Apparently, we're all "weird"

[orkimedies]

if you cannot solve your problem with violence then you are obviously not using enough.

 

[DavidRS]

Many, many years ago in high school, I was an outcast, but not because of bugs. I hated high school, so I understand that part. As I've aged I care less and less what people think of me.

At my work, I'm the tattoo'd spider keeping freak, and I love it. I've gotten a few co-workers in the hobby by giving away some slings. I'll bring in something more impressive and hold it to show how docile most really are. Also, I've made $20.00 just to let one of my feeder roaches walk around in my mouth. I've tried upping the stakes to something more "disgusting" but now no one will take any bets from me.

 

[timwaters2007]

Im my college i love being different to everybody else, but i still share most of the same interests...football, music, partying, going to the pub. When people find out ive got a load of tarantulas, i find they are more interested in me as person, because im a bit different to everybody else. You still get the odd immature girl, who you tell you have tarantulas and they go ewwwwww, but other than that people generally want to learn more from me about them.

Girls in my class allways say want to come round and see them oneday, but i think its my george clooney looks:}

 

[138]

be different. a box of colored crayons is way funner than a box of all grey crayons. ;P

 

[ballpython2]

A lot people tell me I'm crazy this and that and a lot of women say to me " I'm not coming to your house with all those animals no wayy" and its so funny because they know nothing about the animals...One friend of mine when I told her I had snakes (next week I'll be getting a jungle carpet python) she was like I'm not coming over there snakes are scary. So I showed her the snakes on my ipod and she came over my house a few days later...Now she loves my snakes ironic...Wasn't she scared of them a few days before? lol....People are creeped out by animals with more than 4 legs because they only know stuff about them from what they see on the news and movies...We all know how tarantulas are so much more cost effective than "Getting a cat, a dog or something"...lol

 

[bliss]

when people call me weird, i just ignore 'em. who cares what people think about you.. except if you are trying to get a job LOL. other than that, there's not another time you should care. more people where im at think it's interesting.. but there are a certain few who just can't see the truth about inverts and reptiles.

 

[Iggy22]

Dude, I got the same treatment in High School until I brought my G.Rosea Iggy to school one day. I showed him off at lunch, and everyone was mesmerized by him catching crickets and how he was made webs. Everyone wanted to hold him after I did and he didn't hurt me (even the cheerleaders wanted to hold him!).

Get people aquatinted with it and let them know just how cool it is. Hell, TuPac owned 5 tarantulas and Slash from Guns and Roses. He owns snakes too. It's not any weirder than a dog or cat really.

at work, Everyone wants to come to my house to play video games because of my T's. They love them. I even got a few guys into the hobby.

 

[Water spider]

People who like spiders are normal.

Those who dislike them are the weird ones.

 

[138]

TuPac owned 5 tarantulas

pretty interesting...

 

[ShadowBlade]

I haven't really had a problem with it, but I was never really the guy other teens would pick on or make fun of.

But people were always very surprised about it, and usually scared of them. So I'd start showing them colorful spiderlings, and let 'em see them walking and eating and stuff. They're amazed in no time. Poking their heads around containers, "What's in here" lol

-Sean

 

[DeTwan]

Lol. What you speak of is something that you will have to deal with all your life. Even in the adult world many will look at you like your crazy because you have a love for spiders... and if you don't... people still look for anything to bring you down to their level and degrade you, especially when you are a free thinking individual. Most of the time you have to live or life the way it makes you most happy... if someone is going to judge you on the sole basis that you have a hobby of keeping tarantulas then they are probably a person you don't want to know. Most of the time when I meet someone new or have people or ladies over I don't disclose that I have Ts initial... I let them get to know me and my personality before they discover I have Ts.Once people know me, and find out about my spiders they are quite excepting.

PS_ I was one of those potsmoking binge drinking highschoolers and I think that what your going through is common for the suburnite youth... things will get better and no matter what be yourself... don't change for anyone!

 

[wburke17]

try to educate people and they'll sometimes come around. at my kids school i set up different tanks w/ different occupants for them sometimes skinks, or T's, or my latest communal tank w/ anoles, geckos, green tree frogs, millipedes, hissing roachs, and a vine snake. and educate them about the different animals in the habitat, and there interest will grow. i've gotten almost all the teachers there to handle hissers, when most of them said no way and then the kids would hold them and show there was nothing to fear.
my kids dont get the your weird stuff anymore, now they get can we come over and look at all your animals.

 

[phil jones]

People who like spiders are normal.

Those who dislike them are the weird ones.

very good we are normal they are the weird ones ( T ) ARE COOL the weird ones are FOOLS ._._._ phil

 

[Daniel_h]

when most people find out i have tarantulas they just wana see them lol

 

[lunixweb]

I have never had problems or criticisms related to my hobby, only some people are amazed about my great pets, and they ask me if it doesn't scare me.. and I tell them.. are you kidding me??.. hehehe ;P

 

[harrypei]

well i think that really have to do with one's education and maturity...when you get to a certain point, you know to agree to disagree and understand the things others do that you might not necessarily like, and just being open minded. unfortunately some people never get there their entire life.

 

[Rathkeaux]

Everytime I was called weird in High school i basked in it. Who wants to be one of the sheep afterall. Though by no means did being weird isolate me; I think in most of my life my hobbies have opened more doors than they have closed. My T. Phobia used to come to school with me almost everyday. Pulling out a 6 in. T (in her travel cage, of course) really is the fastest way to get through a crowded hallway. Then again, I brought all kinds of creatures to school. My swords always tended to make people a little more ancy then my spiders n snakes did though, no reason why.

 

[jr47]

well i think that really have to do with one's education and maturity...when you get to a certain point, you know to agree to disagree and understand the things others do that you might not necessarily like, and just being open minded. unfortunately some people never get there their entire life.

i agree for the most part but i think some people are just born with that curious nature that drives you to want exotic pets.
my mother use to tell this story all the time, when i was five i found a garter snake in the yard and when mom found me it was bitting me. she freaked out and made me put it down. she said i looked at her and said its ok he was just scared. even at a young age i was obsessed with snakes, spiders and such.

 

[Brian S]

I found out recently that the majority of my highschool thinks I'm a creepy freak because I own tarantulas.

It could be worse. You could be like me and be a creepy freak whether you had tarantulas or not

 

[Brian S]

very good we are normal they are the weird ones ( T ) ARE COOL the weird ones are FOOLS ._._._ phil

I dunno Phil, Sometimes I wonder about you LOLOLOL