Oh god what I have I gotten myself into?

[purplemuffin]

Phobias are unhealthy when it comes to certain things. Fear makes people..do stupid things. Rattlesnake roundups came from fear, and they are now driving the population to extinction--while allowing rodent populations to skyrocket along with diseases the rodents carry.

My cousin had a baby sitter with a spider phobia. Her baby sitter squashed her 6 year old pet tarantula who was safely locked in a cage. People do awful things out of fear.

I think fear is fine--but be educated, and don't be..well, too irrational. I'm afraid of heights, reasonable--I could die if I fell. But I don't let it control me to the point where I can't function when I need to be more than a story up in the air.

[Jessiefish]

Originally Posted by laughing

I cannot stand roaches.. I had a full freak out moment on one specific roach.

I completely agree.. Baby steps! Relpace bad with good, become relaxed, and be knowledgeable! I used to be freaked by sharks, but then I learned a LOT about them, and now shark week is my favorite week of the year and I want to scuba dive with them! I almost did 2 weeks ago, but couldn't afford it. I think of sharks to be so beautiful and amazing creatures simply from KNOWLEDGE!

Sharks are awesome. At our zoo, there's a tank full of 'em. I could stand there and watch them for hours. I would be intimidated being with them in open water, but I understand that I would most likely be bitten out of being mistaken for a seal, not because sharks are all OMG HOOMANZ OM NOM NOM!!

[erinandares]

I hope they fired that babysitter and didn't pay her for the night. :/ I'm a babysitter and I would feel awful if I crushed a pet. Afraid of it or not...

I have a phobia of mice. They invaded our garage a few years back and we set out these traps. I went out to the pantry for something and I opened the door and this trap with like, three squirming, writhing mice fell out and almost hit my foot. I swear on all things holy I almost died. But I don't try to kill my friend's sister's pet mice- even when she has them out holding them. I even helped her get one out of the wall when it got stuck back there. >.>

[purplemuffin]

I'm pretty sure she got a serious talking to yeah, it was years ago, but that really stuck with me. I remember being young when it happened, but it was my first experience seeing how people treat dogs and cats different than other animals.

[Rosso1011]

Originally Posted by purplemuffin

Phobias are unhealthy when it comes to certain things. Fear makes people..do stupid things. Rattlesnake roundups came from fear, and they are now driving the population to extinction--while allowing rodent populations to skyrocket along with diseases the rodents carry.

My cousin had a baby sitter with a spider phobia. Her baby sitter squashed her 6 year old pet tarantula who was safely locked in a cage. People do awful things out of fear.

I think fear is fine--but be educated, and don't be..well, too irrational. I'm afraid of heights, reasonable--I could die if I fell. But I don't let it control me to the point where I can't function when I need to be more than a story up in the air.

I agree with you 110% on these points. Phobias do become unhealthy to self and others when the phobic reaction goes beyond rational. I would freak out over the site of a roach, but if it was a pet roach, I wouldn't kill it. I wouldn't jeopardize lives over my phobia... but still, good luck getting me down from the ceiling fan, lol.

[Arashi Takamine]

Thanks everyone for the tips and Octavia is gorgeous.

In my few days absence I've learned almost everything about Tarantula's I can at the moment...And I decided as par to some of the advice given to me...To get one. A little sling I really want a B. Smithi (Mexican Red Knee) But their really expensive to get. Someone on Arachnoboards actually offered me a little B. Vagans (Mexican Redrump) sling with only shipping being paid.

The little guy is only a few months old so I'd be eighteen by the time it grew to even a smigit of how it should be as an adult. I actually got the inspiration from My Extreme Animal Phobia to get rid of my spider fear because one girl got a pet T after her experience...And others told me on there too that getting a T and taking care of it is one of the best ways.

I'm picking up some books on how to get rid of my fear and gather some courage and methods to convince my parents to let me get this sling. I want it. (I spent the last few hours doing nothing but staring at pictures and vids of T's with minimal shaking.)

[Tikibirds]

When I worked at the grand canyon, I had a co worker chase me around with a dead trantula. I was NOT a happy camper. Arizona is a BAD place for those with a fear of spiders. I still have nightmares LOL

My other phobia is flying. Whoever said the only way to conqure your fear is to face it LIED. I've flown dozens of times. Each trip back to NY is at least 3 plane changes. The phobia lessened to where I dont need meds to get on the plane but its still there.

[Kytkattin]

Originally Posted by purplemuffin

My cousin had a baby sitter with a spider phobia. Her baby sitter squashed her 6 year old pet tarantula who was safely locked in a cage. People do awful things out of fear.

I would be so upset! She had to actually open the cage to kill it! That actually put her in more danger!!! I have a lock on Octavia's cage. If anyone wanted to get to her they would have to smash the glass. The lock is there for 2 reasons, the double check that I have closed the tank all the way, and to make sure no one opens it without my knowledge. If she were to climb out she would end up falling about 4ft and that would probably kill her.

I have more pictures to share! One is a drawing I did that hangs over her tank. You can see the thing I built out of styrofoam for her tank (it is covered in grout, is the the light/white/grey thing. I am not very happy with it so far. She is too tiny to use it well. I added a ton more bark so the bottom half is basically closed off for now and I put a hiding spot on the surface. I will rebuild eventually. Probably over the summer.

[Arashi Takamine]

That babysitter would not have walked away with her head if it was my T she offed. It would have been a whole nother story if she had climbed out of her container but if she opened it to kill it...Why? I hope they made her buy the family a new T.

Love the drawing and pics Kyt!

[nel3]

i dont have a fear of spiders but i do dislike holding tarantula for the common reasons ie fangs. theres also the fragility but im more interested in getting a lizard if anything.