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Pony Talk => Off Topic => Topic started by: Tak on August 30, 2016, 12:34:33 AM

Title: Honestly how bad are spiders
Post by: Tak on August 30, 2016, 12:34:33 AM

I don't kill spiders unless they are in my bed, or obviously large/potentially dangerous and in my house. I usually just leave them be or take them outside. The only poisonous spiders native to this region are brown recluse. There's a reason they're called recluse. They nest in undisturbed areas, not the high traffic of an obsessively clean home. Even my yard is clean. I'm asking if anyone has more to add or an informative book to recommend because my daughter is scared of spiders. One of them jumped while we were cleaning up outside and now the babies that are sometimes in the house terrify her. I grew up with an older sister who was scared of anything with a caripace. I had to remove, squash, or otherwise remove them. Including scorpions. I just want my daughter to know they don't hurt people most of the time. She can still feel scared, I just want to make sure she's got the information to change her mind if she chooses.

Title: Re: Honestly how bad are spiders
Post by: SilverHorsey on August 30, 2016, 12:40:41 AM

I don't think spiders are *that* bad, unless it is that big hairy one. My region only has those really small long legged spiders and some smaller ones. I am not scared of them, they don't bite and they catch those pesky flies and mosquitoes. If I find one bothering me I just take it out, because there is a belief that spiders bring good luck and I don't see any reason in killing these innocent creatures.

Title: Re: Honestly how bad are spiders
Post by: Tak on August 30, 2016, 12:47:26 AM

Glad I'm not the only one. The spiders eat the insects that harm my house, garden, and skin. I understand phobias and just hope she's not put off by one little jumper.

Title: Re: Honestly how bad are spiders
Post by: Honeycomb on August 30, 2016, 12:48:00 AM

I rescue the small ones and take them out.
However, anything hairy, brightly colored, or fat and creepy looking IN MY HOUSE, has to die.

Title: Re: Honestly how bad are spiders
Post by: LadyMoondancer on August 30, 2016, 12:58:44 AM

I love spiders!  I gently put them outside when I find them in the house.  I picked up spiders all the time as a kid and was never once bitten by one.

My recommendation would be Charlotte's Web.  IMO the 1973 animated movie is better than the 2006 film.  (Wilbur the pig was rather bland in the 2006 film IMO.)  But it is live action (plus CGI) which some kids prefer? 

And of course the book is best of all!

Title: Re: Honestly how bad are spiders
Post by: aintnobuffalo on August 30, 2016, 01:03:53 AM

I used to be afraid of spiders as a child, but now I just leave them be unless they aren't hiding too well and could be killed by the cats (then I try to find a way to get them outside). I think I started liking them better when I was told they keep the other bugs away. Over time I also noted that they simply didn't want to bother me. We had a lot of harmless spiders around growing up,and after a bit, I just got used to them.

Title: Re: Honestly how bad are spiders
Post by: Tak on August 30, 2016, 01:17:10 AM

Quote from: LadyMoondancer on August 30, 2016, 12:58:44 AM

I love spiders!  I gently put them outside when I find them in the house.  I picked up spiders all the time as a kid and was never once bitten by one.

My recommendation would be Charlotte's Web.  IMO the 1973 animated movie is better than the 2006 film.  (Wilbur the pig was rather bland in the 2006 film IMO.)  But it is live action (plus CGI) which some kids prefer? 

And of course the book is best of all!

Great idea!

Quote from: aintnobuffalo on August 30, 2016, 01:03:53 AM

I used to be afraid of spiders as a child, but now I just leave them be unless they aren't hiding too well and could be killed by the cats (then I try to find a way to get them outside). I think I started liking them better when I was told they keep the other bugs away. Over time I also noted that they simply didn't want to bother me. We had a lot of harmless spiders around growing up,and after a bit, I just got used to them.

It's good to know you moved past it. My sister never did.

My dog will kill and eat them if he can... speaking of my dog  :toot: his meds are giving him some digestive issues and I need to vacate.

