Tarantula Pet Peeves

Kees Hood

Arachnopeon
Joined
May 25, 2014
Messages
29
Well, I'm about 3 months into the hobby, and when explaining my two T's to people I always get the same question of "Is it poisonous". Usually, I can't help but explain the
difference between poisonous and venomous, and that just cause something is poisonous doesn't mean it's medically significant. Anybody else frustrated by the general lack of knowledge/misconceptions?
 

Enn49

Arachnosquire
Joined
Apr 3, 2014
Messages
105
Yes, it's a battle I have fought for years over Ts and snakes. The worst thing is having explained the difference between poisonous and venomous they still insist on using the wrong term.
 

Beary Strange

Arachnodemon
Joined
Aug 30, 2013
Messages
670
I think you mean "just because something is venomous doesn't mean it's medically significant"... But yes, that irks me too (and judging by all the threads on this subject, many others as well) and I make a point to explain the difference in as incredulous a manner as I can muster to fully impress upon them how absurd they're being.

Odd title choice though...I was expecting a thread for us to gather 'round and whine about the things our tarantulas do that annoy us.
 

Julia

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Jan 17, 2009
Messages
433
Why be frustrated with others' lack of knowledge when you can teach them in a calm and non-condescending way? Now, when you get people who are self-proclaimed experts in any field/topic (including inverts) spitting out bad information at every turn....that bothers me.
 

Poec54

Arachnoemperor
Joined
Mar 26, 2013
Messages
4,745
Why be frustrated with others' lack of knowledge when you can teach them in a calm and non-condescending way?
+1. The idea is to win them over, and you have to be friendly, and patient, to do that. You change the public perception one person at a time.
 

archaeosite

Arachnosquire
Joined
Oct 18, 2014
Messages
57
Why be frustrated with others' lack of knowledge when you can teach them in a calm and non-condescending way? Now, when you get people who are self-proclaimed experts in any field/topic (including inverts) spitting out bad information at every turn....that bothers me.
This is the way to go, for sure. When I talk to people about tarantulas I try to let my natural enthusiasm and love shine through. This, in turn, makes those I'm talking to feel more comfortable and enthusiastic. "No such thing as a stupid question" applies here.
 

Poec54

Arachnoemperor
Joined
Mar 26, 2013
Messages
4,745
This is the way to go, for sure. When I talk to people about tarantulas I try to let my natural enthusiasm and love shine through. This, in turn, makes those I'm talking to feel more comfortable and enthusiastic. "No such thing as a stupid question" applies here.
If you're positive and passionate about spiders, it's often contagious. Remember, the public's only seen them in a negative light, especially in movies, so we have to help them overcome the old stereotypes. It can be done. When I was in college back in the 1970's, I used to go to elementary schools in the Detroit suburbs and give talks on tarantulas, with a slide show and a live spider. The younger kids were open-minded and excited (2nd/3rd grade). The older ones (5th/6th grade) were more cautious. That's the effect of people 'warning' them about spiders, and what they see in the media. We aren't born afraid of spiders. It's a learned behavior.
 

DVMT

Arachnosquire
Joined
Oct 12, 2012
Messages
91
The only time it irks me is when I tell them FACTS and they still want to believe the idiotic rumors that have been drilled into their tiny little heads. Like the guy a few months back who found out I have tarantulas and immediately regurgitated the old "I hear you eat X amount of spiders every year in your sleep" I explained to him very scientifically why this makes no sense and he insisted it was true because he read it on the internet.
 

Poec54

Arachnoemperor
Joined
Mar 26, 2013
Messages
4,745
The only time it irks me is when I tell them FACTS and they still want to believe the idiotic rumors that have been drilled into their tiny little heads. Like the guy a few months back who found out I have tarantulas and immediately regurgitated the old "I hear you eat X amount of spiders every year in your sleep" I explained to him very scientifically why this makes no sense and he insisted it was true because he read it on the internet.
With some people it takes more time than with others. For the person you mentioned, I'm sure you could list some nonsense on the internet and ask if that 'must be true' also.
 

