To all arachnophobes, past and present...you can conquer it!

[Tabitha]

Hi all, to many of you keeping tarantulas was always an easy decision but when you are petrified of spiders it can be a very scary bizarre prospect!
I don’t handle any of my Ts and won’t be, too dangerous for me and the T especially but I wanted to share this with you all, especially @Jess S I hope you do get a T,

I am a recovering arachnophobe!
I loved your story and description of how you dealt with the fear because I have done the exact same things and more, I wouldn’t enter a room for weeks either if I had sighted a spider! I would remove pages from books if I knew there was a photo of a spider in it!!! LOL!!!
I got a jumping spider to try and wean myself into confronting my immense fear, it was sweet and I could cope with looking at it as it was contained and not going to run at me, then I got a red knee and the delight of actually studying them and realising what incredible creatures they are, how they feed and molt, and dig tunnels so now I have 26!

but look........I did this at the weekend at a ‘hold a spider’ table at an invert show!
I wouldn’t normally hold a T, as I say for me personally it’s not necessary but I wanted to do this,

from someone who has been terrified of spiders all her life to now keeping 26 tarantulas in her bedroom!!! ( I get so much pleasure in watching these creatures and learning about them, they have been the most enjoyable animals I’ve ever kept, they’ve changed my life and that’s no understatement, they are my most loved things ever!

They helped me through bad times and made me focused and happy when it’s difficult to be)....and to holding this, and it was fine and a delight, I wasn’t shaky and loved the experience and it’s helped me.
I’m proud of myself which is hard to say...but I did it!!! and my life is happier one with tarantulas and without fear of spiders!

 

[Enn49]

I think you'd be surprised just how many of us are recovering arachnophobes,
I for one was always terrified of spiders until my son brought a T into the house and I realised just how fascinating they are. I now have 90+ and although I never intentionally handle them I no longer flinch if one crawls onto my hand although I'm still not too keen on spiders around the house, not as bad as I used to be though.

 

[Tabitha]

I think you'd be surprised just how many of us are recovering arachnophobes,
I for one was always terrified of spiders until my son brought a T into the house and I realised just how fascinating they are. I now have 90+ and although I never intentionally handle them I no longer flinch if one crawls onto my hand although I'm still not too keen on spiders around the house, not as bad as I used to be though.

That’s awesome Enn49, I remember you saying you had been as scared, it’s just wonderful life is easier without that fear isn’t it! And you are so right, we are prejudiced against spiders because of fear but when you actually see them you can begin to realise how stunning and fascinating they are.
Again, like you, I’m not at ease with house spiders completely but much better, long legged ones are not so good! But it’s a great start!
Thanks for your story! It’s wonderful!

 

[Phil]

Hi all, to many of you keeping tarantulas was always an easy decision but when you are petrified of spiders it can be a very scary bizarre prospect!
I don’t handle any of my Ts and won’t be, too dangerous for me and the T especially but I wanted to share this with you all, especially @Jess S I hope you do get a T,

I am a recovering arachnophobe!
I loved your story and description of how you dealt with the fear because I have done the exact same things and more, I wouldn’t enter a room for weeks either if I had sighted a spider! I would remove pages from books if I knew there was a photo of a spider in it!!! LOL!!!
I got a jumping spider to try and wean myself into confronting my immense fear, it was sweet and I could cope with looking at it as it was contained and not going to run at me, then I got a red knee and the delight of actually studying them and realising what incredible creatures they are, how they feed and molt, and dig tunnels so now I have 26!

but look........I did this at the weekend at a ‘hold a spider’ table at an invert show!
I wouldn’t normally hold a T, as I say for me personally it’s not necessary but I wanted to do this,

from someone who has been terrified of spiders all her life to now keeping 26 tarantulas in her bedroom!!! ( I get so much pleasure in watching these creatures and learning about them, they have been the most enjoyable animals I’ve ever kept, they’ve changed my life and that’s no understatement, they are my most loved things ever!

