craiziest coming out reactions

seacowst

Arachnosquire
Joined
Feb 3, 2012
Messages
86
whats the craizest reaction you got when you said to somebody who dose not know you that you keep tarantulas.
mine is that a girl said your not dead? when i told her.
 

Kris M

Arachnopeon
Joined
Feb 2, 2012
Messages
29
I....just don't tell people. I learned my lesson years ago.
The reactions from finding out I have snakes is bad enough.

I don't plan on telling anyone that isn't already aware of the snakes and okay with that.
As such only my family knows so far :)
 

Shell

ArachnoVixen AKA Dream Crusher AKA Heartbreaker
Staff member
Joined
Sep 14, 2009
Messages
1,659
I have had all kinds of comments from people, but honestly, they don't bother me. As I've said many times before, a negative reaction gives us an opportunity to educate people about a hobby that already has a ton of bad press and lots of misinformation. Some people won't listen to what you have to say, but I've found that most will.

There's a young guy that works at the LPS I get crickets at. When we first moved here and he found out what I was feeding he was horrified, disgusted, you name it. He asked a lot of questions the 2nd time I came in, and now he always asks how my spiders are when I come in. He may not want one of his own, but he no longer thinks I'm a freak or that they are giant, deadly monsters.

I feel it's our "responsibility" as hobbyists to try and educate people (when the opportunity arises, not shove it down their throats), and raise awareness of our hobby. If we don't do it nobody will, and the misconceptions will only grow.
 

jakeh

Arachnopeon
Joined
Dec 19, 2011
Messages
8
My mother when she saw my terrarium in my room with my first T in it. She acted very similar to bradd pitt in the end of se7en but was not waiving a 45 around.
 
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Jared781

Arachnobaron
Joined
Nov 23, 2011
Messages
555
whats the craizest reaction you got when you said to somebody who dose not know you that you keep tarantulas.
mine is that a girl said your not dead? when i told her.
When the UPS dude delivered the Ts, he handed the box to me, as i was setting it down to sign i said "...Tarantulas" , he said "Whaat?" i followed with a "Yup" he then said "really" and i replied with another "YuP"
 

skar

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Jan 19, 2010
Messages
434
LOL I had a frind from work come over, he wanted to see my "zoo" .
Hilarious Omg He would not step foot in my T room, I grabbed an Avic to show him colors and that it's calm not going to feed from his face etc .
No sooner than I grabbed it from the shelf and putting my hand on the lid - His face changed to a look of terror and was backing down my hall LOL
I think if I didn't stop there he would have ran through my wall, Good times.
 

Kris M

Arachnopeon
Joined
Feb 2, 2012
Messages
29
I have had all kinds of comments from people, but honestly, they don't bother me. As I've said many times before, a negative reaction gives us an opportunity to educate people about a hobby that already has a ton of bad press and lots of misinformation. Some people won't listen to what you have to say, but I've found that most will.

There's a young guy that works at the LPS I get crickets at. When we first moved here and he found out what I was feeding he was horrified, disgusted, you name it. He asked a lot of questions the 2nd time I came in, and now he always asks how my spiders are when I come in. He may not want one of his own, but he no longer thinks I'm a freak or that they are giant, deadly monsters.

I feel it's our "responsibility" as hobbyists to try and educate people (when the opportunity arises, not shove it down their throats), and raise awareness of our hobby. If we don't do it nobody will, and the misconceptions will only grow.
I feel like this as well. I guess for me it's just easier to educate about reptiles so I start there (usually with geckos hehe). If I told people about everything I have it would just be sensory overload and they'd probably explode.
 

Vespula

Arachnodemon
Joined
Jul 27, 2010
Messages
706
I've had some great reactions. Most people have called me crazy. I'm used to that by now. I just smile and try to educate them.

My best reaction, though, came from my college Biology teacher. I'm pretty sure that she either doesn't like me or is scared of me. It was Valentine's day, and I gave all of my teachers and friends Valentine's cards with one of my tarantulas on them. She wasn't happy with hers. After throwing some not so nice words my way, she asked where I got the cards with spiders on them, because she'd never seen something so awful in stores. I told her that the pictured spider was one of my many tarantulas. She threw a hissy fit trying to get away from me.
 

newspidermom

Arachnosquire
Old Timer
Joined
Nov 13, 2010
Messages
57
I get all my Ts shipped to work cause I'm not home to get the package so I've gotten many comments. I'm crazy..weird..not right in the head...lol. But it's funny how many of those same people gather round when I get a new one...lol. Now comments have turned to more questions which I'm always happy to answer. I love educating everyone about them. One guy asks me everytime I get one if it's one he can hold so he can take a pic and post it on facebook. Another lady I work with knows all my Ts names as well as I do. So they're coming around, but they still don't know why I need or want so many, Most say they didn't know there were that many and that they only thought they were black or brown...and ugly. I thought I was making good progress when I actually had a co-worker say that they had to admit my little half inch A. versi were "cute". Oh...and I also have one girl that will catch an occasional spider for me that she finds..hehe. Of course they're not Ts, but I guess it's the thought that counts. I usually let those loose outside.
 

