Sound's like it's the same all over...Oh well they dont know what there missing


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## Cirith Ungol (Nov 9, 2005)

I guess there's 20% against it, 20% find it really cool, and the rest find it interesting, see my flat as a private zoo and are curious to come and check the place out but they wouldn't wanna get deeper involved.


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## Stefan-V (Nov 9, 2005)

My dad loves them, my mom doesn't care, my sister is used to weird pets. My family is popular of having a lot of pets.


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## Lil Red Legs (Nov 9, 2005)

The love for T's is mine alone.  Although the other half likes to tell everyone that "we" have T's, he has never even gotten so close as to breathe on one. My parents think they are disgusting slimy things, and refuse to even look at them. BUT... the neighborhood kids LOVE them, and are knocking on my door all afternoon asking if they can come in and see the spiders.  This came from Halloween night.. was warm here so I took a few of my better looking containers outside onto a table on the front porch and decorated it up with the T's as a centerpiece.  40 bags of candy later I can happily say that we had the most popular trick or treating house in the neighborhood !!


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## Sm0k3d (Nov 9, 2005)

My dad thinks their kinda cool. But all my friends and the rest of my family think they are gross animals and shouldnt be kept as pets.


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## OldHag (Nov 9, 2005)

My sister wont come to the house anymore, much to my husbands delight, so HE loves them!   My sister also tells everyone I have roaches all over my house....she neglects to tell them they are in CAGES.. ugh.. Shes so annoying.


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## DanCameron (Nov 9, 2005)

My mom isn't too thrilled with my 'weird' hobby of tarantula care.  She actually aske, "Why can't you collect trains or something normal?"  My step-dad thinks they are alright and sometimes comes into my room to watch them feed.  My friends find them interesting and have deemed me the "Creepy Spider Guy."  There are very few people that I encounter that despise them to the point where they won't allow them into the house at all.  Of course I like to take that as an opportunity to tell them how many house spiders are roaming free, and could possibly do more medical damage to them than a tarantula in a cage.  That's actually how I got my mom to allow me to have tarantulas.  That, and I just kinda started buying them and by then it was too late for her to stop me.


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## Skypainter (Nov 9, 2005)

Two of my best friends think it's a cool hobby, one of them has a rose hair. My sister has found them fascinating since I gave her the chore of checking them for water while I am gone to school during the week. Now she wants one for herself. The first words out of my mom's mouth when my sister told her about my new hobby were "Oh God!!!"  My ex girlfriend hated spiders.


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## Hedorah99 (Nov 9, 2005)

several friends think it is cool but I am too obsessed with it. most of my coworkers like the critters, but we all work with animals professionally. all my family thinks i am just nuts.


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## BGBYTOY (Nov 9, 2005)

Most people think the same thing,,,, I'm wacko!!  But I have a neighbor that wants to come look at them when she found out I have them.. The guy that's going to feed our Critters when we go on a cruise in a few weeks used to catch and keep them in Southern Texas when he was a kid to a teen..SO they don't bother him at all..

  My Daughter won't come to the house if she knows they're out.. The Wife was really against them at first, but now she has actually held one.. And the Grandsons, have one each of their own, and the Youngest (Turns 5 in a couple of days) ask's every day if we can get them out and hold them...

 I have only met one Girl, that says WOW COOL....


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## dustypa (Nov 9, 2005)

*what does my family think about my Ts?*

Well i no longer get visitors, if thats all it took i wouldve got em years ago...I love my Ts!!!


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## Spydergirl31 (Nov 10, 2005)

*Tarantula thoughts...*

My eldest son loves them! My husband doesn't care much for them, I love them and I'm fascinated by them and the baby shouts and points at them until I say "spider!"
My Mother in Law hates them with a passion and is scared one might escape while she is staying here on vacation and my Father in Law thinks I am weird! My Mum and step-Dad think I'm a bit mad! The neighborhood kids LOVE them! So we have the whole spectrum of reactions!


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## MindUtopia (Nov 10, 2005)

Yep, they think we (Dojang and I) are weird.  Some won't even come to our apartment anymore.  But that's okay, that's why we have each other.  We love our children (and they are less scary frankly than some other people's "real" children!).    

Karen


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## dangerprone69 (Nov 10, 2005)

Oh boy . . . My dad thinks I'm a freak. My mom's curious and thinks they're a little interesting, but wants nothing to do with them. My sisters are in the same boat with my dad along with the rest of the family. I tried to teach my little niece about T's and scorps only to have her mom tell her they're dirty, nasty and evil.

One of my friends and his GF are "afraid" of spiders (yet they have a pair of 9 foot Red Tail Boas . . .) SHE's actually the one who's been brave enough to step foot into the Kritter Room but also told me that she'd never be able to sleep in my place.

One of my managers at work, who I've been friends with since we were waiters together, is the only other person in my immediate circle of friends who shares my interest.

I brought one of my Chilobrachys' exuviums to my ex's place, showed it to her like the proud "daddy" I was and she nearly fainted. We broke up shortly after.


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## Rabid Flea (Nov 10, 2005)

My mom thinks they are cool, my 3 sisters all think they are strange pets but they know my personality.  My hubby loves my scorpions (look but don't touch) and actually thought my Ts were cool till my female mac threw an impressive threat pose at him barring fangs and all, now he won't even look at them.  Oh well! :wall:


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## mybabyhasfangs (Nov 10, 2005)

You guys told your family???      

When anyone comes over the T's all get hidden...LOL.  My mother would never step foot in my house if she knew, nor would my sisters.  Some of my co workers think I'm a little crazy but they always did because we have snakes.  They couldn't believe that I live with spiders though because they have all seen me run from a wild one.  I know it's   .  I could handle large snakes but a tiny jumping spider sent me running.  I do show my co workers the pictures on here and how gorgeous some of the spiders are, they were amazed.  

Now if only Jason's mom was scared of them to the point she wouldn't stay here it would be wonderful!  She only knows we have a few.  


Christina


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## bugs4life (Nov 10, 2005)

Cirith Ungol said:
			
		

> I guess there's 20% against it, 20% find it really cool, and the rest find it interesting, see my flat as a private zoo and are curious to come and check the place out but they wouldn't wanna get deeper involved.


Haha!  My boyfriend calls my bedroom the "Devil Zoo".


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## Herps&Inverts (Nov 10, 2005)

I've always been the one with "odd pets". I was well into bringing home the creepy crawlies when I was just a pea-picker. I got my first 15'+ snake when I entered high school and have continued gathering miscellaneous animals along the way. During my first year of college, I began breeding for a new-breed petstore (no pun intended) that staffs a vet on site to make sure people know what they're getting into. However, my family finally keeled over when I brought home my first tarantula (I've been petrified of arachnids my whole life) from there the numbers blossomed well into the 20's and before I knew it, I was sleeping with a 8'x3' cage beside my own bed to house one of my larger snakes...and the top of the cage was piled 5' high with spider cages, lol. My mother does not approve, my sister will run from the room crying and screaming and my grandparents are neutral (they were the ones who coined me the "girl who could keep a 15' snake but would run screaming from a house spider"). My fiancee plays the neutral side of the fence, but he really doesn't approve. Its not hard to see why either. When we first started dating, I begged him to never bring home a pet spider. He swore he wouldn't if I wouldn't bring home any snakes...I breeched that within weeks. AND brought home some spiders, lol. 

Sam


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## Nerri1029 (Nov 10, 2005)

people thought I was a geek before just because I majored in chemistry.  Then I became a Science Teacher so having lizards and spiders in the classroom seemed "normal" to them.

Now people KNOW I'm a geek and come to me with spiders they find and with questions.. 

Over all people think it's wierd to like them as pets.. but aren't suprised about it..


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## sutra (Nov 10, 2005)

My wife is rather horrified. But my daughter's (she's 8) friends all think having T's is very cool. I think having T's is very cool.


