What is the scariest spider you currently own and why?

[Dennis Nedry]

Scientific name? I need one.

Penalva flavocalceata, which is one of the smaller and calmer species. Only about the size of a large mouse

 

[Venom1080]

So? I was freaking scared of one of my fiance temperament (half Calabrian, half Roman = 100% hot head & hot blooded) yet I'd loved to own her for years, in every possible way. Sometimes there's that twisted perv feeling to count and consider

Well ffs there shouldn't be.

 

[dangerforceidle]

Scientific name? I need one.

Libanasidus vittatus, perhaps.

I see @Dennis Nedry replied with a different species, but this is the one I'd pick.

 

[basin79]

Penalva flavocalceata, which is one of the smaller and calmer species. Only about the size of a large mouse

Cheers. I'd love a predatory cricket.

 

[Chris LXXIX]

Well ffs there shouldn't be.

Had to Google what 'ffs' was and before what you wanted to mean jumped out 'ffs - Ferrovie Federali Svizzere' (Italian, in English is: Switzerland Federal Railways) and this reminded me when, as a teen, smuggled cigarettes from Chiasso (Switzerland) to Milano city, using the train for free since our father was a manager of the Italian railways

 

[basin79]

Libanasidus vittatus, perhaps.

I see @Dennis Nedry replied with a different species, but this is the one I'd pick.

Cheers ears.

 

[Fredericusrex]

I don't have a pet invert that scares me because my only invert is an old hisser named Freddie and he is a cute cuddle baby but if I had a pet butterfly or moth then I'd be terrified of it

 

[Lokee85]

I strongly disagree with all the users expressing that "you shouldn't own something that you are afraid of".

As far as I am concerned, as long as you are providing proper husbandry, then nobody has the right to tell you that you can't own whatever you want (disregarding legal arguments).

Fear is a very personal thing. And everyone has a different relationship with it. It's ridiculous and insulting to say that somebody doesn't deserve to own a tarantula because of their own emotions. Judge people for the care that they provide, sure. But not for their personal thoughts that aren't affecting their husbandry.

I agree. When I first started keeping inverts, we had a WC bark scorpion and a WC wolf spider (not sure on scientific name of either), and I was terrified of spiders and other arachnids. Well, my husband was terrible at keeping up their care (it was his job because they freaked me out) and I felt bad for them, so I started caring for them myself, and it was scary at first, but I slowly started getting over my arachnophobia. Now, I'm obsessed with them, have 23 Ts and 8 wolf spiders, and if it hadn't been for keeping a couple of animals I was initially afraid of, I never would have gotten over that fear.

 

[Lokee85]

Here's the problem. You're scared of the tarantula you're keeping. You need to rehouse. No way are you going to be able to rehouse that tarantula without stressing him/her out.

Your centipede latches onto your tongs. You drop them and they land against the enclosure. The centipede is now running along the top of the enclosure.

If your scared of a pet GIVE THEM UP.

Honestly, the first rehouse I did with one of my Ts, I was extremely nervous, my heart was racing, and I was shaking a bit (not a lot, but some). But despite my nerves/fears, I made sure I was prepared, I handled everything in a calm manner, and everything went smoothly.

If I hadn't pushed through that fear, I wouldn't be as comfortable with my Ts and other spiders as I am today. If I had given up on this hobby because of my initial fears, I would still be in the throes of arachnophobia. I wouldn't get an animal I wasnt comfortable providing care for, which is why I still only have "beginner" type species. If I was too scared to provide proper care, then I could see giving up my animals, but it wasn't like that.

 

[basin79]

Honestly, the first rehouse I did with one of my Ts, I was extremely nervous, my heart was racing, and I was shaking a bit (not a lot, but some). But despite my nerves/fears, I made sure I was prepared, I handled everything in a calm manner, and everything went smoothly.

