SwedishArachnophobe84
Arachnopeon
- Joined
- Jan 4, 2020
- Messages
- 29
Hello!
Please excuse the spelling and grammar etc. English is not my first language; hope you still get the point I’m trying to make and get what I´m asking etc.
Alright…I’m now writing that which I never in a million years thought I would write, but here we are. This is probably a sign that I’m getting completely insane…but oh…well…
In all my life I have been completely terrified of spiders (at least as long as I can remember), arachnophobia in its most severe form. I can tolerate very tiny spiders without panicking but if that spider would end up on me, I still panic. This despite the fact that I can leave them be if they´re in a corner off my room for example (that is if they have made a web). I started working on that acceptance when a small spider decided to make a web between two of my flowerpots (in one of my windows). This spider was actually molting etc. and lived in its web for quite a while…but either it moved/went outside or died. I feed that one on occasion…when a fly ended up inside etc. Very interesting to watch…from a distance...
Sweden does not have any dangerous spiders and not (in comparison to other countries) any really large spiders. Some of the largest spiders here in Sweden are the so called ”house spiders” (smaller/common: Tegenaria domestica and large: Eratigena atrica). One of those (not sure if it was the smaller/common one or the large one…disgusting and big is all I know) once entered my apartment (as an example of the level of my phobia). It ran past me when I was sitting on the floor = somehow, I suddenly were about half a meter to a meter away and standing up, no idea how I got up. I managed to kill it by smashing it with my trashcan that was nearby (yeah, I know the person who loves animals ends up “murdering” an animal…but there is just no other way for me, I just cannot handle doing something else, the feeling of panic is way too severe). After killing the spider, I sat for several HOURS shaking in my entire body due to the anxiety!
Memes that says something like ”Burn down the house” due to not finding a spider…I feel like that is definitely in proportion to the problem…almost.
Because of this crippling feeling of panic/anxiety…(we are talking on a crazy level, when writing about the spider above…I got shivers down my spine just for thinking about it) I would like to reduce or even remove this phobia. Being terrified of having the door or a window open during hot summer days, constantly looking around for ”monsters” with eight legs etc. is no fun. I hate basements and garages and the like. I love summer, the heat and so on…but to me (all my life) summer comes with a backside…which is the increased risk of ending up having a spider inside the apartment or even worse ON you etc. this sadly takes away a great deal of the charm of the summer months. I hate snow, ice and the cold winter…but…there is less risk of encountering spiders…so that is a plus.
Despite all of the above…I´m very fascinated with spiders and have no problem (almost, apart from some shivers down my spine once in a while and being a bit more jumpy afterwards…like if I get a leaf on me or something like such…leaves are scary, ok…hehe…) looking at pictures or documentaries/YouTube-clips of tarantulas and the like.
Sometimes the thought has hit me…this time it´s etched itself (more than usual) on my mind…that is; maybe I should get myself a spider as a pet…and thus forcing myself to take care of it and hopefully become less “panicky” after a while…but I don´t know if it is worth the risk of not being able to sleep ever again, always having to sit and stare at the terrarium making sure it´s not escaping etc. Then again, I already have trouble sleeping…but still…hehe. Would I even dare opening the terrarium…that´s also the question…what if it “bolts” and gets out…having a bit of a panic attack just thinking about that…
I like looking at (yes, I´m weird, I know) ”Dark Den” and others like that on YouTube. I find it very interesting even if I die every time a spider ”bolts”, escapes or showing off a ”threat pose” etc.
I literally felt like shit when I first brought home some dubias (I have lizards, a frog and a turtle), I´m not exactly a fan of that sort of bugs either…but I have calmed down quite a bit. The first time I had dubias at home…I slept with a light literally right in my face, to make it less likely to wake up with a roach in my face. I´m still not a fan and refuse to touch them and doing a thorough clean of their enclosures was less than fun; however, one escaped female found in a box full of papers did not really bother me (I still have no clue as to how she got out).
I don’t know if it would be similar/the same if I got a spider though. I don’t like roaches and that sort of bugs (well…bugs in general) but I don’t have an actual phobia of these creatures…spiders are on a vastly different level of scary to me.
I have after looking through a bunch of YouTube-clips etc. decided that the following species are more interesting to me than others:
Of the above mentioned species the ”Arizona Blonde” feels like the most interesting species to me, but in that case a “nice/kind” specimen…the thought of an aggressive maniac that also happens to be gigantic…not a very appealing thought.