Title: Re: Honestly how bad are spiders
Post by: kaoskat on August 30, 2016, 04:57:59 AM

Well....... I have a giant tarantula but anything loose hubby must catch and put out or it will bite me, and deadly or not, spider bites are not fun. I move a lot in my sleep so......Yeah I always end up bitten when they get on the bed, so out they must all go! I also have tiny animals so even if their bites aren't a big problem for me, they could be for them.

Title: Re: Honestly how bad are spiders
Post by: Miniature Sheep on August 30, 2016, 05:14:34 AM

I do my best to rescue spiders in the house, as they're most often small and they mind their own business, so they don't bother me. Sometimes, if I'm not vigilant enough, then my cat catches them and eats them - it's not a pretty sight. :shocked:

Title: Re: Honestly how bad are spiders
Post by: Tap Dancer on August 30, 2016, 05:28:14 AM

I'm not scared of heights or clowns, but spiders terrify me! I make other people kill or remove them. If I'm alone, however, I will run away and "hide" from them.  :lol: But I hate doing that because I'll be looking around in fear for the rest of the day.

Title: Re: Honestly how bad are spiders
Post by: Skeen on August 30, 2016, 06:27:59 AM

I only kill widows and recluses, the rest are taken outside.

I think there's an episode of Peppa Pig about how spiders are harmless and useful. 

Title: Re: Honestly how bad are spiders
Post by: Duenia on August 30, 2016, 07:09:08 AM

I should still have a little popup book somewhere that we used on my step sister. It just had a bunch of facts/information. Learning about them in general made them less scary. If I can find it I will grab the title for you :)

Title: Re: Honestly how bad are spiders
Post by: TornadoTwist on August 30, 2016, 07:12:12 AM

I quite like the little critters. We don't have any dangerous kinds here where I life so all of them go outside. If one has made a spot in my room I let him stay since they are really effective when I've got a plague of fruit flies and/or mosquitoes. :)

Title: Re: Honestly how bad are spiders
Post by: Pokeyonekenobie on August 30, 2016, 07:17:56 AM

I've always made a verbal deal with the spiders that may or may not occupy my bedroom: If I don't see you, you can stay.  If I see you, I have the right to kill you.  I generally don't see any after saying that out loud.  As far as spiders outside go, they're in their environment so I don't generally do anything about them UNLESS they are a hobo or a black widow (which we have far too many of around here) because I don't want them biting my dog or my little nieces and nephews.

Title: Re: Honestly how bad are spiders
Post by: ghouldilocks on August 30, 2016, 08:16:11 AM

I'm really scared of spiders - the way I see it, things in nature will defend their home territories aggressively if necessary, so I have no problem doing the same. If it is a small spider that isn't obviously venomous and it's not in my bedroom, it can stay so long as it minds its own business. If it's in my bedroom or it's large - bye. I usually won't kill large ones myself, though, as I'm much too afraid they could jump on me, lol! I don't want spiders in general anywhere near me, though, venomous or not. Even the ones that aren't fatally venomous to humans can and will still bite, and it's not fun either way. Plus, I don't want my cats getting sick if they get bit or try to eat one.

ETA: Dominic Monaghan (actor from LotR movies and Lost, etc.) has a documentary series called Wild Things that he talked about one year during Shark Week - it usually features animals that most people are scared of, out of a mission to try and make them less misunderstood and therefore potentially less frightening to people. I'm not sure whether it still airs, but you could maybe look and see if you can find an episode about spiders?

Title: Re: Honestly how bad are spiders
Post by: Leave a Whisper on August 30, 2016, 08:37:13 AM

As a fellow arachnophobe, I know that spiders are extremely useful creatures and are just as important in the food chain and that most of them can't do serious damage to us humans and that we do far more damage to them directly and indirectly.

Knowing such things does not stop arachnophobes from screaming bloody murder and either trying to kill them ourselves or making someone else do it for us.

 It really is a primordial and instinctive fear and people telling us "C'mon your bigger then it is." Doesn't do much to reassure, especially considering that dear ol Mother Nature has equipped some of her littlest creations with nasty poisons.

