Question time! Share with me about the people who hate your love of invertabrates.

[Rooney]

Everybody knows that one person who would without any remorse come in to your home and torch your collection just in pure hatred of arachnids. Share with me the most unforgettable comments about stepping on your spiders or the look of horror on peoples faces when entering your abode.

 

[pardozer]

You sleep with those in your room?

Bring girl home from bar and into my room. Turns on light and asks "what are all those containers for?" I told her to look. She does and says "i have to get going, it's late" Seen her again another night and she called me spiderman. I was relatively sober and thought "yes, my tarantulas helped me dodge a bullet." My beer goggles were really out of focus that night

Facebook post "your tarantulas are so unattractive." I respond with "your married with kids, you don't count"
Facebook post 2 "your tarantulas scare me, stop posting pics of them!" I respond "your kids SCARE me, PLEASE stop posting pics of them!" Unfriended me within minutes

Roommate says if any of my tarantulas get out, he's killing them. Look him straight in the eye and said I would take my sawzall to his $5,000 road bike if that happened. He told me he would tell me if he seen it

 

[Rooney]

Sounds like my mother. She would tell me "since when have you liked spiders? These vile things are disgusting." I responded with "Well, you know for a fact I've been playing with insects and such since a young age (I loved to throw rolly-polis into spider webs to keep them fed and play with native centipedes, vicious little guys, bit me so many times) The fact you have me added on facebook and I post a picture of them all every other day, and um..you haven't noticed the giant 1 foot tarantula tattooed on my rib? Haha.

 

[klawfran3]

I've had someone throw my phone because I was showing someone else pictures of my T's... that was fun... I've had someone com up to me out of the blue and say "you're that kid with the spiders right? if I ever come to your house I'll kill them".... I had a petco employee nearly faint because of how afraid he was of tarantulas... That's all I can think of off the top of my head. if I remember more I'll post them.

---------- Post added 05-03-2014 at 10:35 PM ----------

Sounds like my mother. She would tell me "since when have you liked spiders? These vile things are disgusting." I responded with "Well, you know for a fact I've been playing with insects and such since a young age (I loved to throw rolly-polis into spider webs to keep them fed and play with native centipedes, mean mother fuckers, bit me so many times) The fact you have me added on facebook and I post a picture of them all every other day, and um..you haven't noticed the giant 1 foot tarantula tattooed on my rib? Haha.

and you might want ot watch your language... a moderator will be quite upset... edit that out of your post.

 

[TLover007]

I've had someone throw my phone because I was showing someone else pictures of my T's... that was fun... I've had someone com up to me out of the blue and say "you're that kid with the spiders right? if I ever come to your house I'll kill them".... I had a petco employee nearly faint because of how afraid he was of tarantulas... That's all I can think of off the top of my head. if I remember more I'll post them.

I would ask that guys adress and then tell him "well great see you tonight when im coming to kill you"

Im crazy... and I Love Ts!!!!

 

[CupcakeRosea]

My old room mate constantly threatened to take some kind of spray to my G. rosea.

Now that he's been kicked out I have added more to my collection.

 

[TLover007]

My old room mate constantly threatened to take some kind of spray to my G. rosea.

Now that he's been kicked out I have added more to my collection.

Nniiiccceeee....

Im crazy... and I Love Ts!!!!

 

[Bipolar Spider]

No time for people with arachnophobia, jog on and get out my house is my reaction :

 

[Medusa]

Everyone thinks I've lost my mind because I was away from the hobby for many, many years. (Had a G. rosea back in the 70's.) I thought I'd just pick up another Rosie to keep on my desk and that would be that...lol. So many choices! Intermet mail order! Sling! Slings! Slings! Hubby is tolerant and helps with enclosures so t's won't escape, daughter thinks they're disgusting, some friends and familv de-friended me on Facebook after I posted photos. Anyway, it's my interest and no one else's business.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[auskie]

I don't even bring it up to people anymore.

 

[Beary Strange]

I've just gotten the typical "Wow if I went to your house I'd kill them" comment in the way of threats. It actually took a long time to get that comment too, and from a friend online of all people. I soundly told him off but so did everyone else on the call so I felt good. ^^
I have had bizarre comments from older woman at my now former workplace that I would never be able to get married with a bunch of creepy crawlies in my apartment. I'm just like first, been there done that never again and then I just snidely point out that my boyfriend of two years loves my spiders as much as I do.

 

[LordWaffle]

No ones ever really been terribly rude or anything. The most I've gotten is people telling they're afraid of spiders or saying they "can't do" tarantulas.

 

[Pociemon]

I dont get crazy comments anymore, neither from family, friends or colleques. They know i dont care what they say, so it has really no effect.

 

[klawfran3]

No ones ever really been terribly rude or anything. The most I've gotten is people telling they're afraid of spiders or saying they "can't do" tarantulas.

