Arachnophobe conversion

PanzoN88

Arachnodemon
Joined
Sep 15, 2014
Messages
713
I know there are many arachnophobes out in society today ( i myself used to be an arachnophobe) and even people who are just uneasy about tarantulas. I am also pretty sure everybody here would like to
see more people embrace tarantulas for what they are and for what bring to the table as pets, so my
challenge (NOT a contest) to every member on here on the forum is to convert five people who are
arachnophobic or just fell uneasy about tarantulas into people who at least respect that they will always
be among us and that hollywood has polluted their opinions about tarantulas. If you want to take it a
step further, then introduce the converted to the world of keeping tarantulas. This goes for all other
inverts listed here on the forum as well. In order to keep the tread going, has anyone here successfully
Converted someone already?
 

Biollantefan54

Arachnoking
Old Timer
Joined
Jul 3, 2012
Messages
2,248
I have converted my sister, brothers fiancé and my a handful of my friends. Did I win?
 

PanzoN88

Arachnodemon
Joined
Sep 15, 2014
Messages
713
Its not a contest or anything like that its just for the sole purpose of saving one less tarantula or true spider from being another shoe implant, but once i get more experience and gather up more tarantulas via purchase and breeding. I might do something
like that, just to get the brain working properly.
 

jigalojey

Arachnoknight
Joined
Dec 23, 2012
Messages
206
When I have arachnophobes over at my house they're the ones that sit and stare at my display the tanks the most haha. I have learned by observing them that fear quickly turns into fascination, I have even had one pull me aside and say "hey when that sac hatches do you think I could have one?"
 

sugarsandz

Arachnosquire
Joined
Jul 28, 2012
Messages
144
The girl that sits in front of me in math class said that spiders freak her out, so then I told her about mine. She was grossed out when I showed her pictures on my phone but she wouldn't stop looking and asking questions lol.
 

PanzoN88

Arachnodemon
Joined
Sep 15, 2014
Messages
713
Fascination is how it etarted in my case as well, and now i have three albopilosum slings.
 

Biollantefan54

Arachnoking
Old Timer
Joined
Jul 3, 2012
Messages
2,248
I was kidding about the 'Did I win'...

A lot of my friends used to be terrified of spiders but through posting pictures on some social media websites a lot of them think they are cute now and talk to me a lot about them.
 

The Snark

Dumpster Fire of the Gods
Old Timer
Joined
Aug 8, 2005
Messages
11,047
I think I'm an arachnophobe. The people working on the road crew offered me a chunky Venatoria a few minutes ago and I refused to take it. I mean, just where do you grab a furious Huntsman? How do you not look biteable?
 

PanzoN88

Arachnodemon
Joined
Sep 15, 2014
Messages
713
The girl that sits in front of me in math class said that spiders freak her out, so then I told her about mine. She was grossed out when I showed her pictures on my phone but she wouldn't stop looking and asking questions lol.
the reaction to the pictures of the
tarantulas must have been priceless, now, if you want to get a great reaction, introduce the grossed out
girl to a molt fom one of your tarantulas.0, plus it may be a good first step to helping someone get rid
Of the fear or uneasy feeling about tarantulas or other inverts.

---------- Post added 10-25-2014 at 12:08 AM ----------

Ignore the 0 and the comma

---------- Post added 10-25-2014 at 12:26 AM ----------

I was kidding about the 'Did I win'...

A lot of my friends used to be terrified of spiders but through posting pictures on some social media websites a lot of them think they are cute now and talk to me a lot about them.
i know, and its
good to see people convert immediately after seing a picture or watching a video concerning tarantulas.
Took me four months to get over my fear.
 

Akai

Arachnobaron
Joined
Jul 23, 2012
Messages
326
It seems that most people I know freak out when they run into a true spiders web. I mean bat crazy freak out. Is that normal for most people you know? lol
 

archaeosite

Arachnosquire
Joined
Oct 18, 2014
Messages
57
It seems that most people I know freak out when they run into a true spiders web. I mean bat crazy freak out. Is that normal for most people you know? lol
Personally I do because it's usually on my face while I'm walking down the sidewalk! Ugh!