MarkmD

Arachnoprince
Joined
Aug 9, 2012
Messages
1,835
I always try and stay calm when talking to people about the facts on T's, some are so ignorant that they believe they will die or hospitalised if bitten or T's can't drink water (witch they do) lol.

I do like people that are willing to learn (cause we all are learning all the time) especially to keep them healthy/safe etc.
 

DVMT

Arachnosquire
Joined
Oct 12, 2012
Messages
91
With some people it takes more time than with others. For the person you mentioned, I'm sure you could list some nonsense on the internet and ask if that 'must be true' also.
Usually I would retort with something along those lines, but this guy was a lost cause, trust me.
 

awiec

Arachnoprince
Joined
Feb 13, 2014
Messages
1,325
My particular favorite thing to do is while someone is freaking about about a spider in said area I just calmly collect the spider and put it somewhere safe while looking at them with a "Really?" look. This usually makes them a little sheepish and admit that being scared of a tiny little thing is silly. Fear of spiders is a learned behavior and even as adults we still take cues from those around us, if you want someone to change their behavior, you demonstrate or surround them with the behavior you want; to an extent this works as they will start changing their attitudes. It also seems to work as I'm a little five foot five woman and I've had grown men blush about the fact they were freaking out about a spider and I just go scoop it up. I grew up in a non-spider squishing house hold so spiders never seemed like a big deal to me while other have had their parents show them that you need to be scared of them and kill it with fire. Reversing all that conditioning can take a while, it even took me some time to not be so scared of crickets and grasshoppers (which I'll still freak out and flail around if one flies at me).
 

DVMT

Arachnosquire
Joined
Oct 12, 2012
Messages
91
You can't win everyone over, all you can do is try. You'll many more successes than failures though.
This is very true, by my rough count it's "Win em overs" - 38 "Failed attempts" - 4
 

pyro fiend

Arachnoprince
Joined
Dec 29, 2013
Messages
1,216
Well, I'm about 3 months into the hobby, and when explaining my two T's to people I always get the same question of "Is it poisonous". Usually, I can't help but explain the
difference between poisonous and venomous, and that just cause something is poisonous doesn't mean it's medically significant. Anybody else frustrated by the general lack of knowledge/misconceptions?
Haha i had this arguement last week for the umteenth time.. this time explained how and why you can DRINK venom and wont be harmed.. i was called a liar among other things... so the other day i pulled strings and got my buddy to milk a copperhead(who loves to try and vill the vials to the brim lol), take vids n pics so vial was able to be ID'd(deleted didnt think id be sharing story lol) and brought it to work and drank it.. the people freaking out.. pure priceless.. but those who doubted me now are a little more interested.. but all say theyl bring a can of raid of i bring in a tarantula to work -.-
 

Chaka

Arachnopeon
Joined
Sep 22, 2012
Messages
10
I have had this problem too but I have convinced my two friends to get Ts one of whom is arachniphobic after of course they do their research first I pointed them to a couple of credible sources
 

Lucy Lambaste

Arachnopeon
Joined
Aug 30, 2014
Messages
6
I have found comparing T's to honey bees very useful. Bees are portrayed pretty positively, so I just explain that a bee sting is unpleasant, but only a small portion of the population is allergic. Same with tarantulas. I may be glossing over the fact that some bites (Poecs, etc) are medically significant no matter who you are. I don't feel guilty...I think I'm counter-balancing the negative sensationalism. Some bee species (hornets) are more venomous, though, so I guess the analogy works?
 

awiec

Arachnoprince
Joined
Feb 13, 2014
Messages
1,325
I have found comparing T's to honey bees very useful. Bees are portrayed pretty positively, so I just explain that a bee sting is unpleasant, but only a small portion of the population is allergic. Same with tarantulas. I may be glossing over the fact that some bites (Poecs, etc) are medically significant no matter who you are. I don't feel guilty...I think I'm counter-balancing the negative sensationalism. Some bee species (hornets) are more venomous, though, so I guess the analogy works?
I would say it's pretty correct as without spiders we would be over-run with all sorts of pest and have no food and without bees, we have a grossly limited amount of food; both are vital to our survival, yet we kill em anyway.
 
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