Did you know there's a little sea snail that can kill a full grown human in 20 minutes with its deadly, incurable neurotoxin?

There is just no denying that they're creepy. They move creepy with their many legs, they move quick too, they're stealthy ninjas. They have tons of eyes and tons of babies. They paralyze their prey and liquify their insides.

Horror movie makers WISH they'd thought of spiders first.

I'm not saying you have to let her wallow in her fears. Just remember thar any fear can seem ridiculous to someone else, but they have something that may cause them to act irrationally too and that she can take as many steps as she's comfortable with to help at least ease her own fears somewhat.

 I have gotten to the point where I can laugh at some of the ridiculous things I've did or said  and I can handle little bitty ones, as long as they don't surprise me. But when my Spidey senses tingle and I look up to see some multi-legged horror beast crawling on the wall, especially if it's one of the big or poisonous ones, yeah it's going down.

Plus we've got black widows. Screw those things.

Title: Re: Honestly how bad are spiders
Post by: Tak on August 30, 2016, 09:35:09 AM

Wow. Thank you all for a lot of good suggestions. :)

If she's truly an arachnaphobe that's ok. I just want her educated either way. In her defense the spider was less than an inch around including legs and it got a good  18" up and the same in distance. At least it was jumping away.

 It helped me as a kid knowing which were poisonous. Scorpions, bats, lizards, and spiders I learned to handle by the time I was 7. I've been bitten, too, by a large, thankfully non-poisonous one. I eat too much sweet stuff so I always get bitten. Spider bites are pretty painful.

Title: Re: Honestly how bad are spiders
Post by: NigheanRuadh on August 30, 2016, 11:09:42 AM

I generally just leave them alone and tell my children to do the same.  If one is just in the way, I'll scoop it up with a piece of paper and toss it outside.  I think what helps me the most is being able to identify black widows (we had tons of them around our house when I was growing up, and my brother and I used to go on widow hunts and kill them) and brown recluses (I had one on my leg once, but it didn't bite; it fell into the shoe I was about to put on and I dropped it into the sink disposal).  I got chased down the road by a big spider when I was about 11 (I bent over to look at it, because it was so big, and it jumped at me and kept following as I rapidly moved away), but I generally will try to get a good look at the creature before I start freaking out that it might be venomous. 

So I would agree that information/education is a good thing, especially the identification of the dangerous ones.

Title: Re: Honestly how bad are spiders
Post by: ringwraith10 on August 30, 2016, 11:45:50 AM

Hmm, I don't know of a good book for arachnophobes, but I can say that most spiders are so harmeless, I often pick them up in my bare hands and take them outside (though when you find a spider in your house that usually means that its natural habitat is inside so it should stay inside if it wants to stay alive). I've seen spiders that were about 2 inches long in the house, and I left them alone because they're most likely to kill cockroaches (which I AM terrified of). I actually leave most spiders alone -- I used to take them outside when I had a crazy roommate, but now that I live alone again I don't have to worry about that.

Also, I used to live in an area that had a high population of black widows. I was always wary around them, but as long as I didn't touch them they didn't bother me. I was more worried about my dogs accidentally getting into a tangle with them, but that never happened, thankfully.

Title: Re: Honestly how bad are spiders
Post by: ponyqueen on August 30, 2016, 01:23:35 PM

visitors can't see pics , please register or login
 (http://s845.photobucket.com/user/skeefer00/media/New%20Bucket%202016/IMG_1235.jpg.html)

Title: Re: Honestly how bad are spiders
Post by: brightberry on August 30, 2016, 01:33:31 PM

For me, it depends on where the spider is.  If it's outside, I'm fine with getting a close look. Yay spiders!  But if it's indoors, I want to run.  I don't.  I deal with the spider but my heart truly races.   

Title: Re: Honestly how bad are spiders
Post by: Tak on August 30, 2016, 01:45:30 PM

Quote from: ponyqueen on August 30, 2016, 01:23:35 PM

visitors can't see pics , please register or login
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Beautiful  :iconclap:

Like I said they aren't allowed in my bed and poisonous ones have got to go. Otherwise I like them. The best part of working at petco was getting to pet the tarantula while cleaning habitats because the others were jumpy. My garage has a healthy population there's a few in the house, but my ocd cleaning doesn't leave much space. The jumper that started this was outside behind the remains of a wood pile.

