Tarantulas and people's reactions

[scorpionchaos]

While holding a tarantula at the pet store i work at (rose hair) a girl in walked and screamed "GET AWAY FROM ME BEFORE IT LAYS IT'S EGGS IN MY SKIN" and left the store in a hurry...

 

[Micrathena]

While holding a tarantula at the pet store i work at (rose hair) a girl in walked and screamed "GET AWAY FROM ME BEFORE IT LAYS IT'S EGGS IN MY SKIN" and left the store in a hurry...

Wow, really? Drama...

---------- Post added 03-26-2014 at 07:33 PM ----------

I get "what do you do with them"

"I look at them."
Maybe they were expecting "I practice satanic rituals with them at a shrine to the devil?"

 

[Driller64]

I usually get the generic disgust, but sometimes people say "You know nobody likes spiders, right?"
I should introduce them to the entire Arachnoboards community. That's a big "nobody."

Exactly what I think everytime anyone says that!

 

[Yentlequible]

My girlfriend thinks my Ts are cute, and has held all but one, my smithi (but I hardly hold my smithi, it's pretty defensive)

View attachment 125363

That's not a smithi. That's an auratum. And a pretty one at that.

 

[Driller64]

Also has anyone ever feared that someone might be able talk them out of their love of spiders? Just a question.

 

[Cavedweller]

Also has anyone ever feared that someone might be able talk them out of their love of spiders? Just a question.

That's a good question. I figure that a lot of the negative talk is wrong (they might lay eggs in you/kill you/ect), and it's hard to be persuaded by something you know is comically incorrect. However, I could see the experience being ruined if people make fun of you for it or your friends shun you or something.

 

[bigt0006]

I get the same reaction i do when i tell people i keep herps. First question is why the heck would you want to keep those. Second question arnt you scared theyll get out and try to eat you. Some people are just very closed minded. I got into Ts because of my herps

Sent from my SPH-L720 using Tapatalk 2

 

[awiec]

Also has anyone ever feared that someone might be able talk them out of their love of spiders? Just a question.

If its something you truly enjoy then no one can ruin it for you. Only people who have little will or not as much passion for something can be turned away from it. Frankly no one is worth giving up your hobbies for, because that person obviously does not value you as a whole. Perhaps you may eventually decide to sell off your collection but most of those people have valid reasons and at the heart of it, you are doing whats best for the T's.

 

[Duss321]

I'm surprised they aren't more open minded in the Netherlands! Though your response is only an N of 1 for me.


I often get "but you can't hold them, why would you get them"...to which I answer "why do people own fish, you can't hold those either" and they promptly shut up.

As for dating, if pets come up I mention them, if not, I don't. It's not some special topic I seek to avoid discussing for fear of losing that perceived great girl. Never had any negative responses from women because they know me as a person first, not my pets.

In short, I really don't a flying hoohah what someone thinks about my pets, especially a prospective mate. Women come and go like changes in Chicago weather. If she isn't down with my pets, ie tolerates, then she isn't the right one for me, case closed.

---------- Post added 03-26-2014 at 02:26 PM ----------



That's EXACTLY how it should be, if it isn't, there's trouble in "paradise" in my experience, esp with something as trivial as pets.

Well the Dutch are openminded in general, but when it comes down to spiders... I use the fish reply as well when people ask me why i won't hold them.

Only a few people know i have T's. Not something i bring up in conversation unless people ask me. Im not going to lie about it.
Woman come and go here as well. And i noticed when i don't tell them beforehand and they enter my room filled with T's there more interested in them then being scared.

 

[Buggidy]

However, I could see the experience being ruined if people make fun of you for it or your friends shun you or something.

Totally. It's a little sad when people you love look down on you for it. I now have four T's away with me at college, and my mother won't allow them in the house (when I'm home for summer). I've got a few slings that can't just stay in my house at college for 2.5 months, so it looks like I'm not able to come home anymore for summer. She likes to talk about how she squishes spiders around the house. I've also lost a few friends since getting into the hobby, but I suppose it's not a huge loss when you realize people who don't like you for you shouldn't be in your life anyway.

On a side note, I feel pretty lucky that my boyfriend is very supportive of me keeping my T's, and is even looking into starting his own collection soon In the beginning, he used to insist that he hated them and that they were disgusting, but upon returning to my room I'd often find him staring into their cages and baby talking them, eventually asking if he could hold, feed, etc... It's adorable.

 

[klawfran3]

I have sometimes have gotten the shocked 'WHAT THE F*&%$! YOU KEEP GROSS SPIDERS?!!!" with a repetitive "ew ew" following. Some are just shocked or find it cool, and proceed to ask legitimate questions like "what do you feed them?" and "what do they look like?" Other are just too dramatic and annoying by freaking out and saying "EWW" after I answer every question they ask. those second people I just normally mess around with, since I know that what I say won't change their opinion. if those people ask "What do you do with them?" I usually respond "teach them to pull me around in a chariot and sacrifice them to the dark lord," which usually gets a freaked out response. I don't prefer to waste my time with close minded bigots and thus use sarcasm to get them to go away.

there are the curious, and there are the attention seekers.

Example: about a week ago I had someone I don't even know come up and say "hey. you're that weirdo with the spiders? well if I ever come to your house I'll crush them." ...