I have an empty (at the moment) 30x30x30 cm (that is the mini wide, 12x12x12) Exo Terra terrarium but have been thinking about buying some more small Exo Terra terrariums (good for different “small stuff”) for example 20x20x20/30 cm (ex. Nano wide/nano tall, 8x8x8/8x8x12) etc. I have seen a lot of people using different types of plastic boxes etc. But I need it to be totally escape proof! How do you keep your spiders/tarantulas? What is the best enclosure type; a plastic box or a terrarium regarding the ”can under no circumstances be able to get out” point of view? Would any of these sizes work or do you believe it needs to be bigger/smaller? If using one of the Exo Terra terrariums; does anything have to be done about the screen top (like putting Plexiglas there instead) or can you use the regular Exo Terra top as is? Are there any rules regarding the size of the enclosure for spiders?
Are this the worst idea ever…that is the question…but I can’t really get the thought out of my head…we will see how this develops. I have seen some “Youtubers” that have done what I´m contemplation doing and they have been able to “cure” themselves…but I don’t know to what degree they had arachnophobia before getting their first tarantula…
Is there any particular species that you would like to recommend (one that is not “going to bolt/be skittish”)? What size would you recommend for a beginner who does not want a fast spider that’s likely to bolt? Juvenile/adult?
Getting a Sling feels like a smart idea because of the fact that I´m not as terrified of smaller (tiny) spiders but…at the same time it feels like the dumbest idea ever, due to the fact that they seem more prone to be ”skittish/more likely going to bolt” and faster than bigger spiders… also because they seem more sensitive to mistakes in their care, and because you can’t know their sex etc.
How big does it have to be to be able to sex it? Are there any difference regarding “temperament”/behavior due to the spider’s sex (female/male)?
I’m sensitive/allergic to wasps/bees…can this cause a problem with owning a spider? Could this mean that I could react more to the urticating hairs? I don´t even want to think about getting bitten, the thought of a spider that bites…not a pleasant thought…being bitten by an eight legged “monster” is not something I would like to think about…just hell no!
If you have any of the species mentioned above feel free to give me more information/describe your personal experience. As always it´s useful to hear from people who actually have the species in question (regarding any animal one is thinking about possible purchasing) …so please tell me what you think, about your experiences etc. Your contribution will be valued.
Thanks!
/SwedishArachnophobe84
Please excuse the spelling and grammar etc. English is not my first language; hope you still get the point I’m trying to make and get what I´m asking etc.
Alright…I’m now writing that which I never in a million years thought I would write, but here we are. This is probably a sign that I’m getting completely insane…but oh…well…
In all my life I have been completely terrified of spiders (at least as long as I can remember), arachnophobia in its most severe form. I can tolerate very tiny spiders without panicking but if that spider would end up on me, I still panic. This despite the fact that I can leave them be if they´re in a corner off my room for example (that is if they have made a web). I started working on that acceptance when a small spider decided to make a web between two of my flowerpots (in one of my windows). This spider was actually molting etc. and lived in its web for quite a while…but either it moved/went outside or died. I feed that one on occasion…when a fly ended up inside etc. Very interesting to watch…from a distance...
Sweden does not have any dangerous spiders and not (in comparison to other countries) any really large spiders. Some of the largest spiders here in Sweden are the so called ”house spiders” (smaller/common: Tegenaria domestica and large: Eratigena atrica). One of those (not sure if it was the smaller/common one or the large one…disgusting and big is all I know) once entered my apartment (as an example of the level of my phobia). It ran past me when I was sitting on the floor = somehow, I suddenly were about half a meter to a meter away and standing up, no idea how I got up. I managed to kill it by smashing it with my trashcan that was nearby (yeah, I know the person who loves animals ends up “murdering” an animal…but there is just no other way for me, I just cannot handle doing something else, the feeling of panic is way too severe). After killing the spider, I sat for several HOURS shaking in my entire body due to the anxiety!
Memes that says something like ”Burn down the house” due to not finding a spider…I feel like that is definitely in proportion to the problem…almost.
Because of this crippling feeling of panic/anxiety…(we are talking on a crazy level, when writing about the spider above…I got shivers down my spine just for thinking about it) I would like to reduce or even remove this phobia. Being terrified of having the door or a window open during hot summer days, constantly looking around for ”monsters” with eight legs etc. is no fun. I hate basements and garages and the like. I love summer, the heat and so on…but to me (all my life) summer comes with a backside…which is the increased risk of ending up having a spider inside the apartment or even worse ON you etc. this sadly takes away a great deal of the charm of the summer months. I hate snow, ice and the cold winter…but…there is less risk of encountering spiders…so that is a plus.
Despite all of the above…I´m very fascinated with spiders and have no problem (almost, apart from some shivers down my spine once in a while and being a bit more jumpy afterwards…like if I get a leaf on me or something like such…leaves are scary, ok…hehe…) looking at pictures or documentaries/YouTube-clips of tarantulas and the like.