Title: Re: Honestly how bad are spiders
Post by: Taxel on August 30, 2016, 01:49:57 PM

I've always been afraid of spiders. Once when I was pretty young, maybe 5-6ish, I reached into my closet to get something during the night. When I turned the light on there was a HUGE daddy long legs on my arm. I completely lost it!

One thing that really helped me was this Girl Scout event. I don't remember what it was about specifically, maybe nature and animals. But they had a booth there with a couple ladies. They had things like plaster casts of wild animal tracks and some information. They also had a big fuzzy tarantula! My troop's helper held the tarantula and I was like hey, why not? It climbed on my arm and I fell in love. They're so fuzzy and adorable!

I still don't like spiders/kill them if they're in my home, and will be afraid/make someone else kill em if they're huge, but its a lot less ridiculous than it was before I met Mr. Tarantula. I even really want to have a tarantula as a pet! The only thing holding me back is how delicate and fragile they are.

Something like that might help her be less afraid of them.

Title: Re: Honestly how bad are spiders
Post by: tikibirds on August 30, 2016, 02:13:08 PM

I just HAD to look in here, didn't I?
 -_-

Title: Re: Honestly how bad are spiders
Post by: Tak on August 30, 2016, 02:19:32 PM

Oh, tikibirds! Are you ok?  :hug:

Title: Re: Honestly how bad are spiders
Post by: starrypawz on August 30, 2016, 02:43:11 PM

As I understand most spiders, at least those you commonly get in your house/garden aren't really going to do anything to people and aren't really that dangerous, also of course they're useful for keeping the bugs away.

I used to be rather scared of spiders when I was growing up (Although my brother kept a tarantula and somehow I could tolerate that) but gradually overcame it and now quite like them. I've also handled tarantulas on a few occasions (being incredibly technical they're not spiders)

But I'd say do things like show her how to safely catch spiders and get them outside, maybe look into finding books on spiders that are informative ones and things like that?

Title: Re: Honestly how bad are spiders
Post by: ghouldilocks on August 30, 2016, 04:51:57 PM

Thanks to ponyqueen's photo skills, I am noping so hard out of this thread lmao that is nightmare fuel for daaaaaaaaays!  :yikes:

Title: Re: Honestly how bad are spiders
Post by: FantasticFirefly on August 30, 2016, 07:54:12 PM

At your daughter's age I was terrified of them. I'd scream until my dad smashed them to bits. Now I collect them and let them go outside.

Um, Tak- do we really have brown recluse? I'm well north of your location but we have the same climate. The last article I had read was the thought was we did until experts examined the spiders people thought were recluses.... I forget what kind they really were (hobo spider?)- but they turned out not to be those ones!

Oh- a couple years ago I lost the use of my right hand for about three months. Bit by a spider while I slept and woke up with a mark and arthritic finger. Not long after my hand swelled like a balloon and stayed that way until mid March. Bit in early January. Looking up bites on google I did what was recommended online which is getting tetanus updated! They also gave me steroid cream for my hand, didn't do anything to help though. That alone scared me.... It's amazing how much you miss a hand when you can't use it.

Title: Re: Honestly how bad are spiders
Post by: northstar3184 on August 30, 2016, 09:04:47 PM

I think in my area the only venomous spider is the black widow.

I don't really mind spiders, as long as I don't get a repeat of a couple years ago: I was brushing my teeth in the dark and  felt what I thought was a hair on my tongue. I put my finger in my mouth to get it and felt something crawl on my finger. When I withdrew my finger there was a spider perched on it. It must have been on my toothbrush.

Title: Re: Honestly how bad are spiders
Post by: princessluna11706 on August 30, 2016, 09:20:54 PM

I have severe arachnophobia, so I'm no help here.  If there is one in my house I want it GONE.

