How did you cure your arachnophobia/become obsessed with spiders

BadJackalope

Arachnopeon
Joined
Oct 19, 2019
Messages
0
Hi everybody! I was just curious if anybody had any good stories about how they cured their arachnophobia? I like to think of mine as pretty amusing. I have never been turkey arachnophobia but like the majority of the human population I did find spiders to be creepy and generally tried to avoid them when I could. The story I am about to share resulted in my spider obsession though many for many people I would imagine it could go the opposite way.
I am an avid river runner. I grew up on rafts and have been doing long multi day river trips most of my life. A few years ago I was on a main salmon river trip in Idaho. I am not someone who traditionally likes to sleep in a tent as to me it just means having to take it down in the morning and I would much prefer to just sleep under the stars. About halfway through the trip it looked like rain and I very reluctantly decided to put up my tent. A very old eureka that I have had since I was a teenager. Both doors zippers were blown out and it’s only real use was it’s rain fly.
Upon waking up in the morning the very first thing I see when opening my eyes is a wolf spider about the size of a silver dollar sitting right in front of my face! This woke me up very fast but I remained calm and slowly got out of my sleeping bag and tent to go find a paper towel to try and safely remove the spider from my tent with out harming it. (My spider relocation technique before getting into the hobby and learning about catch cups)
I return to my tent and quickly locate the spider and carefully try to move it with the paper towel. The second I touch the spider tho about a million baby spiders scatter in all directions looking like a very unsettling cloud. Again remember I am inside a tent at this time. They are everywhere! All over me all over the inside of the tent!
At this point I don’t panic and except my fate of being in a spider cloud and stay focused on my task of safely scooping up mom and getting her out of the tent. I succeed in this endeavor and then immediately make a mad dash for the river and dive in. It’s the only way I could really think of to get the babies off me (and now looking back I do feel slightly bad about this☹) I then return to the tent and look inside to see the walls inside the tent still moving. Eventually we had to continue our journey and I packed the tent up and haven’t opened it since😂. This seemed like the perfect opportunity for me to buy a new one!

ever since this incident I have been obsessed with spiders and then found out about the tarantula hobby by watching some high profile tarantula youtubers and my tarantula journey began.

Anybody else have a good story?
 

spideyspinneret78

Arachnoprince
Joined
Jul 19, 2019
Messages
1,253
Well, not exactly what you asked but I do have a funny spider story similar to yours. A few years ago my sister and I went to Home Depot and picked out a gorgeous Christmas tree. We set it up, decorated it, and shared photos with family and friends. little did we know that there was a jumping spider egg sac attached to the Christmas tree. When we went to take it down after new years, my sister and I removed the ornaments, and she stood on a stool to take the angel off of the top of the tree. Hundreds of spiderlings poured out from inside the angel....they were all huddled in there because the light inside provided warmth. I've never heard my sister scream so loud. I was laughing hysterically the whole time but I think she was traumatized. Now she's afraid of spiders. Too bad...she doesn't know what she's missing out on!
 

BadJackalope

Arachnopeon
Joined
Oct 19, 2019
Messages
0
Well, not exactly what you asked but I do have a funny spider story similar to yours. A few years ago my sister and I went to Home Depot and picked out a gorgeous Christmas tree. We set it up, decorated it, and shared photos with family and friends. little did we know that there was a jumping spider egg sac attached to the Christmas tree. When we went to take it down after new years, my sister and I removed the ornaments, and she stood on a stool to take the angel off of the top of the tree. Hundreds of spiderlings poured out from inside the angel....they were all huddled in there because the light inside provided warmth. I've never heard my sister scream so loud. I was laughing hysterically the whole time but I think she was traumatized. Now she's afraid of spiders. Too bad...she doesn't know what she's missing out on!
Haha I feel an experience like this goes either full obsession or full phobia😂
 

TheInv4sion

Arachnobaron
Joined
Feb 26, 2015
Messages
485
I was arachnophobic since a child probably from the films/shows i watched or something idk. In high school there was a fairly large house spider living in my room (right above my desk/computer) and I saw it everyday. Sometimes it would slowly descend and be right next to my head so I'd move away and wait for it to climb back up. One time it fell on my desk and I freaked out and put a napkin over it and squished it with my finger. It felt disgusting and I felt bad immediately.)