They helped me through bad times and made me focused and happy when it’s difficult to be)....and to holding this, and it was fine and a delight, I wasn’t shaky and loved the experience and it’s helped me.
I’m proud of myself which is hard to say...but I did it!!! and my life is happier one with tarantulas and without fear of spiders!
View attachment 38849 View attachment 38850 View attachment 38851

Congratulations on your "recovery"! .
You have moved from arachnophobe to being an "arachnoholic" which is much more life enriching and fun. plus you get to meet and chat to all the wonderful people on this forum so keep telling yourself, today is a good day

 

[ilovebrachys]

I find this interesting to read from the other point of view for me to get an understanding of just how frightened some people are of spiders as I am fortunate enough to have always loved all insects including spiders ever since I can remember-such fascinating creatures
well done on overcoming your fear!here's to more Ts.....

 

[Jess S]

Hi all, to many of you keeping tarantulas was always an easy decision but when you are petrified of spiders it can be a very scary bizarre prospect!
I don’t handle any of my Ts and won’t be, too dangerous for me and the T especially but I wanted to share this with you all, especially @Jess S I hope you do get a T,

I am a recovering arachnophobe!
I loved your story and description of how you dealt with the fear because I have done the exact same things and more, I wouldn’t enter a room for weeks either if I had sighted a spider! I would remove pages from books if I knew there was a photo of a spider in it!!! LOL!!!
I got a jumping spider to try and wean myself into confronting my immense fear, it was sweet and I could cope with looking at it as it was contained and not going to run at me, then I got a red knee and the delight of actually studying them and realising what incredible creatures they are, how they feed and molt, and dig tunnels so now I have 26!

but look........I did this at the weekend at a ‘hold a spider’ table at an invert show!
I wouldn’t normally hold a T, as I say for me personally it’s not necessary but I wanted to do this,

from someone who has been terrified of spiders all her life to now keeping 26 tarantulas in her bedroom!!! ( I get so much pleasure in watching these creatures and learning about them, they have been the most enjoyable animals I’ve ever kept, they’ve changed my life and that’s no understatement, they are my most loved things ever!

They helped me through bad times and made me focused and happy when it’s difficult to be)....and to holding this, and it was fine and a delight, I wasn’t shaky and loved the experience and it’s helped me.
I’m proud of myself which is hard to say...but I did it!!! and my life is happier one with tarantulas and without fear of spiders!
View attachment 38849 View attachment 38850 View attachment 38851

Wow, thanks so much for this. I'm going to sit down and read this again when I get home, I'm sure I'll have some things to ask you!

 

[Tabitha]

Congratulations on your "recovery"! .
You have moved from arachnophobe to being an "arachnoholic" which is much more life enriching and fun. plus you get to meet and chat to all the wonderful people on this forum so keep telling yourself, today is a good day

Thanks @Phil yes, LOL, definitely an arachnoholic!!! and you are so right, life IS much better with Ts! and this forum is a very important and special place, it’s been so interesting and informative and most of all it’s so friendly, I’ve met all you wonderful people! and you are my tarantulas godfather! so thank you!
Ohh and I mustn’t forget all those jokes

 

[Tabitha]

I find this interesting to read from the other point of view for me to get an understanding of just how frightened some people are of spiders as I am fortunate enough to have always loved all insects including spiders ever since I can remember-such fascinating creatures
well done on overcoming your fear!here's to more Ts.....

Thanks @ilovebrachys its weird because now, people that I meet that say “ oh I’m terrified of spiders!”
I know think really? Why?
and try to explain or show them they really beautiful when you care to look and really aren’t bad! Sometimes people won’t dare to look at the tarantulas but once they get over the first fear they say they actually are much nicer than they thought! ( ah ha first step I think!!!)
I love insects too, I have kept boas, pythons, lizards, sticks, mantids, predatory crickets, rats, allsorts, I had no trouble with any of them, it was always poor old spiders that got the bad reaction!
Thanks!

 

[Tabitha]

Wow, thanks so much for this. I'm going to sit down and read this again when I get home, I'm sure I'll have some things to ask you!

Thanks Jess!
Here’s your first spider..