Quote from: northstar3184 on August 30, 2016, 09:04:47 PM

I don't really mind spiders, as long as I don't get a repeat of a couple years ago: I was brushing my teeth in the dark and  felt what I thought was a hair on my tongue. I put my finger in my mouth to get it and felt something crawl on my finger. When I withdrew my finger there was a spider perched on it. It must have been on my toothbrush.

:shocked: :yikes:

Title: Re: Honestly how bad are spiders
Post by: Leave a Whisper on August 30, 2016, 09:41:33 PM

Quote from: northstar3184 on August 30, 2016, 09:04:47 PM

I think in my area the only venomous spider is the black widow.

I don't really mind spiders, as long as I don't get a repeat of a couple years ago: I was brushing my teeth in the dark and  felt what I thought was a hair on my tongue. I put my finger in my mouth to get it and felt something crawl on my finger. When I withdrew my finger there was a spider perched on it. It must have been on my toothbrush.

 :freak:

Title: Re: Honestly how bad are spiders
Post by: ladybastilla on August 30, 2016, 11:02:30 PM

Spiders are fascinating to research, but I don't think I'd want to meet one in real life. I'd be fine if it was chilling in the corner, but if it jumped on me we'd have problems.

Title: Re: Honestly how bad are spiders
Post by: Attercop on August 31, 2016, 12:36:11 AM

Please check out buggirl on tumblr. I can't think of a single person who has done more than her towards dispelling harmful myths and just generally educating the masses on how wonderful spiders are.

Title: Re: Honestly how bad are spiders
Post by: daffodil101 on August 31, 2016, 01:18:25 AM

I don't mind spiders too much but it depends on what kind.  Garden spiders are welcome as long as they don't spin a web that I then walk into and get a spider on my face. I quite like daddy long-legs in the house as they don't look at all scary, I will leave them in peace with their webs most of the time- they eat my most feared type, poisonous redbacks.  If I see a redback, I will prettymuch leave the property and never come back :lol: at least until the pest control gets it.

The other main type we get here are huntsmen.  They're really hairy and look quite freaky, but are more scared of people than we are of them.  I mean, if one's on the wall above my bed, I'll chase it out, but as long as they keep a safe distance I'm cool.

Cockroaches, on the other hand... *pours gas, burns down house*

Title: Re: Honestly how bad are spiders
Post by: Baby Sugarberry on August 31, 2016, 01:33:15 AM

The best way to not be scared of pretty much anything is to have exposure to said thing in a safe, controlled manner.  Spiders (and most insects) are scary because they aren't around much, move fast and are quite odd looking to mammalian sensibilities.  Spiders are A-OK in my books but I still do not enjoy SURPRISE! spiders.  Or really surprise anything, especially if it's touching me unexpectedly. 

I keep a bunch of small plastic containers with snap lids around the house for safely relocating any undesirable housemates of the crawly variety back to the great outdoors.  Learning more about 'em and getting to look at them in a situation where they can't skitter away helps make spiders more interesting and less frightening.

Title: Re: Honestly how bad are spiders
Post by: ponyqueen on August 31, 2016, 04:18:42 AM

I used to have these cute neighbor girls that would come over to my house (5 and 6 years old). When they saw spiders (or any bugs) they would scream and try to kill it (learned that nonsense straight from their mother). When I saw a spider or other bug, I would go out of my way to be animated and interested in it-

"COOL! Girls, come over here! Did you see this bug? It's awesome! Wow... look at how it's made this web between these pony legs. That is so awesome. Man, spiders are so cool. You wanna help me get this little guy back outside?"

It really bugged me (hehe) when they would kill bugs that were already outside. Der! The bug is already out in nature!! If they can't belong there, where can they be safe!?!?!?!

Title: Re: Honestly how bad are spiders
Post by: Skeen on August 31, 2016, 07:33:06 AM

I killed a black widow in the entryway of my office this morning, and a couple on Aadra's front porch a few weeks ago.  They're so numerous around here. 

Title: Re: Honestly how bad are spiders
Post by: EnaRocketQueen on August 31, 2016, 07:33:11 AM

I like spiders, I wasn't even scared of them when I was younger. Slugs and snails though, are a different matter!