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## MikeW (Nov 10, 2005)

Let's see, my mom didn't like them at first, but now she thinks they're cool.  My dad didn't really care (but he got pretty worked up when I bought some roaches, sheesh) and my sister thinks they're neat (but she's away at college most of the time).  Most of my friends think they're okay but they don't really care either way... and people in my extended family range from horrified to fascinated and curious.


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## fscorpion (Nov 10, 2005)

Here people are not used to see tarantulas, but they are used to all other weird things (especially wars) so they don't get too much excited when they hear it. My friends and family are all used to see all kind of animals so they are even less surpirsed and since I am a biologist they think its kinda normal...no one likes spiders though, especially my girlfriend


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## Pennywise (Nov 10, 2005)

*I haven't even told my relatives up north.*

They would not be pleased anyway. My son's friends like them and my wife
will put up with watering and feeding them once in a while when I am out
of town.


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## KJE (Nov 10, 2005)

My mom thinks I'm crazy, but to each his own.  My sister thinks it's pretty cool and loves to tell people about them.  My husband talks about them to his co-workers a lot.  Most of my other relatives and friends think it's odd.  Sometimes when people ask if we have pets I don't mention the t's.  Of course, my kids usually "remind" me to tell them.

It seems like everyone asks pretty much the same questions about them.  First, are they in some kind of container?  Second, what do you feed them?
The second question is what I hate answering because they usually freak out more over what I feed them than the t's themselves.  You mention roaches and suddently you aren't just crazy, you are also gross. :wall: Then you try to explain how the roaches are exotic roaches, not nasty American roaches.  Just the other day I had someone ask me if the roaches are dirty.  I told them no, because I keep them clean. 

People are usually totally surprised that I collect tarantulas.  I think that's because I look like your average soccer mom, and we know they aren't crazy...LOL!


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## DanCameron (Nov 10, 2005)

You know, from experience and from reading all the posts in this thread it appears that children have no fear of spiders, yet the adults do.  Some of the little kids in my neighborhood like to watch them feed.  Jessica, a daughter of a family that are not only neighbors, but attend the same church I do, likes to 'assist' me in feeding.  She'll help to transfer the snakes into individual containers, and I give her X amount of crickets to put in the tops of some of the T's cages.  She just adores the creatures!


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## Sobrino (Nov 10, 2005)

Everybody in my family hates them except my sis and I.


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## Denisthemenace (Nov 10, 2005)

well im waiting to surprize people... my mom just sees an empty tank willed with potting soil , i told her its a surprize. So we will see on tuesday what will happen.


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## NickS1004 (Nov 10, 2005)

my mother thinks im weird

my father seems to like watching them eat

2 of my friends have taken some of my baby L. parahybanas

i dont tell girls i have pet spiders

my roomates are scared of them


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## Beccas_824 (Nov 10, 2005)

My mom and sister thinks i'm nuts. I don't think the actual 'owning a T" part scares them, its that they think I'm crazy because I keep getting more. My sister often says things like, "you bought more Ts? Why?"
A lot of my friends/co-workers think i'm crazy. A lot of people won't come over ot my house which is fine by me. More beer for me to drink!


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## ScorpDemon (Nov 10, 2005)

my mom hates them, but i did get her to say my 2" A. versicolor was pretty.. my brother thinks they are cool, my dad seems interested, but is afraid of what my mom would say if he admitted it.. my girlfriend loves them, she checks on them almost as much as i do. everyone else in the family just says, well you always were different.. my cousin did show a little interest when he found out i had scorps(before i got into T's) and asked what i kept them in, what i fed them and whatnot


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## Ewok (Nov 10, 2005)

my family are skeptical of my tarantulas, they think they are going to get out and attack everyone at night.

people are just afraid of what they don't understand.


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## cloud711 (Nov 10, 2005)

my mom wants me to sell all the t's i have. but everyone else in the family is cool with it. my friends think im weird especially the girls.


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## Ewok (Nov 10, 2005)

Denisthemenace said:
			
		

> well im waiting to surprize people... my mom just sees an empty tank willed with potting soil , i told her its a surprize. So we will see on tuesday what will happen.



poor denisethemenace, we will probably see your cage and spider in the arachnoboards classified on Wed. lol


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## P. Novak (Nov 10, 2005)

hmm well my mom kinda likes em doesnt have a problem with em, my sis doesnt really care, my dad hes adjusting, thinks i have to many! and only have  7 Ts and 2 scorps! hehe its only the beginning dad.  ;P  

My friends some are amused and interested the others dont really care...
im getting a couple of my friends into it though and will be buying some scorps soon and may see em on this board. haha well thats it!


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## Stylopidae (Nov 10, 2005)

All my friends know that I'm going to start selling insects next spring and they're suprisingly cool about it.

I figure if I can't get a girl into my room after I get the stuff set up, then it wasn't meant to be.

One girl actually offered to help me field collect stuff...crazy, ain't it?


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## Crimsonpanther (Nov 10, 2005)

Most think i am crazy as well ...they usually ask what i do with my small collection of 10 which they think is huge ! LOL  
There are a few that think its interesting and they love to look at them !!  :clap:


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## Ishkabibble (Nov 15, 2005)

It helps keep my family away. My friends have said if my house is leveled by a tornado or the likes, I'm screwed, they're not coming near it to help me. Uneducated fear makes fools of all people not willing to learn more about what scares them.


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## GootySapphire (Nov 15, 2005)

My mother would turn into an Avicularia Avicularia and poo everywhere if she saw all my Tarantulas. She knows I have 13 and thinks I am absolutely stupid and doesnt understand that they are just as good of pets as say dogs are. My dad is more curious and understanding but has huge arachnophobia I had to bring my pinktoe in its critter keeper to their house one while i was there for an hour, and my dad came up behind me like 8 feet away and kind of stood on his tip toes to peer in at it, like it was going to go superbeast on him and fly out and kill him. A lot of my friends own snakes and T's so they all love it, a few arent as into the hobby as I am and only have like 3 so they think that me having 13 and not even being close to being done is insane. Whatever.  My girlfriend is supportive of my T's and snakes hell she just bought me my newest T which is a B. Smithi 1.75 inch sling. She encouraged me when I bought my first T ever the P. Metallica. She also wanted me to buy the L. Parahybana that I received. I dont think any of my relatives know about my hobby or that I work in a high grade pet store. Oh well.


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## WingedDefeat (Nov 15, 2005)

Hah! Two of my four brother's are arachnaphobic, my mother is amused by them, my girlfriend loves them, and her mother is arachnaphobic, too. Almost all of my friends think their cool as all get out. :drool:


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## Cpt.nemO (Nov 15, 2005)

my family thinks i have an excentric taste for my pets heuheueheuheuehuehueheehueheu


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## Cirith Ungol (Nov 15, 2005)

Annoyingly my mum asked me the other day "When are you finally gonna sell all those spiders?" As if I'd said I'd do that!  But I guess it's normal for parents to think you're 10 years old all your life and not able to decide stuff for yourself. I'll be really proud once I show her that I have even MOOOORRREEE spiders next time she comes here. Revenge is sweet indeed...


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## Elijah12214 (Dec 2, 2005)

my mom thinks they are cool but my dad well he realy doesnt care what i get aslong as he doesnt have to get involved


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## psionix (Dec 2, 2005)

my wife wants me to sell our adult Blue Tongue Skink... her reasoning - "I'd rather have more tarantulas."  she's definitely a keeper!


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## Elijah12214 (Dec 2, 2005)

DONT EVER SELL a blue tongue skink they are so cool:worship:


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## Mattyb (Dec 2, 2005)

Me dad tells everyone that its the only thing i show interest in so he doesn't care anymore.


-Matty


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## Mattyb (Dec 2, 2005)

psionix said:
			
		

> my wife wants me to sell our adult Blue Tongue Skink... her reasoning - "I'd rather have more tarantulas."  she's definitely a keeper!



You lucky, lucky man. Its so hard to find a girl that likes Ts.


-Matty


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## tarangela2 (Dec 2, 2005)

*one at home one at work*

i have a tarantula at the office where i work, talk about mixed reactions! runs the gamut from some indifference to fright. believe me: i am doing my part educating the masses!


