Mutant 8 legged freak

[swampyseifer]

Well I'm not sure if I'm glad I read 4 pages of this or not...I feel...itchy now!

I dont know if I really have a phobia, I think its more of a strong dislike! Me and the wife did spend a night at her parents house once because a big hairy git was spotted and then "went missing" and neither of us could bare to sleep knowing that it was in there somewhere.


I dont know what it is about them, I just hate them. I know its an irrational fear and I know the spider isnt intentionally out to murder me in my sleep, or to hound me about the house but it just seems like they do

I did the Friendly Spider Programme and ZSL late last year and I did manage to pick up a decent sized 2-2.5" housespider up using the container/piece of card trick. Although at the end we had the option of holding a red-knee tarantula and I refused. The people on the course were all moaning at me because its a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to hold one...I was like, I hope its not something I have to do once in my lifetime!

My attempts at capturing a little blighter in my home after the course is probably the source of the biggest laugh my wife has had so far. it was in the middle of the living room floor, I dropped a plastic see through bowl thing over them (actually got it from the FSP at ZSL). Went to push the card underneath and I must have lifted the bowl up too much as the spider dashed out from under it. I recoiled back and the spider headed straight for me because apparently they try to head into dark, shaded areas when threatened and my shadow was the closest. So I then moved away from it but of course it followed me to try and get in my shadow.

Apparently for a few seconds there was a Benny Hill-esque moment where I was running in a circle to avoid the spider and it was running in a circle after me to get in my shadow.

Thankfully tho we've only had maybe 4 spiders in the flat since we moved in 2 years ago.....that we've seen anyway.

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

Thank you
Although my spider phobia was pretty bad, it was absolutely nothing compared to my blood/needle phobia.

As someone who was diagnosed at 16 with Leukaemia, I had to get used to needles PRETTY quickly!!

Have you sorted it now??

 

[Panter]

As someone who was diagnosed at 16 with Leukaemia, I had to get used to needles PRETTY quickly!!

Have you sorted it now??

Bl**dy hell, that's harsh, hope all is well now.

Sort of, I'm a lot better than I was.
I had a large tattoo done which took several days. After a shaky start (I went White as a sheet and sweated most of the stencil off much to the amusement of the artist ) it slowly got better and I think I've broken the back of it.

I was fine with needles as a kid, they didn't bother me at all so I've no idea where it started from but as of a few Years ago I was very aware that it was rapidly getting worse to the point where it was getting a little silly.
I first realised there was a problem when I had a blood clotting test done. Can't remember how old I was, maybe early teens?
Anyway, it was a fairly crude test, they basically just poke a hole in you and time how long it takes the bleeding to stop. I was aware that after a while I started feeling quite ill but took a while to associate it with the sight of the blood or, more accurately, the nurse wiping it away as it appeared.

Blood in itself causes me no problems at all, it's when it's flowing (even drop by drop) or the association with flowing blood i.e needles that gets me.
Strange.

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

Strange indeed, I can eat my dinner whilst watching open heart surgery on the telly!

I'm ok now by the way, it is just my digestive problems now (from the absurd to the ridiculous).

 

[Lisa21]

Although she's very, very placid and her bite would be harmless, her fangs are immense and they sit incredibly close to your skin when she's on your hand!

Holy sh................e looks even bigger in this pic! I doubt VERY much that I could hold her..tbh Id be afraid that I would freak out and drop her. She is beautiful tho. Fascinating. But terrifies the life out of me at the same time
I work in a big, 700 year old mansion, and there are some BIG spiders there at times. One, who seems to have been there as long as I have (11 years) is quite agressive...... he will stand up and wave his front legs at you if you get too close. And as his legs are almost as long as mine I keep my distance....

 

[Panter]

It's probably a "she" judging by the attitude...

Actually, in all seriousness, it will be a Female if that old. Males don't live very long, their sole purpose in life is to breed so they spend the majority of their short lives roaming looking for love!
Interesting that it's showing defensive behavior, most UK spiders won't except for the Segestria in my first post (Big Black one with the Green fangy bits) but they are more often in their burrow and just scarper back down it at the first sign of any threatening movement.

Any chance of a picture? if you give it's web a little tickle it should charge out

(Joking obviously, if it is a segestria it will probably charge out and bite you)

 

[Bluenite]

Ok, i've had enough of these Monsters on this forum. Even scrolling down the 'New Threads' listings and seeing the title of this
thread has me in a cold sweat.

Almost threw my shoe at the screen when i saw the pics.

 

[Panter]

Ok, i've had enough of these Monsters on this forum. Even scrolling down the 'New Threads' listings and seeing the title of this
thread has me in a cold sweat.

Almost threw my shoe at the screen when i saw the pics.

Saturation therapy, no need to thank me