Title: Re: Honestly how bad are spiders
Post by: Leave a Whisper on August 31, 2016, 07:44:18 AM

I lied Tak. Spiders want to suck your brains out through your eyeballs to fuel their dark sorcery.



;)

Title: Re: Honestly how bad are spiders
Post by: Tak on August 31, 2016, 08:04:28 AM

All this talk of spiders and last night I accidentally walked through a web. I couldn't find the spider after. Apparently it was on my head as I now have a spider bite at the base of my skull.  :pout:
 :haha:

Post Merge: August 31, 2016, 08:05:44 AM

My life. It's irony personified.  :P

Title: Re: Honestly how bad are spiders
Post by: melodys_angel on August 31, 2016, 08:30:13 AM

Spiders do not belong in my sleeping quarters.

If they stay away from my sight in other areas of the home and are not poisonous, let them be and take care of the unwanted bugs.  But in the bedroom?  Heck no.

I get that spiders are beneficial but ive had too many...unsavory encounters to tolerate them.

Title: Re: Honestly how bad are spiders
Post by: Tak on August 31, 2016, 09:00:47 AM

The screens on our Windows open so it's pretty easy to get them outside. I've only seen little ones in the house. I went through a web on our covered patio. Oops!

Title: Re: Honestly how bad are spiders
Post by: LadyMoondancer on August 31, 2016, 09:57:00 AM

BTW, I live in an apartment building that has a bunch garbage bins outside, and the spiders like to build their webs between the garbage cans because of the flies.  So every Friday (garbage day) I go out and move the spiders from the garbage cans into the adjacent garden to make sure they don't get squished or fall into the garbage truck.  My way of saying "thanks for eating flies".

Title: Re: Honestly how bad are spiders
Post by: Duenia on August 31, 2016, 10:54:15 AM

On my kitchen windowsill I have a couple spider webs with spiders that hang out there. I leave those ones alone, it all depends on location. They eat the fruit flies nesting in my drain so I'm okay with those ones, at least now. When I moved in I lost count of how many spiders I killed (there were a ton the first month). I ended up getting used to it over the course of 2 years though. So there are certain safe spaces now.

One likes to keep building it's web in my sink and that one terrifies me. It builds quickly and suddenly there's this huge thing. He came back a few times but hasn't lately.

I try to catch most of them with a glass and cardboard to put outside on my balcony. But some really are just no.

We have wolf spiders or something like that (they look like it and according to a coworker that's what they are so I'll go with it) in the basement. They come up once in awhile and I feel like I'm going to die and the cats go after them. I'm not quite brave enough to release one of those so it gets flushed.

Most of the time the scare is really just the surprise of suddenly hey there's something there!

House centipedes do the same thing except no web. They eat the bugs and the spiders. I try very hard not to kill those too but they really are super creepy. So much worse than spiders.

Title: Re: Honestly how bad are spiders
Post by: Sparkle Pony on August 31, 2016, 02:11:38 PM

I like spiders!  I often catch and release them, even big ones like wolf spiders.  I would squish anything poisonous like a brown recluse or a black widow, but beyond that they help with pests so I like em!  Maybe you could show your daughter some cute pictures or videos of spiders?  Jumping spiders are awfully darn cute and fuzzy looking I think.

Title: Re: Honestly how bad are spiders
Post by: lunar_scythe on August 31, 2016, 03:01:48 PM

the only ones I don't want around me are the poisonous ones, in this area, that's Black Widows and Brown Recluses(which do NOT look much like a widow to me, if you've never seen one, it's a good idea to look them up!); all others get a free ride to the outdoors if they are being a pest and getting in the way.  We have wolf spiders and jumping spiders all over, and I usually just ignore them; they don't leave a huge mess, with leaving webs all over like daddy long legs(cellar spiders) do, and they are usually quick enough to avoid getting eaten by the cats. :)

Title: Re: Honestly how bad are spiders
Post by: Tak on August 31, 2016, 03:16:11 PM

I think she's doing better already. We found a documentary to watch and went to petco to see the tarantula. We've never had a jumper come inside. She watched me put one outside with my hands. I didn't tell her that I just got bit. She also knows the dog likes to hunt them. He doesn't seem to be eating them anymore. I found a few just lying there :( It's good knowing he won't get sick.