Decided I should get over the fear and had my dad drive me to LPS and buy a Rose Hair.Over the course of a month I worked my way up to letting it walk on my hand and thats when I stopped being afraid. Now I never touch or handle my Ts unless necessary bui thats a different topic.
 

Craig73

Arachnoangel
Joined
Jun 2, 2016
Messages
790
I’m still not over true spiders, I can tolerate them more, but thats where it ends. I dont think I’m past my phobia, but tarantulas are fuzzy, adorable and fascinating. I still have jump scares over some nonsense and laugh it off...I mean a 1” sling is not going to do squat...except make me piss myself every now and then when it decides to show up out of nowhere in a split second when I’m doing maintenance. My biggest moment that I was proud of was touching one trying to save it from a bad molt, never in a million years would I have imagined myself ever doing that.

Well, not exactly what you asked but I do have a funny spider story similar to yours. A few years ago my sister and I went to Home Depot and picked out a gorgeous Christmas tree. We set it up, decorated it, and shared photos with family and friends. little did we know that there was a jumping spider egg sac attached to the Christmas tree. When we went to take it down after new years, my sister and I removed the ornaments, and she stood on a stool to take the angel off of the top of the tree. Hundreds of spiderlings poured out from inside the angel....they were all huddled in there because the light inside provided warmth. I've never heard my sister scream so loud. I was laughing hysterically the whole time but I think she was traumatized. Now she's afraid of spiders. Too bad...she doesn't know what she's missing out on!
Please, for the love of gawd send one of those angels to my sister! She’s more than deserving of this.
 

spideyspinneret78

Arachnoprince
Joined
Jul 19, 2019
Messages
1,253
I’m still not over true spiders, I can tolerate them more, but thats where it ends. I dont think I’m past my phobia, but tarantulas are fuzzy, adorable and fascinating. I still have jump scares over some nonsense and laugh it off...I mean a 1” sling is not going to do squat...except make me piss myself every now and then when it decides to show up out of nowhere in a split second when I’m doing maintenance. My biggest moment that I was proud of was touching one trying to save it from a bad molt, never in a million years would I have imagined myself ever doing that.
I agree with tarantulas being cute and fuzzy. I'm getting better with true spiders in general, but cellar spiders are still a nope for me. I know they're harmless, but they're creepy and alien-looking (albeit interesting). I know exactly what you mean.
 

maddog1219

Arachnosquire
Joined
May 3, 2020
Messages
73
I’m still not over true spiders, I can tolerate them more, but thats where it ends. I dont think I’m past my phobia, but tarantulas are fuzzy, adorable and fascinating. I still have jump scares over some nonsense and laugh it off...I mean a 1” sling is not going to do squat...except make me piss myself every now and then when it decides to show up out of nowhere in a split second when I’m doing maintenance. My biggest moment that I was proud of was touching one trying to save it from a bad molt, never in a million years would I have imagined myself ever doing that.
yea i agree true spiders are the ones that are creepy lookin, tarantulas look fluffy and cute
 

Craig73

Arachnoangel
Joined
Jun 2, 2016
Messages
790
yea i agree true spiders are the ones that are creepy lookin, tarantulas look fluffy and cute
I had to intervene the other month and take care of a wolf spider in the bathroom. Thing was big and creepy, but I used my catch cup skills. Went straight out and left whole cup in the garden, I was not sticking around. Gave me the creeps.
 