I've converted a few people, mostly through social media photos and updates. My sister, mom, and dad enjoy my tarantulas. A couple years ago I didn't have room in my apartment for my rose, so my parents were holding on to her. She was in premolt and very relaxed, and my dad would put his hand in the tank next to her. She would gently tap his fingers, then rest her toes on his hand. Yeah...my dad and tarantula held hands, haha.
 

Akai

Arachnobaron
Joined
Jul 23, 2012
Messages
326
My family and friends grew to like my tarantulas over time. I haven't gotten anybody to get one yet. SO tarantulas are pretty cool but spiderwebs not so much. lol
 

Enn49

Arachnosquire
Joined
Apr 3, 2014
Messages
105
I am still an arachnophobe. I really thought keeping Ts would cure me but not so. I am fine dealing with our Ts big or small, I love them all, I can just about cope with spiders in the garden where they run away from you but I am still terrified of them loose in the house or garage especially those that run towards your feet when you're sitting on the loo.
 

awiec

Arachnoprince
Joined
Feb 13, 2014
Messages
1,325
My 10 year old sister is rather fond of my versi and my 14 year old sister took care of my T.gigas while I was on holiday (she mainly just refilled the water bowl but it's a step). Both of them rather take care of the spiders than the crested gecko, while feisty, has no teeth.
 

BobGrill

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
Jan 25, 2011
Messages
1,669
I could never imagine letting anyone unfamiliar with fast moving tarantulas care for a T.gigas. Not telling you you shouldn't do it, as it is your choice, but I wouldn't advise it.
 

MrsHaas

Arachnoangel
Old Timer
Joined
Nov 1, 2012
Messages
875
I have ppl freak out all the time over true spiders, but wen they see my Ts, they are either very curious of fall strait in love! I've had pretty good responses.
 

Ultum4Spiderz

Arachnoemperor
Arachnosupporter
Joined
Oct 13, 2011
Messages
4,547
I am still an arachnophobe. I really thought keeping Ts would cure me but not so. I am fine dealing with our Ts big or small, I love them all, I can just about cope with spiders in the garden where they run away from you but I am still terrified of them loose in the house or garage especially those that run towards your feet when you're sitting on the loo.
I actualy have picked up fat orb web spiders & held them in front of arachnophobes to show them they are non agressive lol. Not to scare them though:biggrin: I used to catch them but they don't seem to make good webs in captivity.
 

awiec

Arachnoprince
Joined
Feb 13, 2014
Messages
1,325
I could never imagine letting anyone unfamiliar with fast moving tarantulas care for a T.gigas. Not telling you you shouldn't do it, as it is your choice, but I wouldn't advise it.
All she did was give it water which I rigged something up where all she did was open a little hatch and drip in water, I wouldn't have let her go near it otherwise; it was in heavy pre-molt anyway so it hid the entire time I was gone.
 

Calloway

Arachnopeon
Joined
Oct 6, 2014
Messages
1
I have ppl freak out all the time over true spiders, but wen they see my Ts, they are either very curious of fall strait in love! I've had pretty good responses.
I'm borderline arachnophobic with the vast majority of true spiders, but have no issues with tarantulas. (Obviously :p)
 

scorpionchaos

Arachnosquire
Joined
Oct 15, 2012
Messages
133
At the petstore I work at I always take the time out to help people with there fears (to my coworkers shi grin) letting just tap a snake quickly or just watching a rose hair crawl across my fingers. At school a little girl who likes nature was admiring a bee on a flower after a little rain. I know that this makes them sluggish so I walked up and said "Watch this". I placed my hand Infront of him and rubbed his abdomen and guided him slowly onto my hand. She was scared and concerned at first but that quickly turned into more of an appreciation and admiration of the little bee. Eventually the bee warmed up and became more active working its way to the tip of my finger. It readied its wings and flew away to the orchard beside the school. She asked me "weren't you scared? How did you know it wasn't going to hurt you?" I said "I'm never scared of bees, I respect them to much to be afraid of them. I stayed calm, moved slowly and never made him feel threatened." I told her that doesn't mean go try it as I have been stung once (out of a couple dozen times) and said nature can be unpredictable, you just have to be prepared and ready for whatever it cope with it.

I know it's kind of cheesy and seem like something from novel but life has moments like that every now and then.

Most people smell the roses, I just play with the bees :biggrin:
 
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