Centipedes are creepy and they need to stay out. I don't kill them.

Earwigs get squished. There are so many and they give me nightmares. I flick them when they're somewhere outside they shouldn't be and no no no in the house.

Title: Re: Honestly how bad are spiders
Post by: mlp4me on September 02, 2016, 07:45:58 PM

Oh, they're bad when you find an orb weaver in your house; in your dogs water dish... How did that big thing get in?!?

I kill anything that's not a daddy long legs.

Title: Re: Honestly how bad are spiders
Post by: Broken Irishwoman on September 03, 2016, 04:12:53 AM

I am insanely terrified of spiders. :( But not all of them. Most spiders are no problem for me (I even like them), the little ones or the bigger, super thin ones. I'm also okay with huge, hairy pet spiders. And I really love cross spiders, the typical halloween spiders. I love it when they are everywhere in the autumn, and their webs are beautiful.
No, It's the big house spiders that really scare me to death.

I don't know if they have a name, here they are just known as house spiders ( and no, I'm not going to look it up, because pictures WILL show up). They are big, usually brownish and they stand way too high on their legs. If one of those shows up, I will live in my bedroom for the rest of the week, even if somebody removed it.

Title: Re: Honestly how bad are spiders
Post by: Carebearnmbr46 on September 03, 2016, 04:47:20 AM

Spiders aren't so bad.  I actually think some are kinda cute, like jumping spiders who have big eyes and often sport brightly colored chelicerae.  (I sound like such a nerd!  ^^; ) I actually really like spiders.
 Think of all the mosquitos and other pest bugs they eat!  Most are totally harmless to us.  I love it when they take up residence in our yard, but it's also ok with me if they like to be inside better!  :lol:  In Texas the most dangerous spiders are the Brown Recluse and the Black Widow. If I see them, sorry, but they're as good as dead. Not worth the risk! Others are welcome to stay.

Title: Re: Honestly how bad are spiders
Post by: LadyMoondancer on September 03, 2016, 01:50:56 PM

Additional note:  big house spiders might look scary, but not only are they harmless to humans, but they EAT hobo spiders.  So by not killing them, you are actually reducing the chances of being bitten by a hobo spider. :)

Title: Re: Honestly how bad are spiders
Post by: dragonfly on September 03, 2016, 07:09:20 PM

The spiders in my area are harmless. They're not my favorite, though. Building understanding which ones are just creepy-crawly and how to recognize markings on a poisonous or biting one might help.

I knock down webs I find in my main living areas and try to keep the corners dusted/vacuumed so they don't move in in the first place so it doesn't look unkempt. They can hang out in the furnace room or garden if they want no problem. I'm not afraid but I do always have that startled moment of: eeeek! Omg! when I find one.

Title: Re: Honestly how bad are spiders
Post by: Leave a Whisper on September 06, 2016, 08:38:12 PM

Quote from: LadyMoondancer on September 03, 2016, 01:50:56 PM

Additional note:  big house spiders might look scary, but not only are they harmless to humans, but they EAT hobo spiders.  So by not killing them, you are actually reducing the chances of being bitten by a hobo spider. :)

We don't have hobo spiders here

Title: Re: Honestly how bad are spiders
Post by: Duenia on September 07, 2016, 07:38:24 AM

I was at the park yesterday and a spider crawled onto the bottom of my shoe. Looking down and having it suddenly be on me freaked me out. And unfortunately for the spider, he was in a very convenient place for a quick reaction.

Title: Re: Honestly how bad are spiders
Post by: Tak on September 07, 2016, 08:59:07 AM

Good news. My daughter is doing better already. The tarantula was a good idea. We also saw an egg sack hatch. She even squashed one in her room. :/ as long as she's not scared. She's not trying to hurt any outside.

