Best Pet Ever Right? Why don't my friends agree?

[goodyt]

I don't know about you guys, but I am waiting for the next bug movie to come out where every kid is going to want to own a tarantula afterwards. My dream storyline would include the benefits of breeding all bugs, their generally calm demeanors and beautiful variations of colors. Then it would be "cool" to own a relatively low maintenance pet.

What I really like about this type of pet is the communities that are helping newbies get the right information off the bat about owning a T in a way that is both safe and pleasurable for both the owner and (hopefully) the T as well.

The visceral reaction I get from most of my friends when I chime up about my amazing pets makes me feel like there is something wrong with me for enjoying these venomous creatures. But just the growing phases and molting alone make these creatures just amazing in my book.

Will We ever be "normal"? Will the masses catch up to our way of thinking about tarantulas in a positive light?

 

[carlson]

Normal is over rated .I'm just getting into Ts but I've kept snakes and breed rats as feeders for a few years now, I know that when people come to my house they generally comment how weird I am if they go into my reptile/rat room. But I always say to them that weirds lot more fun an what makes liking animals weird? The fact you don't like my animals makes me weird? I don't like your cat..

 

[freedumbdclxvi]

Honestly, my inverts aren't usually what people find odd. They tend to think it more odd that I own a skunk. *shrug* I don't really care what people think of my pets. They make me happy, and that is what matters.

 

[sugarsandz]

It's up to us to help spread positive information on our tarantulas and dispel rumors that make them so scary to many people. I love talking about mine anytime I can get someone to listen lol. I actually went and printed some photos of my little ones last week and now my moms co-workers want to see them. So before I gave them to her I wrote the name, species scientific and common name, sex, size and some notes about lifespan and habitat along with a bit of info on the spider itself such as behavior and eating habits. I figure that if they are interested they might like a little info along with a photo!

Maybe there will be a day when you can look at a friend and say, "really, you don't like tarantulas?" like I often do with dogs and cats lol. I doubt tarantulas will become the next must have pet which I'm fine with as I really don't want to see Paris Hilton toting around a rosea in a bedazzled cage that hangs off of her purse lol.

Think of it this way, you aren't strange or weird for keeping tarantulas, you are simply a bit more open minded!

 

[Ximmanis]

Luckily most people are disgusted by bugs and critters, but there will always be someone who find the same creatures fascinating. This hobby going mainstream is highly unlikely, for the same reason you'll never see a death metal band on the pop music charts.

Mainstream is basically people who just go with the flow and don't dare to be different. Ironically, hipsters are a product of the mainstream, so maybe the hobby will find its way to celebrities like Paris Hilton after all. :what:

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2

 

[3skulls]

I don't think most people would even notice my Ts if they walked in the bug room. They would be grossed out from the roach rack

 

[goodyt]

3skulls: I don't even bring up the roaches (which I am really proud of) for fear of totally alienation from my coworkers.

Sugarsand: Great idea with the photos. I might try something like that.

 

[Niffarious]

My hobby is for me to enjoy, and I personally don't care what my friends (or anyone for that matter) think about it. I also do not get upset with those disgusted by it as it is a fairly normal reaction. For those who are phobic, I remember I am phobic of needles and treat their phobia with respect. Some phobic friends have reached out for help, since I don't shove it in their face. One has credited me with greatly lessening her anxiety around spiders for handling it this way.

 

[Poec54]

Get new friends.

 

[goodyt]

Will you be my friends?

---------- Post added 04-16-2013 at 02:27 PM ----------

My hobby is for me to enjoy, and I personally don't care what my friends (or anyone for that matter) think about it. I also do not get upset with those disgusted by it as it is a fairly normal reaction. For those who are phobic, I remember I am phobic of needles and treat their phobia with respect. Some phobic friends have reached out for help, since I don't shove it in their face. One has credited me with greatly lessening her anxiety around spiders for handling it this way.

That's a beautiful way to look at it. I think some people have become desensitized to them after visiting for awhile.

 

[rob0t]

Do you agree with everything your friends do? Different strokes for different folks.

Besides, imagine the price of a P. metalica if millions of people wanted them! Small demand keeps the prices low.

 

[Mike41793]

If I ever meet a nice chick who gets excited over the snakes, spiders, and roaches ill HAVE to just propose right there lmao.

Who cares what other people think? Do what makes you happy. I'm not fond of cats or birds as pets, but i wouldn't judge someone who keeps them. Unless you have like 50 cats. Then you're a "crazy cat person" and im judging you LOL

 

[Scuttlebutt]

Different strokes for different folks. Sometimes not being able to talk Ts to someone sucks, but that's what I have you guys for

 

[3skulls]

I was sitting in the bug room one night. Sucking up fruit flies with a straw to feed some true spiders. My girl said something along these lines "no matter what happens, it might be best that you stick with me"

I have known my friends for 20+ years now, so they all get me. I am who I am. Can't do nothing about it now

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

Do you agree with everything your friends do? Different strokes for different folks.