If I hadn't pushed through that fear, I would be as comfortable with my Ts and other spiders as I am today. If I had given up on this hobby because of my initial fears, I would still be in the throes of arachnophobia. I wouldn't get an animal I wasnt comfortable providing care for, which is why I still only have "beginner" type species. If I was too scared to provide proper care, then I could see giving up my animals, but it wasn't like that.

Now that's a good point. Although nerves and fear I feel are different emotions.

 

[Lokee85]

Now that's a good point. Although nerves and fear I feel are different emotions.

Nerves and fear are absolutely different emotions, but they can be experienced simultaneously, as was my case.

 

[Arachnophoric]

I strongly disagree with all the users expressing that "you shouldn't own something that you are afraid of".

As far as I am concerned, as long as you are providing proper husbandry, then nobody has the right to tell you that you can't own whatever you want (disregarding legal arguments).

Fear is a very personal thing. And everyone has a different relationship with it. It's ridiculous and insulting to say that somebody doesn't deserve to own a tarantula because of their own emotions. Judge people for the care that they provide, sure. But not for their personal thoughts that aren't affecting their husbandry.

If someone who is afraid of an invert can still take proper care of it (husbandry, feeding, rehousing, etc.) then there's no issue. I'm more speaking in the vein that it can be hard to take care of something you're deathly afraid of. I had a wild caught bold jumping spider that I had been taking care of for months. I left for a weekend and my mom caught a fly, and despite her arachnophobia she decided she wanted to feed it.

She opened the lid and it tried crawling out. She slammed the lid back down on it in her panic, killing it. I know it's not an apples to apples comparison, but I'm sure you see what I'm getting at.

 

[Wolfspidurguy]

If you're scared you don't behave normally. Especially if it's an ongoing event.

For me if anyone is actually scared of a pet they need to give that pet away.

Look my assassin bug freaks me out but I'm providing all the proper husbandry and if/when I need to rehouse it I'm not afraid to pit a catch cup over it and move it will I ever put my hand in the enclosure to move something no but if it escapes or something I'm gonna be a bit stressed but I'll be cool and catch it. I personally think If something scares you being around it more helps I'm already starting to be more cool around my little assassin

 

[cold blood]

MOD NOTE:

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, lets not argue about opinions and who's is right or wrong!

 

[WoofSpider]

I would like to simply state (in a non-argumentative way) that keepers that are experiencing trepidation when dealing with their pets, but still providing adequate care, should not feel pressured into giving up their pets. I will not discuss this point any further.

 

[Razzledazzy]

To derail before things really get going, I don't own one but I find H. Macs completely overwhelming. I don't know why, they're not the most venomous, or the fastest. But I've come to the conclusion I'll never own one because the species freaks me out for some reason.

 

[Ungoliant]

Okay so I saw a thread like this a while ago but I can't find it so I started a new one. Wether or not you'd like to admit it at least one of your inverts at least slightly freaks you out so I figured why not share so we can learn more about them and learn why not to fear them.

Moderator note: I found the previous thread, so I merged the two. Carry on!

 

[Joogvanhedel]

The only inverts I have that I'm scared of are the feeders, lol. I'm scared that the red runners are going to get loose and I'll end up with free range roaches. Plus the adults creep me out, I just can't get over that.

Hahaha, i have the same here. I realy dont like my cockroachs

 

[Andrea82]

To derail before things really get going, I don't own one but I find H. Macs completely overwhelming. I don't know why, they're not the most venomous, or the fastest. But I've come to the conclusion I'll never own one because the species freaks me out for some reason.

While they are not the most fast or venomous, they do belong to the advanced section at the top of the ladder system, so to speak.
I swore the same, but I got one as a freebie. I like it so far, but I'll be sure to give it away as soon as that changes.

 

[Haemus]

My King cricket is the only one of my inverts that scares me. It's got good eyesight, can jump about a metre, has scissors for a face and wants to kill me. Also they eat funnel webs, enough said.

I do really love the little bastard though

It can take down a funnel web? That is so cool!