In the process of identifying the ten or so different kinds we could find at home, none are poisonous and the ones that will bite only do if you walk into their space. A defense mechanism against predators.

I, in all my accident prone glory, got bitten twice! Both on my neck because I walked into their webs. One happened while trying to reach a spider so my girl could see it. I would still rather be bitten than give up my sweets ;)

Title: Re: Honestly how bad are spiders
Post by: SkyCakes on September 07, 2016, 09:13:13 AM

I really dont like spiders either though I dont believe any around here are posionious. I used to live in the desert of california with the blackwidows ect. Once I saw this really HUGE black spider crawl up my computer desk and run off. I was freaked for awhile. My habit is though if I dont see it usually its not dead yet. I like all the prettier insects like the Rosey Maple Moth, ladybugs, butterflies ect. Man that moth is fluttershy and Posey combined in colors. Most bugs though look weird to me like they dont belong on earth but another galaxy. I almost got harassed by another darn wasp today ugh but I was wearing a heavy jacket.

Title: Re: Honestly how bad are spiders
Post by: Carebearnmbr46 on September 07, 2016, 03:51:06 PM

Quote from: Tak on September 07, 2016, 08:59:07 AM

Good news. My daughter is doing better already. The tarantula was a good idea. We also saw an egg sack hatch. She even squashed one in her room. :/ as long as she's not scared. She's not trying to hurt any outside.

In the process of identifying the ten or so different kinds we could find at home, none are poisonous and the ones that will bite only do if you walk into their space. A defense mechanism against predators.

I, in all my accident prone glory, got bitten twice! Both on my neck because I walked into their webs. One happened while trying to reach a spider so my girl could see it. I would still rather be bitten than give up my sweets ;)

 :heart: I would still rather be bitten than give up my sweets ;)  :heart:

I feel the same way!   ^.^  They can bite me but I'm still going to admire them!  Lol. Spiders really are wonderful, aren't they?   ^.^  They don't want to hurt us, they just want to live unharmed. Thank goodness only two in Texas cause serious damage from bites!  Because I love to hold and observe the little guys - especially the jumping spiders!   :inlove:  They're so fluffy and they have such big eyes, I just can't resist the adorable little rascals!   ^^; :lol: 

Title: Re: Honestly how bad are spiders
Post by: Sparkle Pony on September 07, 2016, 08:52:10 PM

Quote from: Carebearnmbr46 on September 07, 2016, 03:51:06 PM

Quote from: Tak on September 07, 2016, 08:59:07 AM

Good news. My daughter is doing better already. The tarantula was a good idea. We also saw an egg sack hatch. She even squashed one in her room. :/ as long as she's not scared. She's not trying to hurt any outside.

In the process of identifying the ten or so different kinds we could find at home, none are poisonous and the ones that will bite only do if you walk into their space. A defense mechanism against predators.

I, in all my accident prone glory, got bitten twice! Both on my neck because I walked into their webs. One happened while trying to reach a spider so my girl could see it. I would still rather be bitten than give up my sweets ;)

 :heart: I would still rather be bitten than give up my sweets ;)  :heart:

I feel the same way!   ^.^  They can bite me but I'm still going to admire them!  Lol. Spiders really are wonderful, aren't they?   ^.^  They don't want to hurt us, they just want to live unharmed. Thank goodness only two in Texas cause serious damage from bites!  Because I love to hold and observe the little guys - especially the jumping spiders!   :inlove:  They're so fluffy and they have such big eyes, I just can't resist the adorable little rascals!   ^^; :lol:

Jumping spiders are the cutest!  The tiny beady-eyed fluff spiders, they just seem very relatable somehow!

Title: Re: Honestly how bad are spiders
Post by: Tak on September 07, 2016, 09:56:55 PM

The jumping spiders are so amazing, too, when you think about the size of the jump compared to body size and mass. Truly a beautiful creature. I don't know of any jumpers in America that bite.

Here's a thought. A spider theme pony with hair like cobwebs thin white fluff. Or a black flocked body? So many possibilities. I wish I had the skill for customs.