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## arachnagirl (Dec 3, 2005)

All my friends ask me to keep the bedroom door closed. The other half doesn't care for them much (good thing since they live in the bedroom!). My family thinks its gross and creepy. I've always had exotic pets, but these guys are the first land dwelling inverts I've had and by far the coolest!! They may think I'm crazy, but I'm having the time of my life!!


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## ilovebugs (Dec 3, 2005)

my mom is more open about them than my dad, as long as they don't get out she's ok with them. my dad doesn't seem to care either way, but I'm sure he doesn't like them and thinks I'm crazy (both parents told me I was crazy one day when I had my emp scorpion)

once I had a friend over who was an exchange student from Sweden. I had to cover my T with a sheet just to get him to come in my room to see my soccor posters. 

most of my friends hate spiders and threaten to crush them if they saw them out. 

my best friend is a horror movie buff, loves gore, guts and glory, but absolutely hates spiders. We've been friends about two and a half years and I am getting close to having him over for the first time.


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## Scolopendra (Dec 3, 2005)

neither of my parents really enjoyed them being around, i kind of kept my dad in the dark for a long while since he's kinda sorta arachnophobic, my mom just really didnt say anyhting and i never really approached the matter. my brothers and my youngest sister love them though. so does the gf and a few friends, everyone else has the reaction of either "why?...you wierd ass" or "mmhmmm just let him finish talking so he shuts up"....stupid mammals


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## Becky Wheeler (Dec 3, 2005)

Hehe great replies! Well when my mum was alive, bless her, she did'nt really care. My husband likes them but still won't handle one, My 2 year old son Loves them, My sister-in-law runs out of the house screaming when one moves, My dad thinks they have amazing colours etc. And my neighbours are terrified incase one or more escapes.

They think i'm a weird but i just turn around and say "No i'm not! I'm special" hehe, I currently have 13 T's and i'm waiting for the BTS show!


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## rag (May 31, 2006)

i only have one T but ive already gotten several remarks about it. 

the girlfriend LOVES it and me for getting one, she infact had one several years ago.

the mother thinks its cruel to feed it live crickets, she actually thinks the crickets are better pets than the T.

my father has only said one thing about it, "if i find that thing out of its cage unsupervised i will MAKE SURE it doesnt live".

my 12year old brother thinks its kinda cool but he has an extreme phobia.

my 3 year old brother points to the cage and say "look! 'pider!!! 'pider eat cricket!*giggle*"

most of the friends think the mrs and me are crazy for liking spiders in the first place.


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## 8legs2shave (May 31, 2006)

Mostly all my friends and family think I am mental. There is two exceptions, the friend that got me into the hobby and another friend that got sucked into the T vortex when I did.


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## Linda Landsman (May 31, 2006)

Most of my friends (most being teachers)  think I'm nuts, some have even called me a freak, go figure. :?  My family is pretty cool. My mom, being a biology teacher, thinks they are beautiful, she has always liked arachnids. My dad, though he does have admiration toward them, thinks I shouldn't be spending my money on them. My husband, shows no reaction, either way, I can't get him to hold one, ever. My seven year old daughter, loves them, and even wants to hold the gentle ones, like my Chaco, smithi, rosehair, etc. Let someone try to scare her with a spider!   LOL!  My two year old son, shrieks with delight , and says, "Look a real spider ooooooo!"  Needless to say, he doesn't get to hold them.


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## big-n-hairy (May 31, 2006)

most of the words i hear are you are mental, crazy, weird,WHY?,and you're not right in the head. Have other friends in the hobby so it's cool to have someone to enjoy it with. the only remark that left me speechless was when a girl I work with told me tarantulas are SATANIC!:evil:  And people say I'm not right in the head


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## ShadowBlade (May 31, 2006)

Everyone in my family thinks its cool, my brother even got a couple.

Most of my friends say its wierd, but u can tell they're fascinated.


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## Fullstop (May 31, 2006)

My friend's never expected it from me because I was deathly terrified of spiders. Then they got used to it, but my bravest friend got the threat pose and ran off like a little girl. My 2 year old loves them...says they're pretty. 

The wife....ummm...let's just say she tolerates them, but was really sad when we lost my versi sling.


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## ShadowBlade (May 31, 2006)

Wow, this thread is like back from the grave!
 I remember reading this a loong time ago..


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## bananaman (Jun 1, 2006)

Mom ignores them. Dad is interested. Brother likes them. Girlfriend hates them. My friends find them interesting and look at them etc, but none so as to ask to get one themselves...


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## Delailah (Jun 1, 2006)

The men of the family can't even "look" at my T.    The women folk ask to hold her when they visit.

Just got engaged, and when I brought up the hobby of starting to breed T's, my future husband asked for the ring back (as a joke!).


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## Kali (Jun 1, 2006)

Aside from my mother and grandfather, everyone thinks that they are kinda neat. I keep them out of the main part of my home and that way my arachnophobe friends and family do not have to concern themselves.


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## FourDeadFish (Jun 1, 2006)

Well I haven't quite sorted out how to break the news to my wife that I am back into Ts (used to be several years ago)...   ... one would think she'd sort it out as I have been re-reading the "Handbook" yet again lately. :? 

I have a hobby room in the basement (fish (L-numbered Loricariids and Auchenipterid catfish mostly), snakes, soon to be spiders).  She never goes into the room due to the snakes.  

So, technically, she wouldn't NEED to know (as he steps out onto the thin ice!  ) 
She is really quite phobic about them.  The problem is, I am certain my two older boys (of three) would rat me out!  They love going into the fishroom and do so all the time.  They also love holding my snakes, which actually helped calm my wife down about THESE alot.

I often thought of getting a calm _G. rosea_ or _B. smithi_ to see if I can't work here into the idea slowly.  

I am hoping to be raising a group _B. emelia_ slings compliments of Reptist (Brandon) due to a recent breeding loan (wish us both luck, they were first paired last weekend).  
Perhaps she'd warm to them as they grow.  (Yeah, I know, I know, thin ice again! :wall: )

Sincerely,
Paul E. Turley


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## ShadowBlade (Jun 1, 2006)

FourDeadFish said:
			
		

> I often thought of getting a calm _G. rosea_ or _B. smithi_ to see if I can't work here into the idea slowly.


Pink toes have always worked wonders for me with arachnophobes.
They love to see their 'little pink-toes' and watch them walk, very calmly. (Just don't get it out when it's jumpy!)
They are also quite pretty to boot!


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## Flogger (Jun 1, 2006)

My parents think they're okay...they don't care about them but I wouldn't say they like 'em. They do prefer the monitors in front of the Ts, haven't even told them about my giant millipede yet because they will freak out and think that it's deadly. My parents found the molting process extremely interesting though, they had no idea that spiders molt. 

My friends think I'm weird for keeping them, and usually a comment like "how can you stand it?" or "what if one escapes?". But as soon as I talk about how great pets they are people just keep asking great questions and I love answering them 
I do have friends who find it real cool though


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## littlecats (Jun 1, 2006)

my family didnt support me to keep Ts, they think that it's horrible


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## Never_2_Old (Jun 1, 2006)

I have 16 T's and will be breeding my adult Aphonopelma moderatums this weekend.  My family has put me on notice if any tarantulas escape I have to move out!  

My partners 18 month old kind of likes them and calls them "Bites".


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## FourDeadFish (Jun 1, 2006)

Shadowblade wrote:


> Pink toes have always worked wonders for me with arachnophobes.
> They love to see their 'little pink-toes' and watch them walk, very calmly. (Just don't get it out when it's jumpy!)


The two I had a couple years ago but both were far to spaz!   Those short little spurts of running generally ended any possibility of a friendly encounter.

 The one time I had a female calmly in hand and my wife looking at it it shot a little white projectile at her.  That ended her giving Avics a chance...  ...Avics are clearly one of my favorite Genera though.