Besides, imagine the price of a P. metalica if millions of people wanted them! Small demand keeps the prices low.

YEs they are by far my favorite pet : tied with parents husky dogs.
that high of demand they would be like 1-3k ea lol
most people are afraid of tarantulas despite being mostly harmless :cry:
Misunderstood Arachnids .... despite they various Amazing colors they have.

 

[Ciphor]

Everyone at my full time job know I'm the spider guy. They think it's weird, as do most. This doesn't stop them from asking me about every spider they see.

Here is the part I think is weird. They bring me spiders. Not cool colorful large T's. Not interesting new true spiders...no... they bring me common house spiders in weird containers. All the time. Could you imagine coming in to work and finding a poptart box on your desk with a cobweb spider in it? Really I asked, really?

The best one was a male giant house spider in a 10 inch glass mixing bowl with plastic wrap pulled over the top. So your terrified of spiders, but your gonna capture it and bring it to work for me? Could you imagine if I brought stray cats in to work in a box for someone who said they own a few cats and love them? They say we are weird, ya right. I'm normal, there the weird ones.

 

[cmcghee358]

My sister in law who is a wonderful woman had a fear of bugs/spiders.

Just last week she held my G. rosea Betsy. She thought it was awesome! I'm really glad I could've shown her that. I just kept explaining that if you can handle butterflies, ladybugs and grasshoppers our pets are no different.

 

[goodyt]

Do you agree with everything your friends do? Different strokes for different folks.

Besides, imagine the price of a P. metalica if millions of people wanted them! Small demand keeps the prices low.

I obviously want my friends to agree with me. But, I'm used to being an individual (just a very single one at the moment).

As soon as I can breed mine, bringing up the price would be ok with me.

---------- Post added 04-17-2013 at 01:54 AM ----------

I was sitting in the bug room one night. Sucking up fruit flies with a straw to feed some true spiders. My girl said something along these lines "no matter what happens, it might be best that you stick with me"

I have known my friends for 20+ years now, so they all get me. I am who I am. Can't do nothing about it now

Those are the best opening lines I think I have ever read. You need to write a book... And keep that girl!

---------- Post added 04-17-2013 at 01:56 AM ----------

My sister in law who is a wonderful woman had a fear of bugs/spiders.

Just last week she held my G. rosea Betsy. She thought it was awesome! I'm really glad I could've shown her that. I just kept explaining that if you can handle butterflies, ladybugs and grasshoppers our pets are no different.

That is very reassuring. Even though I don't see my arachnophob brother in law to find them fascinating behind the glass, I am still on the losing end of convincing him to hold a Brachy.

---------- Post added 04-17-2013 at 01:58 AM ----------

Everyone at my full time job know I'm the spider guy. They think it's weird, as do most. This doesn't stop them from asking me about every spider they see.

Here is the part I think is weird. They bring me spiders. Not cool colorful large T's. Not interesting new true spiders...no... they bring me common house spiders in weird containers. All the time. Could you imagine coming in to work and finding a poptart box on your desk with a cobweb spider in it? Really I asked, really?

The best one was a male giant house spider in a 10 inch glass mixing bowl with plastic wrap pulled over the top. So your terrified of spiders, but your gonna capture it and bring it to work for me? Could you imagine if I brought stray cats in to work in a box for someone who said they own a few cats and love them? They say we are weird, ya right. I'm normal, there the weird ones.

How hilarious! Yes, we are much more normal than that.

 

[Formerphobe]

"Normal" is relative...
Who would want to live in a world where everyone was the same and liked the same things?

 

[Redwizard000]

I agree with one of the above posters, "normal" is definitely over rated! In fact, sometimes I find myself interested in strange things specifically because it is not "normal". I think it is better to stand out then just fall in with the mainstream crowd.

I care just as much about a "normal" person's cat or dog as they care about my spiders. I think I have the upper hand though because I can sit and listen to stories about how my co-worker's dog has an eating disorder without batting an eye, but if I bring up the details of one of my tarantulas eating a pinky mouse it makes my co-workers sick (If you want to talk to me about your pets, I think it gives me the right to talk about mine!)

...and to the poster who mentioned Paris Hilton walking around with a Rosie in a bedazzled cage hanging from her purse... I just threw up a little. I would rather her carry around a pokie, maybe it would bite her and she would have an extreme reaction and one of her arms would fall of or something.