Apparently, we're all "weird"

[Drachenjager]

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.

now i think that people who know enough about tupac to know he had Ts is wierd lol

 

[Drachenjager]

I found out recently that the majority of my highschool thinks I'm a creepy freak because I own tarantulas. My poor friends are sometimes asked why they hang out with "that weird spider girl." ...I prefer the term "unique." ;P
Even my family talks about me like that behind my back. People seem to have the false idea that only crazy, scary people own these things. Most of the people who talk about me like that usually spend their nights partying with underage drinking, potsmoking, etc. The vast majority of them swear profusely and have little to no respect for their parents. And here I am, I do none of those things, and while they're out partying, I'm taking care of my pets, researching new ones, and being on forums like this.
It angers me so much that this crazy society regards responsible people like us who respect nature and like to learn about it as "weird" or "creepy." They should be looking at themselves. I try to be nice to everyone, but they continue to talk bad about me and my prized pets whom I care about so much. No one sees that though - they don't see that I love my pets and that when they gossip about them behind my back it hurts. And it hurts me for this hobby. No one cares to listen to the facts though. What do you do when people criticize you and your collection?

Tell them you are in good company, you know of guy who is a minister with a doctorate in ministry who had a bedroom full ot
T's and scorps and centipedes lol ... maybe they willl think you are really wierd then lol

 

[P. Novak]

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.

How in the world do you know that Tupac and Slash owned Ts?

 

[138]

But I have found a woman now that thinks its cool. She's a bit clumsy at times so shes band from the T room. But with good reason (she knocked over a tub of slings) :evil:

LMAO.

And from then on out I had to be called spiderman.

they call me that at work and i hate it. ;P

 

[kitty_b]

i have friends who won't come over because i have "bugs."

i call them by vulgar, cowardness-suggesting names ;P

 

[Malevolus]

I love hearing comments from people like that.

People from my work want to come over and look at all my setups and request me to bring certain ones into work so they can check em out. There's people who are even huge arachnophobes who are all curious about them. Especially when I get shipments to my work

Out in public I love talking about them just to see the reactions people give. The best is when I've either bought a new tank at a local thrift store(I've scored 3 10 gallon tanks there for 3-5$ each, and several other interesting containers) people ask what kind of fish are gonna go in it. I say "None. Scorpions or tarantulas." I get full body shakes out of people, head shakes, laughs, and other not quite positive reactions. Nother favorite of mine is to talk about my Ornamental Baboon. I normally call it "the Baboon" for short, and people freak out and think I own a primate baboon. When I explain to them it's a tarantula, they get uber creeped out and normally walk away very fast. I can only imagine the images of half tarantula, half baboon they have running around in their heads.

My favorite name I've ever been called is "That creepy second grade kid that nobody likes because he keeps bugs and spiders in jars and bites the heads off of things". Best part about that is it came from my mother ;P

 

[julesaussies]

i used to have only one friend who does more than just entertain my interest in T's. Funny thing how they actually do show some interest when they actually listen to how amazing nature is and even with T's. Sure, most people i know still don't want to see anything too close up (Exo's are safe for most... ) but they have a new respect for T's.

Luckily, my immediate family finds the T's facinating!

 

[Sean]

I have been keeping T's, Reptiles, etc...My entire life. I had Asthma as a kid, and couldn't have "normal" pets. Untill recently, bought a boxer. I have really grown to love and respect these types growing up. I do appreciate what they bring to the world. Anyways, I dont know if this has been touched yet...But I too see alot of "strange" or weird people in these hobbies. Not so much for the animals they keep, but I think it brings so strange people. I go to the pet store by my house, and I constantly see people who resemble Charles Manson to the max. Im not talking long hair and a beard. I have no Problem with that. Im talking long hair and a beard and Charles Manson weird. Like you wouldn't wanna leave your kids near them.

I often wonder, do people get into this hobby, and the reptile one, for the love of the animals? Or because the "image" these alleged animals bring. I for one no matter what, will always have them as part of my life.

But, it shouldnt matter what others think of you, me or kids at school, or people on this board. You are, who you are, as long as your happy dont change for others.

 

[lunixweb]

When I was younger like 9 or 10 years, I bought two T's (b. auratum & b. smithi) but when I arrived to my home my mom didn't love them and she took back the T's to the pet's store, I was really sad for that, I cried all day but she refused to permit me to keep them, now I'm older and I go ahead with my childhood dream and I'm the happiest man in the world having T's.. when I get a new one I can not wait to put it in its new home and take a lot of pictures..

 

[Iggy22]

Actually, I have no idea who he is really. All I know is he is a rap singer. I don't even know any of his songs. I hate rap.

It was on the VH1 special on celeb pets.

 

[P. Novak]

Actually, I have no idea who he is really. All I know is he is a rap singer. I don't even know any of his songs. I hate rap.

It was on the VH1 special on celeb pets.

That's awesome. Thanks for the info. Yeah I don't like rap much either.

 

[common spider]

I can feel for ya saddlepatch I am always called strange becuase of all the pets me and my wife have but like I tell her they are just words and at least from my point of view I think people who judge us for we like are the ones that have the shi$$y life and I just ignore them.

Just don't listen to them becuase they are the ones that are missing out on all the fun that haveing T's has to offer.

 

[CWEBB04z]

Hmm.... People over here thinks its creepy, but cool at the same time. But really dont talk about what pets I ahve, so no one really knows.

 

[Ewok]

Oh... I wouldn't know about being wierd, I don't have tarantulas anymore, so I am back in the cool, normal, crowd. Saddlepatch, your a crazy tarantula woman pfft

I'm just joking

 

[Amanda]

I would definitely blame it on high school. People feel safe by being like and agreeing with others. You choose something that's individual. That just makes it easier for them to single you out so they can feel like they fit in more. Pointing out your differences makes them feel more alike.

I've got people in my life that don't like spiders, people that are indifferent, and plenty of people that wouldn't want to keep them as pets, but they just view my hobby as a novelty. Whatever their opinion, I'm the first person they talk to when they have a question about a spider on their front porch or a bite on their leg. My boyfriend doesn't keep Ts, but he thinks it's super-cool that I do. He even brags about me to all of his friends, lol.

I wear the "crazy spider-girl" label like a badge of honor! It's a compliment.

 

[phil jones]

we are wierd we are wierd but i am not naming any one just look at me very normal guy :liar: :liar: :liar: PHIL

 

[mitchell123]

people call me spiderman the even wrote it on my locker

 

[Natemass]

at my school well when i was there, no one really cared and i actually got a few people to own a G.rosea , but mainly people come to me for snake help

 

[Stylopidae]

All my friends are pretty supportive, but I entertain my special lady friends in my living room

 

[mr_jacob7]

all my friends tease me about it, but in a joking way. they're scared that if they really bug me, I'll sick my Ts on them.

don't worry about it. maybe even invite them to actually see the Ts. use this as an opportunity to get others interested in the hobby. or just show them this forum, and say that the thousands of people here are just as unique as you are.