I've always wondered what that meant... "I can't do tarantulas"
what does it even mean? I mean, you can't mate with them no doubt, so what does it even mean? I have heard it a thousand times and it still sounds so weird to me.

 

[Rooney]

I've always wondered what that meant... "I can't do tarantulas"
what does it even mean? I mean, you can't mate with them no doubt, so what does it even mean? I have heard it a thousand times and it still sounds so weird to me.

That would be a very strange fetish. Wouldn't be surprised if there was someone out there who got some sort of perverted rush from them crawling about.

 

[LordWaffle]

I've always wondered what that meant... "I can't do tarantulas"
what does it even mean? I mean, you can't mate with them no doubt, so what does it even mean? I have heard it a thousand times and it still sounds so weird to me.

I usually hear it from herp enthusiasts, or other exotic pet keepers. I think it's meant to be a respectful way of telling me they find my primary pet hobby "icky," but they still appreciate my enjoyment and passion for it.

 

[Hydrazine]

I've got this one neighbour/long time friend (I've known him for 20+ years - so since early childhood, he only recently moved to the same apartment building) that is deathly scared of spiders (ironic, since his old online nickname is Spider - he thought it sounded cool) so he sometimes tells me he'll kill them if they ever get out/run away/break free, especially when I get a new one. My brother sometimes tried to blackmail/threaten me about doing unspecified things to my tarantulas if he's upset - but that's because I like them, not because he dislikes them. I usually reply with a promise, not just a threat, of complete and utter destruction of his laptop, which is about the only thing he holds dear in this world, including fellow humans - and he can't afford a replacement.

Other than that, I must be pretty lucky. Nobody has broken off ties with me due to my eight-legged wards, nobody hates me for it, the strongest reactions aside from those aforementioned are of the "How can you..." kind.

I actually managed to open eyes for a surprising amount of people, even though I'm just a beginner I got to educate people who are willing to learn something and shatter the common misconceptions, I've perhaps planted a few seeds that will eventually grow and make people get their own tarantulas..but I must admit I wasn't really alone in my efforts.

For the most common reaction of them all is a variation on:

"Ugh, spiders are gross/creepy/scary..


...but the blue one is cool/cute/pretty"


Thanks, Taz.

 

[Formerphobe]

My mom repeatedly tells me that as long as they stay in their enclosures they're fine, but if any get out, then they're hers. Meaning, stomped, squashed, flattened.... But, at 90 years old, she doesn't move very quick in her wheelchair so, even if any were to escape, they could outrun her.

I have had 'friends' unfriend me on social media because of my profile pic (M. balfouri), or because I post a T picture. I also suspect that I win more than a few online games by default when my opponents bail potentially because of my profile picture.

 

[prairiepanda]

My mom repeatedly tells me that as long as they stay in their enclosures they're fine, but if any get out, then they're hers. Meaning, stomped, squashed, flattened.... But, at 90 years old, she doesn't move very quick in her wheelchair so, even if any were to escape, they could outrun her.

When I had my Ts in my parents' house briefly, my sisters constantly reminded me that if any of them ever escaped they would get squished on sight. So I was pretty surprised one day when my sisters texted me saying that one of my slings got out and they caught it for me! When I got home I discovered that it was actually a cute little Phiddipus borealis male(a local jumping spider species) which they mistook for a tarantula sling because "it's hairy and moves". Apparently the threats were a lie.

My roommate is cool with my Ts, but she has told me that if we ever get roaches or mice in the apartment she's going to release all my Ts!

People are generally pretty civil about my hobby. If they have issues with Ts, then they just stay away from them and don't look at pics. I don't post anything on facebook, but if I did I would expect to lose a lot of friends.

 

[Formerphobe]

When I had my Ts in my parents' house briefly, my sisters constantly reminded me that if any of them ever escaped they would get squished on sight. So I was pretty surprised one day when my sisters texted me saying that one of my slings got out and they caught it for me! When I got home I discovered that it was actually a cute little Phiddipus borealis male(a local jumping spider species) which they mistook for a tarantula sling because "it's hairy and moves". Apparently the threats were a lie.

My roommate is cool with my Ts, but she has told me that if we ever get roaches or mice in the apartment she's going to release all my Ts!

People are generally pretty civil about my hobby. If they have issues with Ts, then they just stay away from them and don't look at pics. I don't post anything on facebook, but if I did I would expect to lose a lot of friends.

My grown semi-phobic daughters are cool with my Ts and have even attended conferences and expos with me. Back when my mom was of sounder mind and body, I once caught her on her hands and knees in my room with the black light watching my scorpions, and she has sat with me and watched spiders molt before. The 'friends' who have unfriended me, eh, no great loss. Same for the family member. LOL Being formerly phobic myself I, unfortunately, have little sympathy. Tarantula pictures can be used as a 'weeder' tool.