Pets Replacing Baby?

[Moraine]

LOL! Sorry, I know most people think they are scary and gross, but they are my babies!

 

[dakini]

Spiders...ugh. I'm with you...but then I have a phobia of spiders...I'm sure they're very nice, but not for me! (Some people would say the same about cats though...)

 

[Arcanegirl]

The spiders are beautiful to look at, but not for me *shivers*

Here are my furbabies:
This my dog Bruce
https://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f328/karoline1246/Bruce/Bruce3.jpg

The cat Salem
https://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f328/karoline1246/Salem/DSCF0060.jpg

and the guinea pig Piglet
https://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f328/karoline1246/Piglet/snuggle.jpg

 

[FJL]

OMG Moraine - what cool and interesting pets! I have a bit of a spider phobia, but how interesting!

Do you buy them from a pet shop? How do you tame them? How likely are they to bit? What are their personalities like? Can't wait to hear all about them!

Keep the photos coming guys, i'm loving this! All your furbabies are just beautiful!

 

[Moraine]

I have bought a few at pet stores, but mostly I buy them online from breeders/dealers, that way I am not supporting the wild caught trade, most tarantulas in pet stores are wild caught.

Different species are more likely to bite than others, so I am just more careful when working with the more grumpy spiders. But you never know when one of the nice ones will bite, so it's always good to be careful anyway. Those fangs can hurt! I've never been bitten but my husband has, though it was his fault, he was ticking it off. They can't be tamed so to speak, but as you get to know them you can tell their moods, that way if one is feeling rather pissy that day, you don't hold it. Others, you would just never hold anyway, as some of them have more potent venom than others, though none of them are life-threatening.

I don't really hold them much anyway, they are more look don't touch kind of pets. But every now and then I get the urge to hold one, and there are a few that I really trust not to ever bite, like Charlotte. Also the babies are less likely to bite for some reason, so I like to hold them, plus they are so little and cute!

They have all sorts of different personalities, some of them come out of their hides to see me when I open their containers, while others dive for their hides to get away from me when I open their containers lol! Some of them are so docile that I have to literally push them out of the way to do cage maintenance, while others are very skittish and defensive and I don't put my hands in their cages. Some throw threat displays really easily, while others wouldn't threaten if their life depended on it, some kick hair, some never do. It's pretty funny how different they all are.

Anyhoo, enough rambling, thank you for the interest! I don't get to yak about them very much, exept on the tarantula forums.

 

[dakini]

Not a problem! I don't mind hearing about spiders and tarantulas, just don't like seeing them...they sound fascinating, but again, couldn't have one in my house...just not a spider-phobia-friendly pet!

 

[FJL]

Thanks for all that info, I am super interested because its something I know nothing about!

So what happens if you get bitten...well when your DH got bitten?!? What does tarantula venom do? How long do they live for? Did you used to be scared of them? Are you quieter ones like Charlotte good with all people or just you only?

What type of things are in their cages? What do you feed them?

 

[Moraine]

Not a problem! I don't mind hearing about spiders and tarantulas, just don't like seeing them...they sound fascinating, but again, couldn't have one in my house...just not a spider-phobia-friendly pet!

You know its funny, I know alot of very arachnophobic people (my sister included) and they find that the tarantulas are not as scary as true spiders (regular spiders). The tarantulas are so big and hairy and colourful they are just not as freaky, also they don't move quite as fast as true spiders, so that makes them less scary as well. But I totally understand about spider phobias, having grown up with someone who shrieks at the top of her lungs at the mere sight of a spider. Yet she actually touched one of my tarantulas once, though I think she was drunk so that might not count lol!

Thanks for all that info, I am super interested because its something I know nothing about!

So what happens if you get bitten...well when your DH got bitten?!? What does tarantula venom do? How long do they live for? Did you used to be scared of them? Are you quieter ones like Charlotte good with all people or just you only?

What type of things are in their cages? What do you feed them?

No problem, I love talking about them!
This is an exerpt from an article I wrote once..

"There are over 800 species of tarantula spiders, all of them belonging to the Theriphosidae family. There are New World (North, South and Central America) and Old World (Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia) tarantulas. Almost all species from the New World possess urticating setae, (special barbed hairs on their abdomens) which they kick off towards attackers with their rear legs. These hairs can stick into a predator's skin and cause intense irritation. Old World tarantulas do not have this feature, but they generally possess stronger venom, perhaps to make up for the lack of a secondary defence mechanism. "

So if you get bitten by a New World Tarantula, the effects would be very mild. My husband was bitten by a New World Tarantula, actually he was bitten by Pigwidgeon, who I posted a picture of, so he had a slight bit of itchyness and that's about it. Well other than the pain from the actual fangs, which can be quite large. If you were bitten by an Old World tarantual, it would be a different story, you would be looking at swelling, muscle cramps, intense pain at the bite site, possible heart palpitations (though that could be attributed to anxiety over the bite, it hasn't been studied enough) and things of that nature. The bite can suck, but it is not life threatening, though I have heard of people with muscle cramps months later from the bite. Experts say that there is no chance of an allergic reaction to tarantula venom, as the proteins in the venom just don't work the same as say, bee venom, but again it just hasn't been studied enough.