Also, just today there was a little spider a half inch DLS wandering up a wall next to me. I proceeded to scoop him up and let him crawl over my hands and desk, just enjoying it's bumbling little presence. suddenly some person next to me sees the poor thing, goes wide eyed, and just SCREAMS! everyone jumps in their seat and is wondering what on earth happened, and the girl is just set off screaming obscenities and how I am going to "*f-word*ing DIE." the teacher knows that I adore spiders and it totally fine with them, so he just asks me to take it outside and let it go on a bush. I get back and people are constantly glancing at me and whispering. but hey, I don't let it affect me. people are always judging, and if you let it get to you, you will never be happy. the people worth being around are the ones who appreciate you for who you are.

 

[Cavedweller]

I've got a few slings that can't just stay in my house at college for 2.5 months, so it looks like I'm not able to come home anymore for summer.

I wonder if she'll change her mind when she realizes you won't be visiting this year

Example: about a week ago I had someone I don't even know come up and say "hey. you're that weirdo with the spiders? well if I ever come to your house I'll crush them." ...

Dang that's messed up and super rude

 

[viper69]

Wow, really? Drama...

---------- Post added 03-26-2014 at 07:33 PM ----------

"I look at them."
Maybe they were expecting "I practice satanic rituals with them at a shrine to the devil?"

I think they expect satanic rituals to be performed on their kids once they hear you have Ts hahah

---------- Post added 03-27-2014 at 12:24 AM ----------

Totally. It's a little sad when people you love look down on you for it. I now have four T's away with me at college, and my mother won't allow them in the house (when I'm home for summer). I've got a few slings that can't just stay in my house at college for 2.5 months, so it looks like I'm not able to come home anymore for summer. She likes to talk about how she squishes spiders around the house. I've also lost a few friends since getting into the hobby, but I suppose it's not a huge loss when you realize people who don't like you for you shouldn't be in your life anyway .

Good riddance I say ! You do not need superficial friends that are overly concerned about something that doesn't even impact their lives in any way.

Do yourself a favor and never speak to them again until someday they need something from you. Then remind them what jerks they were and say "no"

 

[Wildenthusiast]

I get back and people are constantly glancing at me and whispering. but hey, I don't let it affect me. people are always judging, and if you let it get to you, you will never be happy. the people worth being around are the ones who appreciate you for who you are.

That's a stance to be proud of. So easy for people to become sheep, following the lead of those who try their hardest to influence us. Those of us who respect ourselves to much to conform to the naysayers and fearmongering propaganda of the ignorant come out way ahead in the end. Good on you, my friend.

 

[elliotulysses]

Wow, really? Drama...

---------- Post added 03-26-2014 at 07:33 PM ----------

"I look at them."
Maybe they were expecting "I practice satanic rituals with them at a shrine to the devil?"

I am literally going to start telling people that they are involved in my satanic rituals if they ask this question. This made me laugh way too hard

 

[Ghost Dragon]

+1 to what Wildenthusiast said. Only you decide what makes you happy. And stereotypes be damned. I thoroughly enjoy raising & spending time with my T's, and time in my flower garden during the summer. I'm also 6'5", weight 300 pounds, and have been told by just about all my friends that when I wear shades, I look like a hitman for the Mob, or a member of the Hells Angels when I'm riding my motorcycle. LOL

I'm lucky in that none of my friends don't talk to me anymore now that I have T's, some are interested, some are leery, but they've accepted the fact that I like it.

Definitely good on you, klawfran. Proud to have you as a fellow enthusiast.

 

[klawfran3]

+1 to what Wildenthusiast said. Only you decide what makes you happy. And stereotypes be damned. I thoroughly enjoy raising & spending time with my T's, and time in my flower garden during the summer. I'm also 6'5", weight 300 pounds, and have been told by just about all my friends that when I wear shades, I look like a hitman for the Mob, or a member of the Hells Angels when I'm riding my motorcycle. LOL

I'm lucky in that none of my friends don't talk to me anymore now that I have T's, some are interested, some are leery, but they've accepted the fact that I like it.

Definitely good on you, klawfran. Proud to have you as a fellow enthusiast.

thank you! and me to you too! I also love gardening... there is something positively rewarding in making things look nice AND live better. It's a fun pastime where you get exercise, something that a lot of other American can't say they get.

---------- Post added 03-27-2014 at 06:48 AM ----------

Dang that's messed up and super rude

if someone feels the need to act like that, I just chalk it up in the "I have family issues I need somewhere to take out" and keep on living my life. odds are the person either can't control it or is just a jerk. either way it doesn't affect me.

 

[Driller64]

I could see the experience being ruined if people make fun of you for it or your friends shun you or something.

Yeah, that is what I am afraid of sometimes. However, even if you finally give in and sell all of your T's because of peers shunning you and whatnot, after a while you will eventually experience the "itch" for continuing the hobby again and you will eventually say "screw those people" and start the hobby up again. This is what happened to me with plants

 

[purevl]

I get the "but WHY?????" response a lot. People are just shocked anyone would want to get a spider and keep it in their house. I'm pretty much used to it though. I get the exact same reaction about my snakes.

A friend's wife gave me the "But WHY?" when I first talked about getting some Ts. She admitted some were pretty & they are fascinating to watch but couldn't understand owning one (or more). Fast forward several months to when my slings showed up...as soon as she saw my little blue A. versicolor she promptly named him "Fluffy" and asked her husband when he was getting her one.

 

[awiec]

My little sisters used to freak out at all insects, but they've warmed up to my collection and enjoy Bob Marly my versi the most. One of them was distraught when they couldn't find his container (I put it in the closet for it to molt when it was still skiddish) and will go on molt watch when I'm away on the weekends. Enthusiasm is infectious, my sisters finally got an appreciation for my T's just because I go all out with things I enjoy.