TheInv4sion

Arachnobaron
Joined
Feb 26, 2015
Messages
485
I had to intervene the other month and take care of a wolf spider in the bathroom. Thing was big and creepy, but I used my catch cup skills. Went straight out and left whole cup in the garden, I was not sticking around. Gave me the creeps.
Should try keeping one true spider in addition to the Ts then you'll start to like them too. I just like all arthropods at this point.
 

bobbibink

Arachnosquire
Old Timer
Joined
Aug 10, 2011
Messages
60
I was always the little kid jumping in to save a spider rather than let adults squish them. I was the little kid who spent hours up in trees/in the woods observing life around me.
One experience that made a huge impact was watching a giant praying mantis capture and eat a bee on some milkweed that was overgrown on the chain link fence in our yard. I think I was like 8 years old. I was entranced—(a tiny bit horrified!) but so fascinated/honored that I watched until the mantis was completely finished and began cleaning her legs like a cat. After that anything insect/animal/arachnid had my respect, admiration and attention!
I started keeping tarantulas in the late eighties and have never stopped. I went a number of years without adding to my collection (big move to NY)and then back in August of this year my husband suffered a massive heart attack. 😥 A lot of my time has been spent at home taking care of him. Many doctor appointments, surgeries, physical therapy and such. Being at home has given me time to revisit my love of caring for baby spiders and I’ve recently acquired a number of new babies and a juvenile. Caring for them helps keep me going as times have been very emotional and tough. I have a room where I can spend time observing my new little ones as well as my old girls. It’s brought so much joy.

Thanks for being here and I’m so happy for this forum. Not too many folks out there really understand or appreciate how much our tarantulas mean to us.
 

Sterls

Arachnobaron
Joined
Jan 1, 2018
Messages
449
Nothing very exciting to be honest - I held my cousin's Grammostola pulchripes once, which was the begining of not being afraid of Ts at least. I was probably 14-15 at the time, didn't get my own until I was 19 or so. Still sort of phobic towards true spiders, if they surprise me.
 

Craig73

Arachnoangel
Joined
Jun 2, 2016
Messages
790
Should try keeping one true spider in addition to the Ts then you'll start to like them too. I just like all arthropods at this point.
They gotta be extra cute. Jumping spiders count? Have those around the house and can deal with those. Have black widow and wolf spiders , not so much. 😁
 

Lazaru

Arachnopeon
Joined
Feb 11, 2014
Messages
24
I've always loved spiders , since I was little i always caught any spider I seen and let it loose in my bedroom

I could lie for hours watching them go about there business on the ceiling and walls so it was a natural progression to keep T's once i reached adulthood
 

Dead Blue Deer

Arachnopeon
Joined
Apr 29, 2020
Messages
34
I used to be pretty afraid of/disgusted by most spiders well into my early twenties. Which is weird, considering I am the daughter of an entomologist and I have always been fine with insects. I think there was something different about spiders, to me — I do have memories of them turning up inside our tent while camping, or dropping down into my hair while at a cabin, so that might have been what scared me so much. I have a very vivid memory from when I was four or five years old, and having a complete meltdown because there was a shed spider skin at the base of some stairs and I didn't want to walk past it :rofl:

As I got into my twenties, I stopped being disgusted by them — just morbidly curious. I still had no interest in holding them or getting too close. But the first time I looked into the eyes of a large jumping spider (Phidippus sp.), that started to change, and I realized how fascinating and beautiful spiders were. A few years later I sat and watched an orb weaver complete her web, and I think that was the final game changer.

I got my first tarantula at thirty. I have nearly a dozen now, along with an assortment of other spiders and arachnids. I freaking love spiders, all of them, and if I could go back in time and tell my younger self to chill the heck out, I would lmao
 

Arachnophobphile

Arachnoangel
Active Member
Joined
Dec 24, 2018
Messages
810
I've had arachnophobia the majority of my life. It controlled every aspect of me everyday. I actually read there is different levels of arachnophobia on a psychologist's website.

I was near the top level. From remembering as an infant and helpless as a spider crawled on my chest to a teenager being bitten on the face while sleeping with a wet bite that left me in extreme bad condition requiring medical treatment. Plus all the other spider instances in between. Yes there's alot

2 years ago while surfing a popular video site tarantula videos were popping up. I wasn't even looking for anything related. Yet I had to watch, don't ask I have no explanation to why. I literally had shivers up my spine and goosebumps.

Well having a 3rd shift job and alot of idle time sometimes too much I decided to start researching. I also found well known breeders online sites and looked at what they were selling.

I spent alot of time reading even bought 'The Tarantula Keeper's Guide' 3rd edition and read it from beginning to end.

Found Tom Moran and arachnoboards and just became a sponge soaking all information I could absorb.