Tarantulas can live anwhere from 7 to 30 years, depending on species. I wouldn't say that I have ever had a phobia to arachnids, but I definitely jump if they surprise me. I had a huge house spider crawl onto my chest while I was watching TV a couple of months ago and that freaked me out! The tarantulas only freak me out if they are in a REALLY pissy mood. Then they go into a threat pose like this, then they bob up and down and strike at you with their legs, warning that they are prepared to bite. That freaks me out sometimes, that's when I call the hubby in to help.
https://img398.imageshack.us/img398/9922/dsc03523d0qh.jpg

No Charlotte is good with anyone, my husband can reach in a pick her up, she doesn't care. She is the one that my sister was brave enough to pet, and my mom too who also hates spiders! If there are children over, then Charlotte is the one whose cage I take out to show them, she is very calm and will only move if I prod her with a stick. So she is a good one to show kids that spiders don't have to be scary.

I use different things in their cages, they all have some type of dirt for substrate, either coconut coir, peat moss or soil. Then I give them a hide if they are terrestrial (ground dwellers) and a water dish. Burrowers get really deep substrate and a water dish, they don't need a hide as they will just dig a hole. Arboreals (tree dwellers) get fake plants and bark to climb on and attach their webbing to. Slings (spiderlings) are housed in little pill vials with just dirt until they are large enough for bigger containers.

I feed them crickets and different types of cockroaches, and sometimes mealworms.

 

[FJL]

OMG, that last photo is giving me shivers!!!

Thanks for all that great info hun, you really do learn something new everyday!

 

[Moraine]

You're welcome, it was my pleasure!

 

[NeyNey]

Yikes!!! That is so cool, but I could not have them in the house, I can't sleep if there is a house spider inside until DH has put it outside (way way way up the back!).

I use to have a pet snake though, children's python...Go figure! lol

 

[Moraine]

Ooh I want a snake really bad, and Children's python is on my list of firsts! Was it a docile snake? And I know this is a silly question, but do they go to the bathroom alot?

 

[NeyNey]

Lol - No not at all, about every 1-2 months, I don't know if all snakes are the same or not. Mine was very quiet, She would slither all over the computer desk while I was working (I had her while I was in University) - or she use to love to curl up in my top drawer of my desk if it was open.

 

[FJL]

Snakes scare me more than spiders - I hate them!!! Would be a cool and different pet to own though

 

[poppy]

Here are my cats!

The black and white one is called Byron and he is completely mad - he has a thing for biting through wires. He has destroyed so much stuff in our house. I think he could have been an international spy - he could have gone in and taken out a security network or alarm system in a couple of seconds flat! He is usually mad and wired!

The tabby is Custer - he is really chilled out and relaxed. He has the same mother as Byron but different fathers (hmm - I think his mum was a bit of a 'lady') and came from the same litter. Custer loves eating and strolling around our neighbourhood. He is so friendly - I think lots of other people feed him as well!

 

[dakini]

yeah, that last photo fo the spider's giving me shivers too...

My phobia is one thing I am worried about with kids...I know it's irrational and I don't want to pass it on as I know it's really stupid to be afraid of them but I can't help it. I actually wanted to apply to be on the show No Opportunity Wasted but by the time I heard about it, it was too late! Oh well, maybe one of these days I'll get over it...just not sure when! It is interesting to learn about them. Very cool.

 

[hypnorm]

lol - been sat he reading and shuddering whilst sat on the chair!!

I have a phobia of spiders, cant stand being near them and your pics made me jump at first!!
But some of the tarantulas dont seem as scarey which is weird, i suppose as you say they dont run as fast as the normal house spiders.

such a stupid phobia it really is!

 

[Tilly]

I have arachnophobia too, can't stand them.. the photos were making me itch all over and I could have sworn I saw a spider run across my desk (I have a big problem with them, if I see a money spider I run away lol). I know they're your babies, so no offense.. but ahhh.

I have 2 pet cats, both living at my mums.

Sooty (my cat, the most affectionate one, she loves being cuddled, fiollows you everywhere and puts her head down for kisses. Shes a bit mad at me for moving out and having Bethanie though!):
https://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a53/tilly206/Photos/Sootypoos.jpg

Marmalade - She is shy, has always seemed a little nervous and doesn't like to be cuddled, apart from when shes hungry. She loves my brother:
though. Bit of a snob but cute:
https://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a53/tilly206/Photos/Marmas.jpg

 

[miel]

WOW! Love your petsGuys!
i have 3 cats ! chaussette,mirabelle ,willow and 1 dog ! all rescues also! i soon i can figure out to put some picture i will share them with you!
and nothing wrong about loving them like babies! Any kinds of love is good love!
NEYNEY good luck to you for 2008! and by the way "miel" is my dog name really i am really laetitia hey guys have you seeing the movies golden compass ? humans are actually pair with animals that they called "deamon "
they can not be separate ...any way good to see !

 

[Suz]

OMG Im in tears...That Mean Fangy Spider really Scared me...

Thanks for all the info you have given tho...Sounds like spiders are kinda fun....Except the Mean looking scary one...