Sometimes the thought has hit me…this time it´s etched itself (more than usual) on my mind…that is; maybe I should get myself a spider as a pet…and thus forcing myself to take care of it and hopefully become less “panicky” after a while…but I don´t know if it is worth the risk of not being able to sleep ever again, always having to sit and stare at the terrarium making sure it´s not escaping etc. Then again, I already have trouble sleeping…but still…hehe. Would I even dare opening the terrarium…that´s also the question…what if it “bolts” and gets out…having a bit of a panic attack just thinking about that…
I like looking at (yes, I´m weird, I know) ”Dark Den” and others like that on YouTube. I find it very interesting even if I die every time a spider ”bolts”, escapes or showing off a ”threat pose” etc.
I literally felt like shit when I first brought home some dubias (I have lizards, a frog and a turtle), I´m not exactly a fan of that sort of bugs either…but I have calmed down quite a bit. The first time I had dubias at home…I slept with a light literally right in my face, to make it less likely to wake up with a roach in my face. I´m still not a fan and refuse to touch them and doing a thorough clean of their enclosures was less than fun; however, one escaped female found in a box full of papers did not really bother me (I still have no clue as to how she got out).
I don’t know if it would be similar/the same if I got a spider though. I don’t like roaches and that sort of bugs (well…bugs in general) but I don’t have an actual phobia of these creatures…spiders are on a vastly different level of scary to me.
I have after looking through a bunch of YouTube-clips etc. decided that the following species are more interesting to me than others:
- Trinidad Dwarf Tiger Tarantula (Cyriocosmus elegans) – but…they seem rather (very) fast = total panic. I like the heart on their but, a bit different looking.
- Chilean Flame Tarantula (Eathlus sp. Red) – however it seems like the often climb out of the terrarium and can be pretty fast = total panic.
- Desert Blonde/Arizona Blonde Tarantula (Aphonopelma chalcodes) – So freaking enormous…but I do think they look slightly less creepy than for example completely black spiders etc. Often recommended for beginners, although some seem to be a bit angry/like to kick hairs.
- Mexican red knee (ex. Brachypelma hamorii, former Smithi) – Seems like a good choice for a beginner, nice colors but as with the “Arizona Blonde”…enormous…yikes!
Of the above mentioned species the ”Arizona Blonde” feels like the most interesting species to me, but in that case a “nice/kind” specimen…the thought of an aggressive maniac that also happens to be gigantic…not a very appealing thought.
I have an empty (at the moment) 30x30x30 cm (that is the mini wide, 12x12x12) Exo Terra terrarium but have been thinking about buying some more small Exo Terra terrariums (good for different “small stuff”) for example 20x20x20/30 cm (ex. Nano wide/nano tall, 8x8x8/8x8x12) etc. I have seen a lot of people using different types of plastic boxes etc. But I need it to be totally escape proof! How do you keep your spiders/tarantulas? What is the best enclosure type; a plastic box or a terrarium regarding the ”can under no circumstances be able to get out” point of view? Would any of these sizes work or do you believe it needs to be bigger/smaller? If using one of the Exo Terra terrariums; does anything have to be done about the screen top (like putting Plexiglas there instead) or can you use the regular Exo Terra top as is? Are there any rules regarding the size of the enclosure for spiders?
Are this the worst idea ever…that is the question…but I can’t really get the thought out of my head…we will see how this develops. I have seen some “Youtubers” that have done what I´m contemplation doing and they have been able to “cure” themselves…but I don’t know to what degree they had arachnophobia before getting their first tarantula…
Is there any particular species that you would like to recommend (one that is not “going to bolt/be skittish”)? What size would you recommend for a beginner who does not want a fast spider that’s likely to bolt? Juvenile/adult?
Getting a Sling feels like a smart idea because of the fact that I´m not as terrified of smaller (tiny) spiders but…at the same time it feels like the dumbest idea ever, due to the fact that they seem more prone to be ”skittish/more likely going to bolt” and faster than bigger spiders… also because they seem more sensitive to mistakes in their care, and because you can’t know their sex etc.
How big does it have to be to be able to sex it? Are there any difference regarding “temperament”/behavior due to the spider’s sex (female/male)?
I’m sensitive/allergic to wasps/bees…can this cause a problem with owning a spider? Could this mean that I could react more to the urticating hairs? I don´t even want to think about getting bitten, the thought of a spider that bites…not a pleasant thought…being bitten by an eight legged “monster” is not something I would like to think about…just hell no!
If you have any of the species mentioned above feel free to give me more information/describe your personal experience. As always it´s useful to hear from people who actually have the species in question (regarding any animal one is thinking about possible purchasing) …so please tell me what you think, about your experiences etc. Your contribution will be valued.
Thanks!
/SwedishArachnophobe84