Sincerely,
Paul E. Turley


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## ShadowBlade (Jun 1, 2006)

FourDeadFish said:
			
		

> Shadowblade wrote:
> 
> 
> The two I had a couple years ago but both were far to spaz!   Those short little spurts of running generally ended any possibility of a friendly encounter.
> ...


Hmm.. Well my A. avic is the friendliest adult I have. It's the first adult I let anyone hold, and it got my mom over arachnophobia quite well! (though she's not completely over it yet, she's still scared of jumpers and wolf spiders).


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## Jive (Jun 1, 2006)

The other half started out hating them, but after pulling lots of sad faces we finally got one, now they love it! Other half's parents are hilarious about it, they're always asking about our T and bringing things 'to put in the cage'  (hides and plants). Our b. auratum is the most spoiled in the state!

_My_ mom, though? After years of telling me no, when she found out she was thrilled because 'it's 1000 miles away and not in my house'.  

The friends are torn between 'you are insane' and 'that's so neat'.


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## rag (Jun 1, 2006)

today i got a "why cant you be normal and adopt a puppy?!" from a lady friend. i love this hobby.


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## kimski (Jun 1, 2006)

Everybody thinks I am weird.  And - they are right.  I would so hate to be 'normal' when I can be exceptional.  Very, very glad for these boards.  Wish we could get everybody to love Arachnids...


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## Scolopendra55 (Jun 1, 2006)

Most of my friends think it's rad but some (mostly girls) no longer like to come over


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## TheNatural (Jun 1, 2006)

My family think Im crazzy but I have some friends thats think its cool, but they dont want to have any.


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## pinkzebra (Jun 1, 2006)

I haven't told most of my family yet. My husband knows, of course, and he is cool with them but hasn't shown much interest in them. 2 of my 3 kids (girl 3 and boy 5) just adore them. My oldest son, 6, thinks his mom is nuts, but he is somewhat interested in them. I told one of my sisters and she thinks they are cool. My other sister will probably never come in my house again if she knows about them. I don't know how my mom will respond but she likes snakes, so she may be ok. My dad probably won't care. My husband told his mother and she is concerned about the kids being eaten by them. (sigh)

Haven't told any of my friends yet either. But they already think I am crazy because I have the most spoiled pet rats on the planet.  

Jen


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## wickedsweetheart (Jun 1, 2006)

the members of our familys that we'v told  just sigh cause they know we'r wierd when it comes to pets anyways, friends just do the same generally, the ppl i work with on the other hand ask the will it bite, and can it kill you questions....i say yup she'll bite, thats how she gets food in her mouth, how do you do it????? they usually back away from the pic i have hanging up of my b. albo sling too. they used to back up from the pet ratty pic i had up too, then they got used to it and i changed it on em'...lol


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## Reanne (Jun 2, 2006)

lol
My dad saw my g.rosea in her little plastic container and he thought it was junk, he didn't even see the spider  He nearly threw it away. When I told him it was a tarantula, he just said, 'oh, ok.' My mom doesn't know.... yet. 
My sister's boyfriend thinks it's cuter than my hamsters and my sister just treats it like any other pet I have, ignoring it.


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## Tcrazy (Jun 2, 2006)

My momy thinks i am nuts, and my step father thinks there really neat,  i got a rosa for my 11 year old step brother for christmas two years back and still takes very good care of her,  my 3 year old neice thinks there really cool and she has held  my female versicolor.   and my 2 year old neice has let one crawl on her she laughes and crys when i put the t back in the tank.
some coworkers at petsmart think i am not normal , a and a few others really like them.


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## metzgerzoo (Jun 2, 2006)

My brothers both loved them...my oldest brother wanted to take my blondi and pulchra back home to Germany with him!   My sister doesn't care either way...she's thinks I'm weird for thinking they're "cute" but she's like "whatever floats you boat".
My mom doesn't like spiders and is convinced that they are going to eat my children some day!  My father, well, he's dead so I don't know although he'd probably say "well, it would figure you'd like big hairy spiders...you've always been weird".  Most of my friends keep inverts as well so....and the ones who don't are more like aquaintences anyway.  My husband..heh, he BETTER like them since he's the one who got me over my fear of them!


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## pinkfoot (Jun 2, 2006)

Blanks looks, eyes glazed, curled lips. That's what I get...:? 

I actually don't care. I really like my T's, and Gwynneth, my _Avicularia avicularia_ cleared up my daughter's Arachnophobia.:} 

Good enough for me. You?


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## NeyNey (Jun 2, 2006)

Instead of the "crazy cat lady", I'm known as that "crazy bug lady"! 

Most people think I'm insane, but a few are fascinated and want to see my collection, even though their skin is crawling when I'm showing them!


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## Cerbera (Jun 2, 2006)

Reactions I get range from 'oh how interesting' to 'quick - stamp on it now before it gets bigger'. But only 2 people I know are like that, and even they have to admit they are interesting to watch... 

I also run 'the spider diaries' which goes out every month to pretty much all my friends and family, and even long term business associates, who all seem to enjoy the photos and updates every few weeks by email...

So you could ask any one of my friends what 'tarsal scopulae' are, and they'll all be able to tell you ! So generally, they go down quite well with people I know...

But having said that - half of it's about presentation: If I tell people I keep several 'huge, lethal, speeding death machines' then the reaction is likely to be different than if they are always described as 'interesting, endearing, sweet and attractive'...

The only other thing to add is that everyone I know is surprised by how slowly and precisely they move...


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## The Shadow (Oct 29, 2006)

Got my 1st T. the other day! This is an email from my mom I got after telling her I  got it. 

What the hell are you doing???????????????/
Where did you get that creature, and what if it gets loose?
Is it legal, and I am not going to sleep at all, thinking of you dying .
Write back, your Dad is going to have a fit.  Do not even think of bringing it home. Get someone to babysit.

Mom


------------------------------------------------------------------------
After I responded to the 1st email.

I could not open what you sent to me. Your father thinks I am a lunatic.
I am so afraid of this creature. I hope it dies.
Why dont you get a dog??????????????????
I love you.
Mom

------------------

mom you hope he dies?!!?!   ah well, funny I know.


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## Merfolk (Oct 29, 2006)

My mom constantly pressures me to kill them. No sell them, because it would be maintaining other people in this abnormal behavior.

I've sent eher links about breeders, associations, pricelists etc. She sees the fact that it's an organised and growing hobby as a proof of the downfall of moral values. In a correct society, less a dozen people would like spiders, and coercitive force should be applied to change their tastes!!!


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## Mustacherose (Oct 29, 2006)

My family loves my spiders...My mom and my brother are active in heping me with them..Watering them when I'm not there, stuff like that.


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## eight leg goth (Oct 29, 2006)

my family joke about it some of my friends say things like "eew disgusting" but others want to be the first bitten to show off. o yeah i get the "you're wierd" reaction ALOT


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## DFW Tfan (Oct 29, 2006)

*"Crazy Mr. Nelson"*

I teach at a high school, and have had two "rescues" this semester already. An orbweaver sp. rode in with me when I went to lunch and it spazzed the students when it climbed over my shoulder and down onto my collar. I had a student bring me a paperclip box (handed to me at EXTREME arm's length) and I shooed the spider into the box, releasing her at the end of the period onto a tree. 

The second rescue was of a beautiful  1" black jumper sp. with white stripes and blue-green fangs. This one was loose in the classroom and I knew there was trouble when students started levitating and acting like iron filings and a magnet (AWAY from the spider!). Poor spider was terrified. I did the cup and cardboard method to capture it and released it at the end of the period outside in some nice legustrum bushes.

My co-workers are interested in my tarantula hobby as well.

In my private life, I introduced my parents and sister to my G. Rosea at Columbus Day holiday (I live in Ft. Worth and they live in Houston). They all were fascinated and allowed her to walk on their hands. Mom, who is in her early 80s, is always asking me "How's Libby?". Even dad was a good sport when Libby walked onto his hand, stopped, lazily scratched her butt with a hind leg, and pooped on his hand! My sister is a deputy sheriff; nothing bothers her, and she was really interested in Libby. 

