The No So Itsby Bitsy Spider

[Lovely Rita]

I grew up with a boat load of animals. We had iguanas, snakes, spiders, several horses, a donkey, dogs, cats, birds, even a goat. Our tarantula (named Rose) escaped one day. I couldn't find her anywhere. So one morning, I was getting dressed, I pulled a shirt out of my closet, threw it on and happened to look down. There was Rose, stuck to my shirt. I admit, I freaked a bit - I didn't know what the heck was on me. Thankfully, I didn't freak out too much otherwise I might have hurt her (him? who knows?).

When I was in grade three, my life's ambition was to have a tarantula!! I'm so jealous right now, I still think they're awesome...

I don't have any problem with bugs/other creepy crawlies, but I prefer not to have to deal with some of them. I don't mind spiders and various buggy beetle things, but I don't really like cockroaches or centipedes. I can handle them (at my cottage cockroaches live in the forks and knives drawer, so I've gotten used to ignoring them) Other than that, I'm good .

Here's my creepy crawlie story: once when I was about 8 years old, we were up at my cottage, when we had a cat. She used to love hunting mice. The problem was, she also liked sleeping in my bed ...

Well one night I woke up to a very upset cat and a panicking mouse (I mean, panicking with all of the normal panicking animal bowel movements and various juices from where my cat hurt it) trapped in my sleeping bag. I was a little surprised at first but I quickly got out of bed, dragged my cat away, turned the light on and captured the mouse with a glass from the kitchen. That was tough because it is impossible to get them under a glass without hurting their tail! Anyways I finally got the mouse and brought it outside to realease it.

My mum happened to be sleeping on the couch in the living room, and she asked me what I was doing. She is afraid of mice so she thought I was really brave to rescue the mouse by myself. I didn't understand because what else would I have done? You find a mouse, you take it outside, the end. I even gave the mouse a name. It was Hermione.

 

[Shanz]

ack.. ew i freaked out about a tiny black spider today and mad eone of the day camp kids kill it for me. I remember one time i was in a pet store, and i was looking at lizards and stuff and didnt realize there was a tarantula in an aquarium right above my head, well my SIL pointed it out and I was out of that store like a flash. my dad keeps telling me hes going to love to be in the vets office the day someone brings in a tarantula for me to examine (im going to school to be a vet tech). Im sure Id be fine to hol done if someone was there to take it away as soon as I started to freak out.

Its disgusting when they shed though...its like it leaves behind a whole other spider

 

[1FlashyFan]

When I was in grade three, my life's ambition was to have a tarantula!! I'm so jealous right now, I still think they're awesome...

Sarah, You can imagine it took some convincing my third grader why it was much better to release the tarantula into it's natural habitat than keep it in her bedroom. She knows the drill but is begging for another pet (turtle, tortoise, gecko...... she'd settle for a tarantula) Although I do believe her 3 year old sister that found it was glad to see it leave.

 

[AndyandSonny]

Oh my God.

I could not have handled a tarantula in my house.

I'm freaking out about a spider the size of a quarter (fat body though) that's making it's web underneath the outside light right now.

We have black widows up this way and ever since I was a kid I've been terrified of them.

 

[kelseighgirl]

I can handle them (at my cottage cockroaches live in the forks and knives drawer, so I've gotten used to ignoring them) Other than that, I'm good ..

OMG....I am freaking out just thinking about that!!! If I opened my drawer and got that surpirse, I would die!!!!
The only things that are acceptable running a muck in my home are BOXERS!!

 

[1FlashyFan]

We have black widows up this way and ever since I was a kid I've been terrified of them.

I have to say that black widows don't make the cut for the catch and release policy at my house. Black widows or brown recluse are VERY unwelcome. Fortunately we haven't seen any around here yet (had lots of black widows in California though).

 

[MrsTanker]

I would have panicked something fierce! But, had to post a reply to this because I read BSergent's reply...beware my friend, I, too, am from TN (Chattanooga, to be more exact), and I found out the very hard way that TN has it's own version of the tarantula. YIKES! Believe me, they are extremely scarey! I only saw one of these four times, and I lived across from the lake. Never saw them anywhere else, so maybe it's something about the water. Anyway, I had my ex take one of these downtown to our aquarium after seeing two and they identified it as being "Tennessee's own version of the tarantula". Never got a scientific name. I can only tell you they aren't as dark as the ones I've normally seen. They are almost a light gray/brown color and don't appear to be as 'furry'. The old farmers in the area call them "bobbing" spiders and say this is because when one holds them in their hand they'll just sit and bob up and down. (They are easily the size of a man's palm and fat, too) Believe me when I say I didn't even think about attempting to hold one! Ok, shutting up now, honest!! I've given myself the shudders just posting this!...

 

[Lovely Rita]

OMG....I am freaking out just thinking about that!!! If I opened my drawer and got that surpirse, I would die!!!!
The only things that are acceptable running a muck in my home are BOXERS!!

My cottage is pretty ... buggy. It's like camping only the tent is a) wood and b) full of bug families that have lived there for decades. The bugs have staked out all possible living areas so it is impossible to get them out. You just learn to live with it after a while, I really don't mind it. And canadian cockroaches are nothing compared to central american ones! Even our big dock spiders (as big as my dads hand, they freak out the dogs) fail to shock me anymore. After my trip to Guatemala (no cushy hotels. It was an archaeological expedition, and we were in the field *grimace*), I'm not easily frightened anymore :D.

 

[kelseighgirl]

Sarah,

You are a much better woman than I, thats for sure. If I were camping someplace where the bugs decided they wanted to live, I would be afraid that while I was sleeping the phrase "dont let the bed bugs bite" may just come true.!!!

And a spider as big as a mans hand!!!! eeeewwww

 

[Bryn Genco]

I am glad you operate under a catch and release policy