Now I have 7 tarantulas because 1. Do not want to get in over my head with too large a collection and 2. Space to keep them during the winter months, (I do not have a dedicated bedroom for tarantulas).

I now find that I really admire the black widow as I've seen one in person. It is the most beautiful high gloss black I've ever seen.

I don't believe I can get 100% over arachnophobia. I can say that I love tarantulas. I can also say there are certain true spiders that do bother me. I'm not going to be ego-centric and act like I have no fear. I still do to some extent but I've come an incredibly long way.
 

Lobstersign

Arachnopeon
Joined
Nov 17, 2020
Messages
38
My two older sisters are terrified of spiders (full out screaming in hysterics if they see one). When I was really little they were really mean to me. So I told myself whenever I saw a spider that they really weren't that scary and were super cute. I even talked to them and pretended to have conversations with them.

Whenever my sisters saw a spider they begged me to kill it for them. Since they were mean to me I would make them pay me in candy (candy to be paid before the removal of the spider). Of course I loved spiders so instead of killing it I would put it outside or if I was really mad at my sisters I would just move it to a different area of the house and get more candy later on when my sisters rediscovered it.
 

spideyspinneret78

Arachnoprince
Joined
Jul 19, 2019
Messages
1,253
I've had arachnophobia the majority of my life. It controlled every aspect of me everyday. I actually read there is different levels of arachnophobia on a psychologist's website.

I was near the top level. From remembering as an infant and helpless as a spider crawled on my chest to a teenager being bitten on the face while sleeping with a wet bite that left me in extreme bad condition requiring medical treatment. Plus all the other spider instances in between. Yes there's alot

2 years ago while surfing a popular video site tarantula videos were popping up. I wasn't even looking for anything related. Yet I had to watch, don't ask I have no explanation to why. I literally had shivers up my spine and goosebumps.

Well having a 3rd shift job and alot of idle time sometimes too much I decided to start researching. I also found well known breeders online sites and looked at what they were selling.

I spent alot of time reading even bought 'The Tarantula Keeper's Guide' 3rd edition and read it from beginning to end.

Found Tom Moran and arachnoboards and just became a sponge soaking all information I could absorb.

Now I have 7 tarantulas because 1. Do not want to get in over my head with too large a collection and 2. Space to keep them during the winter months, (I do not have a dedicated bedroom for tarantulas).

I now find that I really admire the black widow as I've seen one in person. It is the most beautiful high gloss black I've ever seen.

I don't believe I can get 100% over arachnophobia. I can say that I love tarantulas. I can also say there are certain true spiders that do bother me. I'm not going to be ego-centric and act like I have no fear. I still do to some extent but I've come an incredibly long way.
It's so interesting that there's such a fine line between fear and fascination. I also used to be terrified of spiders...not quite at the level you were, but I understand what you're saying. I've heard of a LOT of keepers that used to be terrified of spiders, so it seems like a relatively common thing.
 

KeGathings17

Arachnosquire
Joined
Feb 26, 2020
Messages
74
Can't really remember being afraid of spiders, or bugs, always liked seeing them, although I was never too fond of finding them crawling on me accidentally, but I loved all things creepy crawly since I could remember. I believe it a mixture of Steve Irwin, living in a swampish area with plenty of spoods, lizards, and garter snakes, and a mother that let me catch and love those animals. Always wanted a snake or tarantula as a pet since I first learned you could keep them, loved getting books about both at libraries and school, and wanted to watch anything about them, also loved dinosaurs. I don't know what attracts me so much to these animals, but I just love them, can't really explain it.
 

Robert Marley

Arachnopeon
Joined
Apr 11, 2020
Messages
11
Jumping spiders locally cured me. Just started helping them out of places by letting them crawl on me. I’m completely over my fear of jumping spiders. I’m not afraid of slings, not sure I’d handle an adult T? I don’t so much fear spiders as respect them. I don’t think they’re out to bite me but still realize that they can bite. Most spiders would struggle with penetrating your skin... Well except adult tarantula and spiders you help push their fangs in by crushing them. I fear roaches, they wig me out man.
 
Top