Yesterday, I picked up a B. boehmei that I had ordered. I had solicited name suggestions from my students and as a result, my new charge's name is Colorado.

I like being "the spider guy".


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## Scarp172 (Oct 29, 2006)

When I first started keeping T's and scorps- I didn't tell anybody except my girlfriend (she has a redtail boa and a ball python, so she's got exotics of her own) who was delighted with the first two I brought home (H. arizonensis "Wyatt" and G. Rosea "Doc").  After having them and learning more about them the desire for more T's grew like a hydra.  I'd buy one and want two more!  I've always been the "bugman" to my friends and co-workers and have always been enamored with insects and other inverts although others seem to think it's "creepy" or "weird" they know that I can identify most of the creepy crawlies they find and show me (and if I can't I know some people who can!)  So to most of them it was no suprise that I started keeping T's and scorps.
My parents hated the idea at first and presented the usual "creepy, weird, kill it, squish it, or sell it" responses, but in time they grew on them.  When I got my GBB that was the dealsealer.  None gaze upon her countenance and fail to like the rest of them lol.  The usual response is "That's a tarantula?  Really? I thought they were....brown and hairy, not...pretty!" Then the hunter orange OBT pops out and they're completely in thrall!  My mother has gone so far as to read the T Keepers Guide, and refer to Doc as HER spider.  She stole my G. rosea   - it could be worse!  All in all my friends and family have gone from "fear and loathing" to "love and cherish" and try to migrate over the my place for feeding time.  
-Steve


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## rodan32 (Oct 29, 2006)

The tarantulas are one thing.  My wife is mildly interested.  My sisters won't even go in the room where I keep them =).  The roaches, on the other hand. . .

I'm trying to get a little B. dubia roach colony going, and when they found out I moved the colony (in a big rubbermaid container) from the basement to live under my desk (I was worried they weren't warm enough) I got some pretty strange looks.


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## elyanalyous (Oct 29, 2006)

my mom got a call one day from a neihbor. he has a business washing windows and one of his clients was giving away a tarantula. he wife wouldn't let his kids have it, so they called my mom (all this behind my back). mom wasn't too thrilled at the idea, but knew i was into entomology and arachnology (thats the only thing i've ever wanted to do). she said yes....a week later this spider gets dropped off, without me even knowing it was coming (it was a G. rosea)... i was so happy. 

then dad came home and saw it, and said if it ever got out he'd kill it, and i wasn't to ever handle it...i'm glad he never came down to my room, otherwise i dunno what he'd do if he found out i held her all the time (i'm not going to start anything by saying that tho, to each his/her own, just do it safely)

i'm now in university and mom is taking care of my baby... she even refers to it as her grandchild!


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## Leiurus87 (Oct 29, 2006)

I get the typical "why cant you get a puppy" speech, but they all love my beardie and frogs.


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## pinkzebra (Oct 29, 2006)

I have told most of my family since my last post - my mom thinks they are beautiful and interesting, the sis that I thought would be horrified is not too fond of them but doesn't want to see them dead either, my MIL is very interested in them now, wants to learn all she can about them. They all think I have way too many but otherwise they are all more positive than I thought they would be. Only one friend knows, she thinks I am strange, but then again she has pet fancy chickens. My dad still doesn't know but I don't think it would bother him a bit.


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## james41777 (Oct 29, 2006)

well my mom likes having them around ..for eg
i sometimes even ask her which one she thinks is the coolest..etc.
and she 's like , that one looks cute.. that one looks courageous.. 
meanwhile.. my friends think i'm weird..:?


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## Fingolfin (Oct 29, 2006)

My kids like them, but my wife and her family think I am odd, at best, for having them....:wall:


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## Scolopendra55 (Oct 30, 2006)

My girlfriend loves them but the rest of the family tries to pretend they dont exist


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## tospace (Oct 30, 2006)

All my friends who are girls thinks that Ts are interesting and all my friends who are boy has arachnophobia lol i thought girls would be like ahhhhh spider, but they were like wow can i feed him??? can i touch  him???? lol


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## Spideyman (Oct 30, 2006)

Dad:You better stop buying these 8 legged critters,Kyle
Mom:I'll kill you if it runs out(yes,my mom did say that)
Brother:I'm your brother man,I dont give a damn on what you buy!


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## Darkmacheen (Oct 30, 2006)

most all my family and coworkers think i am nuts!! ha! Little do they kbnow what an exciting hobby keeping t's can be


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## Sarah.S (Oct 30, 2006)

Most of my family and friends are fasinated but also still have the slight creeped out factor that spiders seem to generate.  My mum who is really aracnophobic has even managed to handle my rosea with out trouble and my sister who is even worse than my mum is stuck between fear of them and fasination at them and their colours as well as their behaviours etc.  My dad and brother dont fear them but dont think of them as things they would have as pets, and my other half is as addicted to them as I am it was his fault I got hooked in the first place.


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## Scott C. (Oct 30, 2006)

That I'm a nut and,
"EWWW!!... Some of them are very beautiful though......."
There is some fascination from some, and ridiculous fear from others. Some just kind of ignore the fact that my room is full of bugs...... The benefit is that most will now bottle a "pest", and bring it to me, instead of killing it. Then I can release it somewhere away from the real monsters...... Like in my bed room sometimes


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## Alice (Oct 30, 2006)

well, my mum always tells me to get rid of them when she comes to my place - not because they are creepy (she got over that very soon), but because they take away so much room in my living room . on the other hand, she always has a look when she comes over and makes some comment on colouration or size of the t's... 

my brother doesn't care much, but he handled my g. pulchra once to see if he could do it. he backs me 'cause "they're real animals and not like those creepy things living in out basement" .

my bf doesn't exactly like them, but i let him keep the two cats, didn't i ?;P  he's ok with them, though,m and he even told me to finally get that roach colony so we didn't have that chirping all the time...

my friends and colleagues think that's a weird hobby - at least the one's that don't keep t's themselves. but i alos get the ewww, gross! reaction sometimes.


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## paperfly (Oct 30, 2006)

I had my first T seven years ago and one day when I was at school my grandma sprayed it with bug spray and killed it! I was so angry. At first she denied it but the stench of bug spray was all over the container. She thought it was disgusting and that I was crazy. I told her she just killed my $45 T and then she nearly had a stroke about me SPENDING money on a "pest". 

I never bought another T until I was out on my own and in my own place. My mom thinks I'm nuts, but she did buy me the tarantula keepers book. My dad and step-mother just roll their eyes. My sister has no clue, she is terrified of spiders to the point of freezing in place. 

I have not told them about my roach colony, I keep that well hidden. ;P 

My friends don't care. They think I'm crazy anyway.


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## ullydin (Oct 30, 2006)

I (we) only own one T so far. My BF thought it was a bit weird at first but after a couple weeks he says it's by far the most interresting ''pet'' we have had. We are actually looking to get more!!!;P  Two more weeks to wait... sigh

   My friends and co-workers are 50/50. Some said they're never coming over to my place again and the shiver every time I mention my precious Girlie.  The rest absolutely want to come over to Tarcan's and The Red Queen's place with us on the next trip. My mom freaked and there is not doubt in my mind that my dad would have a heart attack if he knew! My in-laws on the other hand are pretty cool with it.


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## Mr.Scorpion (Oct 30, 2006)

My mom thinks they are ok, and she will inquire about them every once and a while. My brother thinks they are cool. My aunt thinks I'm weird, and my friends think its neat. Everyone else doesnt know.


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## Geography Guy (Oct 30, 2006)

Hi

My sister thinks Ts are ugly, my mom only likes the G.Rosea, my dad is afraid of em, and the rest of my family thinks I should be takin more therapy then I already do 

Cheers,


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## Mustacherose (Oct 30, 2006)

My mom loves them, my grandma loves them, my brother loves them, my dad threatens to flush them down the toilet if I don't do my homework :?.

And my friends think I'm wierd.