 

[Phil]

Thanks @Phil yes, LOL, definitely an arachnoholic!!! and you are so right, life IS much better with Ts! and this forum is a very important and special place, it’s been so interesting and informative and most of all it’s so friendly, I’ve met all you wonderful people! and you are my tarantulas godfather! so thank you!
Ohh and I mustn’t forget all those jokes

Tarantula Godfather....I like that!... you may kiss my ring ha ha

 

[Tabitha]

Tarantula Godfather....I like that!... you may kiss my ring ha ha

Umm.......but you can inherit all my Ts should I not be able to care for them anymore! and that I am very grateful for, I would worry about them so it gives me peace of mind to know they would be loved.

 

[Rs50matt]

Umm.......but you can inherit all my Ts should I not be able to care for them anymore! and that I am very grateful for, I would worry about them so it gives me peace of mind to know they would be loved.

I for one would recommend phil as a foster T daddy

 

[ilovebrachys]

Tarantula Godfather....I like that!... you may kiss my ring ha ha

I think you need to start a will writing service @Phil and offer to rehome everyones Ts in the event they are unable to care for them anymore ahhhh bless isn't nice to know you are so highly thought of?

 

[PanzoN88]

I was in the same boat as well. I couldn't even go near a tiny spider, little did I know that I would have a collection of tarantulas that would surpass 50 in 2019.

 

[menavodi]

Hi all, to many of you keeping tarantulas was always an easy decision but when you are petrified of spiders it can be a very scary bizarre prospect!
I don’t handle any of my Ts and won’t be, too dangerous for me and the T especially but I wanted to share this with you all, especially @Jess S I hope you do get a T,

I am a recovering arachnophobe!
I loved your story and description of how you dealt with the fear because I have done the exact same things and more, I wouldn’t enter a room for weeks either if I had sighted a spider! I would remove pages from books if I knew there was a photo of a spider in it!!! LOL!!!
I got a jumping spider to try and wean myself into confronting my immense fear, it was sweet and I could cope with looking at it as it was contained and not going to run at me, then I got a red knee and the delight of actually studying them and realising what incredible creatures they are, how they feed and molt, and dig tunnels so now I have 26!

but look........I did this at the weekend at a ‘hold a spider’ table at an invert show!
I wouldn’t normally hold a T, as I say for me personally it’s not necessary but I wanted to do this,

from someone who has been terrified of spiders all her life to now keeping 26 tarantulas in her bedroom!!! ( I get so much pleasure in watching these creatures and learning about them, they have been the most enjoyable animals I’ve ever kept, they’ve changed my life and that’s no understatement, they are my most loved things ever!

They helped me through bad times and made me focused and happy when it’s difficult to be)....and to holding this, and it was fine and a delight, I wasn’t shaky and loved the experience and it’s helped me.
I’m proud of myself which is hard to say...but I did it!!! and my life is happier one with tarantulas and without fear of spiders!
View attachment 38849 View attachment 38850 View attachment 38851

I really like your story! I think many people start like this. I guess we “learn” in our family that we have to fear spiders... like your Mom or Dad. I remember running into a large web in the woods. I was a kid and I thought I had to die. When I got my first tarantula I tried to handle it with wooden spoons.... When I touched the first tarantula I know I was hooked. LOL

 

[Tabitha]

I was in the same boat as well. I couldn't even go near a tiny spider, little did I know that I would have a collection of tarantulas that would surpass 50 in 2019.

That’s amazing, thank you, so interesting to see how many spider keepers had issues with them! That’s a lot of Ts and it’s brilliant to read!
A friend of mine was the same as you and also me, we both started out with T keeping at the same time and she was as scared as me I think, and now she has at least 10 too and loves them!

I really like your story! I think many people start like this. I guess we “learn” in our family that we have to fear spiders... like your Mom or Dad. I remember running into a large web in the woods. I was a kid and I thought I had to die. When I got my first tarantula I tried to handle it with wooden spoons.... When I touched the first tarantula I know I was hooked. LOL

I’m sorry but I did laugh about the wooden spoons! That’s a funny thought but thank you for your story, you are so right, we do learn from out parents, my father had kept snakes in the past so one of my first pets was a snake so I never had any trouble with them but also spiders are always shown in a bad light in films and it doesn’t help human/tarantula relations does it!
I’ve heard Phiddipus jumpers are quite often, like mine, a way into watching and keeping spiders, they are so endearing it’s hard to be scared of them.

Thank you all.