Lost In Space

Arachnopeon
Joined
Feb 18, 2012
Messages
27
I have had all kinds of comments from people, but honestly, they don't bother me. As I've said many times before, a negative reaction gives us an opportunity to educate people about a hobby that already has a ton of bad press and lots of misinformation. Some people won't listen to what you have to say, but I've found that most will.

There's a young guy that works at the LPS I get crickets at. When we first moved here and he found out what I was feeding he was horrified, disgusted, you name it. He asked a lot of questions the 2nd time I came in, and now he always asks how my spiders are when I come in. He may not want one of his own, but he no longer thinks I'm a freak or that they are giant, deadly monsters.

I feel it's our "responsibility" as hobbyists to try and educate people (when the opportunity arises, not shove it down their throats), and raise awareness of our hobby. If we don't do it nobody will, and the misconceptions will only grow.
Quite the opposite, Pet store guy asked me what I was feeding when I went in for crickets and I told him I had a juvie Pinktoe Tarantula and he goes nice, I have a Goliath Birdeater, he then tried to sell me some pinkies that were feeding off their mother rat lifting her up to show me the size of them and they were all sucking on their mom I was the one who was "disgusted/horrified" >.< I could never do that. Crickets on the other hand.. :D
 

Shell

ArachnoVixen AKA Dream Crusher AKA Heartbreaker
Staff member
Joined
Sep 14, 2009
Messages
1,659
I feel like this as well. I guess for me it's just easier to educate about reptiles so I start there (usually with geckos hehe). If I told people about everything I have it would just be sensory overload and they'd probably explode.
Yeah, I used to keep snakes as well, so I know what you mean about overloading people.

Once a guy in the LPS, when he found out I had snakes and "numerous" tarantulas (he asked, I didn't want to give an exact number ;) ) said to me "no, pretty girls do NOT keep pets like that". I was initially flattered, but then proceeded to tell him that he would be surprised by the # of "pretty girls" that keeps spiders and snakes and other exotics.
 

SamuraiSid

Arachnodemon
Joined
Sep 30, 2010
Messages
758
Ive had a few people ask, "Whats wrong with you?" but no crazy comments on my hobby.

To second Shell, most ignorant arachnophobes put their faces right up to the enclosure to get a good look at the big scary spider. Most of them seem truly fascinated by them, once they get over their initial reactions, and I've had a few great conversations with these people.

These people dont offend me because I feel kind of the same way about fish...
 

1hughjazzspider

Arachnoknight
Joined
Aug 24, 2011
Messages
242
The worst reaction I get is when I tell women I have a collection of spiders at home. It's hard enough getting a girl to go out with you. But it's much more difficult convincing them to go out with you again once they learn you have a bunch of big hairy spiders in your apartment.
 

Storm76

Arachnoemperor
Old Timer
Joined
Jan 30, 2012
Messages
3,797
The worst thing I experienced when my boss learned about my new hobby.

He: "So what's that about your new hobby?"
Me: "I started collecting tarantulas, why?"
He: *raises a brow* "Aren't those poisonous?"
Me: *10 minutes quick education about the difference of poison and venom* "So you see, nope."
He: "Well, I only like them roasted" *smiling and trying to change the subject after that*

I know he was joking about that last sentence, but I also know, he's not a fan of ANY kind of pet, too. So I don't take offense. I'll just have to get some new T delivered to my working address at some point, preferably some bigger specimen around 3" - 5" and see what happens :D
 

Hayden

Arachnosquire
Joined
Feb 14, 2012
Messages
145
Every time I take my Chaco out to show my mother that she's harmless, she screams "IT'S EATING YOU!" and usually takes off. Sometimes she stays and cries and asks how I could do this to her. Either way, her reaction is by far the best.
 

Fuma

Arachnopeon
Joined
Feb 15, 2012
Messages
21
When the UPS dude delivered the Ts, he handed the box to me, as i was setting it down to sign i said "...Tarantulas" , he said "Whaat?" i followed with a "Yup" he then said "really" and i replied with another "YuP"
wow man thats the craziest on on here..... i woulnd know what to do if that was me
 

awolfe

Arachnosquire
Joined
Sep 27, 2011
Messages
105
The best reaction I've received was when my 9 year old daughter came home from shcool and said that a girl in her class was not allowed to come to our house because her mother saw on facebook that I own a bunch of spiders! The girl in her class is a real brat, so I was pretty happy she's never asked to come over for a play date. I make sure I tell my daughter to let everyone know how many "spiders" I have lolol
 
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