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## spid142 (Oct 31, 2006)

*reaction*

I work in an office and only one of the gals likes unusual pets.  When we talk about Ts, she enjoys hearing about mine, but the other gals range in reaction from eww gross, to how can you keep those things, to If I didnt know you at work, Id think you were creepy and weird.  My office manager just says she would spray them with bug killer.  Its hard to educate people on the bad rap Ts have gotten.  Most just believe that Ts are dangerous, creepy, evil things.


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## Squeaksville (Jul 5, 2007)

Ok My mom who is 50 actually thought it was the coolest thing. And now calls Patch my new b. smithi her grandson. LOL It's the cutest thing and she is always asking me how he's doing. Along with her other grandson Niko my leopard gecko.   My cousin thinks I'm crazy. And my best friend think it's cool as can be!


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## atropos (Jul 5, 2007)

The only thing my parents say is that I have enough animals, that's impossible :}  I'm happy that I have my own place so they can't forbid me anything

My friends only know me with weird animals, they're used to it.


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## Sheazy (Jul 5, 2007)

I have had a good variety of reactions, from people telling me I am dumb and could die ( I always laugh hard to that) ...to converting people into T owners themselves. 

My mom hates spiders (bugs in general), and wouldn't even so much as hold the picture I printed to show her what I was getting. However, she did take me to pick up my first T from a friend's after they received it for me...so she is accepting. My dad doesn't know about them yet, but I am sure he would tell me..."hell, you can come down here and catch all the wild ones you want."...lol. My sister want's an arboreal now, after seeing mine..but can't get one until she is out of my mom's house. My girlfriend likes them, and even claimed my A.seemani when I got it, but isn't into it like I am. All the rest of my friends are cool with it, and still come over to my apt. but not many ask to see them specifically.

Other than that, I get alot of weird looks at work...people tell me I am crazy, others ask if I need therapy. A few people have noticed all the pics and stuff at my desk and mentioned bringing me WC ones they find in their yards...but nothing shows up at my desk yet...lol. All in all, I dont mind though. I personally love to talk about them and educate people on the subject of T's. I can literally talk about mine for hours and hours. Some people are more accepting after a short information session from me, and some still tell me I need to seek help. I am used to it, and kinda like it that way. Varied reactions are funny to see. Some people I never would have thought to be afraid of them are deathly afraid, and others I thought would be more accepting are just plain stubborn...to each his own.


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## dragonblade71 (Jul 5, 2007)

Kaliningrad: “…my family are skeptical of my tarantulas, they think they are going to get out and attack everyone at night.

people are just afraid of what they don't understand.”


Well at least they got one thing right…they are nocturnal hunters!


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## peterspiderling (Jul 5, 2007)

they HATE them all!!!!! the only people i know that like them are drew and alice, who live by me, and my brother ryan who also collects them.


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## jen650s (Jul 5, 2007)

My friends and relatives run the gammut.  My mom and sister gave me up for weird many years ago (I got my first T at 8 or 9 and am now 40 something). When my mom visits she usually stays in the T room and never says boo.  My sister thinks they're cool, but would never own one.  As for my friends, they are about 50/50 for the "gross, I'm never coming to your house" camp and the "cool, can I hold/feed/see them camp.  Where I work we are almost all into what many people consider fringe activities, so most people don't feel the need to throw stones at others differences and quirks and since I have most of the new ones I get sent there they all know and accept.


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## Merfolk (Jul 5, 2007)

I once shown some breeders pricelists to my mom, as well as AB opening page where you see how many posts we have...

She then realised that it was more than a few marginal folks, and that serious people were paying big bucks for it. I've show also pictures from huge expos in Germany... it just conforted her in her idea that the whole world was becoming sick and that normal people were fewer than before.


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## HaraKiri (Jul 5, 2007)

Most of my family still talks to me  But so far I've only been allowed 1 T and an Emp. When we have little get togethers they always ask if my T has molted and they've taken their own little interest into my hobby.

My friends all thought it was cool, no matter how terrified they were. After my T's first molt in my custody I brought the shed exuvium to school and showed them all, and all my 4 classes. People actually asked me if it was the tarantula itself, people ran, but I was flooded with questions. Reactions vary, but nothing surprises me.


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## JMoran1097 (Jul 5, 2007)

it's really a tossup. generally my more intelligent friends like to see my collection of T's and scorpions and are genuinely interested in which is which and how they behave and the lesser intelligent friends want to step on my arachnids.


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## jr47 (Jul 5, 2007)

Most of them want to spray raid in the cages and watch them curl up and die.


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## tinacouch (Jul 5, 2007)

My son's love them, my daughter won't go anywhere near them and is terrified they will get out and find her bedroom 
 My husband thinks I am crazy for liking anything that has eight legs.....or more. The rest of my family thinks I should find a true hobby....and here I am thinking that it was a true hobby....Go figure:? :? :?


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## harrypei (Jul 5, 2007)

My parents like them, but they wouldn't want me to expand the collection...which i still do, by adding a couple boxes at a time, cuz they can't tell a couple extra when there's like 500 already there on the shelves...lol  

i've been able to convert three of my friends to novice invert keepers now. most of the rest of the friends are in the "cool i want to see them and maybe touch them but please dont throw them on me" group. 

my coworkers are interested in them, a few have been to my house and spent hours in the animal room...even my boss and her boss are interested...once we had a finance department meeting which was led by our CFO (my boss' boss' boss), and in the end the meeting lasted 45 mins longer because we talked about my animals and they asked tons of questions...he even asked me to bring one to the office someday. it was fun, seeing these middle aged white male wall street gurus asking about Ts...


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## ornata (Jul 5, 2007)

hi

nobody in my family realy cares anymore, since I have been keeping tarantulas for about 12 years+, but they and my friends think I am strange when I travel to other countries to search for big and "dangerous" bugs 

(sorry about the english)

Cheers


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## AubZ (Jul 5, 2007)

My mother doesn't know, but will freak out.  My dad does't know, but would be interested in checking them out.  My Wife dissapproves, says they freak her out.  She said only 2, I now have 10, with 5 more coming next week.  My 5yr daughter, love them.  Always watches me clean & feed.  She even handles my baby avic & pulchra.  My 2 yr old boy will love them, he doesn't feel nothing of fear.  He tries to pick(more like squish) them up with his hands.  he even picks up the roaches running around.  I can just see what my kids are going to ask for every birthday.  Hehe.
Everyone else though thinks its wierd, except one of my friends that is wanting one.


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## lunixweb (Jul 5, 2007)

Well, my two twin sisters think that my T's are awesome and great pets, but they don't like to take one of these only to see them... my mom doesn't hate my T's but she's very scared when come into my bedroom, she's fearful with all kind of animals.. now she's getting confidence about my T's.. only if they are into their enclosure


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## Mallard (Jul 5, 2007)

*Nuts*

My friends and coworkers think Im crazy. One idiot even asked why I would want to keep pets that could kill me.
 My parents tell me Im to old to play with spiders,(New 39) Think they really are what Hollywood projects them as. We know thats not so. My "T"s my hobbie and Im only going to get more.
    Jason


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## dukegarda (Jul 5, 2007)

Most of the guy friends think they're neat, some will even go as far as to let one of my rosies crawl across their hand. One of my guy friends thinks they're really cool and wanted a starter, so I ordered him a B. smithi sling.

Most of my girl friends... well... yeah. I won't go there. Let's just say that their ignorance makes me sad. Really Sad, especially after I explain everything to them slowly and clearly.


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## JungleGuts (Jul 5, 2007)

family dosnt like em, some friends love them some hate them


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## ReMoVeR (Oct 15, 2008)

dukegarda said:


> Most of my girl friends... well... yeah. I won't go there. Let's just say that their ignorance makes me sad. Really Sad, especially after I explain everything to them slowly and clearly.


Thats what it is xD well i dont even own one already, but im gettin one next month. My mum says im crazy, i think my dad doesnt even know or he just ignores, my brother that is 9y.o. is really interested in it but at the same time says "aahhh oh god!!!" and smiles asks questions if they can kill us if they bite what they eat ;D kinda nice from him. some of my friends said that im crazy and "eeewwww" some of the girls i showed how are they went like " ur crazy but they are really beautifull in their kinda way"... Soon when i get one ill show them how cool it might be


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## crpy (Oct 15, 2008)

Family likes em, friends= all but one like em


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## Dillon (Oct 15, 2008)

Family : all know I've been animal crazy since I was a kid

Friends : all love to see a good feeding when they stop by (not always t's, but them lovin' the centipedes and lizards still counts) Certain exceptions in my girlfriends' friends.  

I got a full spectrum though.  One buddy is just seriously addicted to holding the "crazy" stuff.  (S. Subspinipes, H. Lividum)  While another one will call a cab to get home rather than driving drunk so she doesn't have to sleep near them. 

Too funny


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## Faunya (Oct 15, 2008)

Geez, are we raising threads from the dead as an early Halloween celebration?  

Most everyone I know still thinks I'm nuts...has nuthin' to do with tarantulas, though.


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## equuskat (Oct 15, 2008)

I was always the "weird kid" in my family.  My parents and sisters merely humor spider-talk.  Sometimes my dad feigns interest, but it's always short-lived!

I don't have many friends around - I've moved recently and left a lot of people behind, but of those I associate with, one is as avid a keeper as I am, one takes genuine interest in my hobby, and another thinks I'm an oddball but doesn't mind.   

My coworkers know about my hobby and I get mostly positive vibes from people!  Word travels fast, so many of the employees where I work know that I keep exotic pets.  Random people approach me to ask questions.    I have one coworker who has been kinda inspired by my enjoyment of exotic animals.  She's sure she wants to get a gecko and a tarantula.  She is even starting to grasp many scientific names.  Unfortunately, she thinks that her husband will kill her if she starts bringing home critters, so she lives vicariously through me - always asking questions.


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## Arachnosold1er (Oct 15, 2008)

They all think...

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
You're *&^%in CRAZY!!!!!


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## US Arachnids (Oct 15, 2008)

Friends and Family think its creepy that I have T's also alot of ppl that know who I am or that know me think im a freak cause I own T's but really I dont care lol. Dad and his g/f dont like them but I tell them that there gonna have to get over it Cause really my T's dont bother or hurt anything, its not like there running all over the house.


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## Suzjohnson (Oct 15, 2008)

My husband is supportive and helpful setting up enclosures and picking up crickets on the way home, that sort of thing, but he doesn't feel the same excitement I do when we check them out first thing in the morning.  I'm thrilled they're all still alive and he's thrilled no one escaped.   It's been interesting to observe the various responses from other family members and friends who, if they know me at all, aren't really surprised.  They ask for a look-see but plead please don't let it out!!  I don't really believe that any of my friends or family think I'm nuts.  Best of all, my grandsons think I'm way cool.


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## Shagrath666 (Oct 15, 2008)

My dad loves it, i started it for him cause he always wanted a T, and a T he could handle at that. bout 4 years ago he got his first T (avic avic) from me as a B-day present, and it died 2 weeks later and we got a rosey, well that couldnt be handled cause she is extra mean (still is to this day) so we had to get another and another and another......now i own most of them and take care of em all. My mom hates it but my dads always game for sneaking in more. my bros are arachnophobes so that kinda sucks but life goes on.


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## Radamanthys (Oct 16, 2008)

I have just one Acanthoscurria Fracta. My mom thinks she is beautiful, my sister thinks she is cute, but for both of them she is beautiful just in her enclosure lol. My dad think she is pretty interesting but dont care thaaat much. All my friends think i'm crazy, but there is the ones that think is a good crazy and the ones who think is a bad crazy. 

But i'm getting amazed of how people can be judgeful for aracnophilists. (aracnophilist = fancy name to spider lover, lol). A girl actually stopped talking to me after i get a wolf spider on my hand to take her out of the house so it dont get smashed by her slippers. Sometimes i talk about spiders when they ask me why i have one and while im talking they look me like "He's going to kill me now, i better run!" That just gets me sad, you know. People that drug themselves or smoke like hell (i dont like smokers, sorry chimneys), people who drink like crazy and hit their car in trees, these are normal people. A guy who likes eight legged bugs is crazy. That makes me sad. 

EDIT: And people ignorance WOW!!! Tarantulas are vicious killers that will jump at your neck and suck your body fluids at the very first chance they'll get. Their natural instinct in the wild is CRAWLING UP BEDS AND WALKING OVER FACES! That makes me soooo pissed!!


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## gbbgirl (Oct 16, 2008)

When my family saw my t' collection for the first time, my mom said: "Are you being weird on purpose for attention?".  She couldn't imagine why I would simply love t's, and have no ulterior motive.  They should be used to weird pets by now, I have had snakes, lizards, frogs and rats as pets in the past.  

My cousins find the T's and reptiles fascinating, and I'm taking that opportunity to educate them, and discredit the myths surrounding snakes and T's.  

So, you can pick your friends, but not your family.  Consequently my friends are T' friendly.  
Most of my friends have T's, granted they are mostly rosies that hatched out at the pet store I work at.  Some have OBTs, smithi s, L. parahybana, ect.  I think the bug is contagious!  I wonder if T's popularity, when geographically mapped, would have little satellite colonies around central hobbyist.  Does anyone else see the "T" virus spread like this?  Maybe my area is special.  Wouldn't it be cool if the pattern of t popularity reflected T distribution in the wild, with one, big, old T in the middle and lots of smaller ones radiating out around it?


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## metalbum (Oct 16, 2008)

Hmm well my mom doesnt even know i have them. Haha. I told her I wanted to get some once and she started yelling and freaking out mostly due to the fact that to drive the point home I showed her a pic of a T instead of simply saying I wanted one. But she has yet to find out and hopefully she never will for my sake and theirs' (the Ts). My dad knows and he finds it awesome/interesting since he enjoyed catchy Ts as a child down in Central America.


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## olablane (Oct 16, 2008)

Wife hates them the most!! KIds and everyone else hates them also. I think that just makes me love em more! Everyone, however, expects me to have them because I always seem to like all the cool stuff,                                                                                         spiders, snakes, lizards, bats. The more bizarre the more I like them. With the exception of frogs! they scare the hell out of me!!


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## EightLeggedFrea (Oct 16, 2008)

It took my mom some getting used to but then started handling my G. rosea, and then eventually my emperor scorpions after that! Interestingly, after I had my first two Ts (G. rosea and A. metallica) she was horrified of the scorpions at first! I wonder if I can get her to do my Vietnamese centipede, too? 

My uncle thinks they're neat, as well. My lil brother does not care much at all for them, but he goes to college far out of town so he;s hardly ever around the house these days. Most of my friends (classmates) think they're cool but don't want to own any themselves If only they knew what they were missing.


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## ShellsandScales (Oct 16, 2008)

When I started dating my wife she made me keep them in the closet. Now she takes pictures with them on her. I only have a couple of friends that won't go in the T room but they are very understanding about my obsession. Many others are very interested and will probably own one eventually and I've gotten a couple of people hooked. Less then 10% rejection in my experience. I think its all about how you approach the subject and it seems that most (reasonable) people that are initially afraid or reluctant will warm up after a bit and after I show them some pics of say singapore blue or a. versicolor something really stunning, and then pics of some being held. A person is understanding and intelligent (Mostly), people on the other hand are scared instinctual animals. If you don't push the issue and just show how much you enjoy T's, people generally seem to be interested.


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## clam1991 (Oct 16, 2008)

well some of my friends are really interested
and my gf feel in love with my A. Avic because of the pinktoes
and now she wants a rosie
but my mom is the same way
but she keeps complaining that we have to many

she just doesnt know that theres no such thing as too much ts! 
but i ignore her since i pay for em anyway


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## vincent.shaw (Oct 16, 2008)

my mum, isnt bothered by them at all. she actually likes them, not as much as i do but she was the one who started off my collection by buying me a rosie in 2002/3. My stepdad, on the other hand, doesnt want me to buy anymore.. i have recently bought 9 more spiders without him knowing ;P and he still doesnt know about them bwahaa.

My friends find my hobby interesting, weird, and some think i'm stupid. Usual questions like, why keep them? have they had their 'poison' removed? do they live together?  to which i answer "very interesting, dont have to walk them, dont take up so much space, you dont get hairs all over the house, inexpensive to feed". 

A lot of my friends are also very stereotypical towards gay people thinking that they're all queens and their hobbies are things like dancing and the gym, when they find out i keep spiders they're quite shocked, considering the straight people in my college who try to act all tuff, macho and cool will be terrified by a tiny tiny spider. 

i love this hobby so much, excited for the BTS exhibiton on 17 May, which just happens to fall on my birthday next year!!!!! woop, so.. i'll be buying lots and lots of new critters  

Vincent


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## Tapahtyn (Oct 16, 2008)

I had the horrible fear of spiders except for T's I can't answer why but maybe it's because they are fuzzy.  I'm trying to educate people about them and the ones who just get freaked out when you talk about them don't even want to learn about them.  My best friend actually held my A. Avic and she thought it was cool.  My husband doesn't care really, just doesn't want them close by.  I've always been "wierd" so this is the icing on the cake LOL  The neighbor's boy knows a heck of a lot about them and he's 9!!!  Nice to have a conversation about T's with a 9yr old LOL  I love them!!!


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## CellebrO (Oct 17, 2008)

My dad is ok with it.Im not even sure if he knows I have not 1 but 3 spiders :} Sometimes I think hell not complain even if i bring a baby elephant at home   When I got my first T(it was a present) my mom was like "ohh...what are we ever gonna do with it" but I gave her some information about the Ts in general and she was ok with it. When I got my 2nd T she was like "hmm..." and that was it. I thought she'd freak out but I suppose shes used to me always bringing and having all sorts of animals at home.
 My friends' reactions vary: all in all they know Ive always had a lot of animals,so whats a few spiders more or less to my collection. The people I meet give me the crazy look and some of them really freak when I tell them what I feed my Ts with  Havent really met anyone whos that much into spiders as I am.The hobby is not really popular round here


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## pede2 (Jul 30, 2010)

Mom- GROSS
Grandma- Gross
Dad- OK.
Grandpa- OK.
BROTHER- COOL
SISTER- EWWW


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## Musicwolf (Aug 4, 2010)

One daughter thinks they're cool . . . from across the room. One daughter wants to try holding them all, and I keep telling her that I won't even hold them all. My wife is actually coming around . . . . but I don't expect her to ever actually DO anything with them.

Actually, they all keep an eye on them and send me regular reports at work :razz:


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## SentinelPokie (Aug 4, 2010)

*50/50*

My mom, dad, and brother dont really care but they just think that Giant ones like the T Blondi are scary.  My cousins and aunts and uncles some think its cool others dont care


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## hassman789 (Aug 4, 2010)

My friends think I am the wierdest person they know (and I probably am!) they don't generaly look at them, they could care less. Most the girls I know think it's absolutly discusting! One of them says she thinks there cool and acts interested (but she might just not want to make me feel bad, lol). My mom loves the tarantulas but still is alittle iffy. She will watch them eat and when it grabs the cricket she will scream and grab my arm and somtimes run if there realyy putting up a fight (but still loves the "thrill"). My dad thinks their cool and always looks at them and everything.


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## super-pede (Aug 4, 2010)

My friends usually just ask if I ever fight them.Then I show them the monitor eating a quail chick.That's when they leave.


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## shanebp (Aug 4, 2010)

My mom used to think they were "interesting" when they were 1/4inch slings. Now that they are all nearing 2inch slings, she thinks they are gros. Oddly enough, my grandmother, who is 48532957493485743 years old, told me she thinks they are "pretty". Go figure? lol. Oh and my uncle says "might not be my choice of pet, but definitely cool." So I take it as they thinks its alright lol.


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## Crysta (Aug 4, 2010)

My dad has always encouraged me keeping animals. Be it reptiles, rodents or insects, I guess he knows it gives a growing child a sense of responsibility. I had my first snake when I was 8  local garter silver colorform garter snake i found in my yard. 
then moved on to iguanas, 
then moved on to other lizards

then moved on to t's...

i always brought my critters to school for my school speeches etc people found it interesting some people where scared lol but some of those moved on to not being arachnophobes so all good.

although some people find me weird lol... but they get over it quickly, but i dont care either way; the truly cool people will like me for who i am.

now to find a guy who actually likes spiders and reptiles lol


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## rd_07 (Aug 5, 2010)

bugs4life said:


> What do your friends and family members think about your Ts?  Two of my brothers and my sis all have T's themselves, so they're cool with it.  My mom thinks they're gross and my dad only prays to God they don't escape lol.  Some of my friends are like "Remind me to never go to your house again"  and others are like "Oh cool, I'll have to see it sometime"


my wife doesn't mind the tarantulas (she only hates reptiles)
same with my mom if she happens to visit then the usual she tells me something more like of update about her pets like dogs, birds, rabbits and sugar glider

and..my 1yr 10 months old girl still calls my tarantula "cockroach"


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## Vespula (Aug 5, 2010)

well, let's see. My mom has always been an arachnophobe, Dad is interested in them, he's going to take care of them for me when I go to college, and my Twin sister is cautiously interested. She held my littlest sling, but got too nervous to hold my big rose hair.

Mom's getting more into them though. All of her friends at work who I've never even met know them by name...

My friends are interested, but say that I show the pictures too often. They know them by name, and think they're sweet.

Oh and my favorite teacher had a nightmare about my B. smithi following her around her house...

I'm trying to get my family members to warm up to them. it's kind of working...


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## Motorkar (Aug 6, 2010)

My family loves them as long they are inside the enclosure. Well except my sister and her husband, who like to have B. smithi on their hands sometimes. And also my mother took care of them when I am gone on vecation with my woman. She's a sweetheart!  

I even converted some friends of mine who now loves them, one of them will even get one in fall. Well since she loves all the animals thats no problem, since she had a hisser for a pet once  

But most of the folks I know they don't like them, including my girlfriend don't. They just look at the pictures I show them and they say "great pictures, but not great subject on it!"


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## desireewolfgang (Nov 4, 2010)

They are all completely disgusted. haha
My mother is getting used to the idea though, but my father hates them. It's funny because he used to have all these crazy pets before I was born, including a tarantula. When I brought my rose hair home, he freaked out, said the species didn't exist, and it was going to escape and kill us all. -_-
I'm working on getting another one and my mom and I have decided we're just not gonna mention it to him... lol
Most of my friends just tell me I'm such a freak for owning one all the time, but some think it's cute I like them and know so much about them..??? but even those people are arachnophobic. Basically everyone I know is. So lame.


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## ajhere (Nov 5, 2010)

my mom dnt wnna see thm my dad dnt care for thm but my gf loves thm and my sister and bros scared of thm im the weird one in the fam lol


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## khil (Nov 5, 2010)

they all hate me for it


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## tekkendarklord (Nov 5, 2010)

my family thinks it's a bit weird but it's ok with them cause they already knew that I love animals since when I was small..


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## aquaArachnid (Nov 5, 2010)

My sisters think they're gross, My mom thinks its kind of cool asking how they're doing all the time.


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## GPulchra (Nov 6, 2010)

My Teacher said:
			
		

> (after asking my friend to join SN2ITCH on FB)[BurntSnow], other than you the whole world is creeped out by those damn furry spiders.


-1


			
				My Friend said:
			
		

> (at my house) Ew, those things are disgusting! I want to, like, step on them!


-1


			
				My Brother said:
			
		

> If one of those freaky blue _things_ gets out, I swear I will kill all of your other tarantulas.


-1


			
				My Dad said:
			
		

> Hey, [BurntSnow], do you wanna move that Old-World into a new enclosure? Actually, do you want another tarantula? How much money do you have? I don't mind pitching in, you could put it in my room or something. Maybe you could get two of the baby ones.


+1
And +1 from me comes out to...-1  . Yeah, not many people like my Ts.


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