The Bobling Report

[kiffie]

Bob managed to change pants while we were out this morning.

He is currently flopped out like a sunbather, enjoying his newfound nudity.

Comments

[vespurrs.livejournal.com]

I'm sure he didn't, but then I didn't mean any harm by my joke, either. :/ I get email alerts, yeah. Don't always reply immediately, but I get them. :P

And I didn't know spiders sleep, which I actually find quite interesting.

LOL, maybe a few times! :P

Aww, Kiff, I'm not upset or angry, but I don't want anyone else to be either. Thing is, I actually find spiders to be quite fascinating in an 'ooooh, CREEPY' sort of way, and I spend a good deal of time googling stuff about them, surprisingly enough. Do I like them? Not particularly. But I don't HATE them, and for the most part I'm happy enough to live and let live, unless it's particularly big and in my personal space. I have even considered buying a tarantula on more than one occasion, just to cure myself of the large-spider phobia, but first my mom and then the hubby nixed the idea. I even had a name all picked out - Monet. I guess I'm attracted to the things that scare me, so long as I know they can't REALLY hurt me. Much. Since I don't live in Australia.

Heck, I even leave the black widows in my basement alone because they're in corners I don't bother with. o_O I guess it was just the fact that a large spider photo showed up in my email unexpectedly that was rather... disconcerting. :)

[kiffie.livejournal.com]

...I didn't know spiders sleep, which I actually find quite interesting.

It's probably more interesting that they're ever awake. Bob is asleep more often than not. X3

I don't know if it's a true sleep, like we experience, but it's certainly a lack of consciousness of their surroundings.

I have even considered buying a tarantula on more than one occasion, just to cure myself of the large-spider phobia, but first my mom and then the hubby nixed the idea. I even had a name all picked out - Monet. I guess I'm attracted to the things that scare me, so long as I know they can't REALLY hurt me.

I think most spider owners start out this way. I was, if not scared, then at at least intimidated by spiders until I got Bob. I still am, a bit. But once you get used to them as a pet, they stop registering as "SPIDER" in your head. I still skeek at black widows (so you're one up on me there) and flail like a pansy if I run into a spider-web, but I'm somehow okay with Bob. There's a definate change in feeling towards a creature when you become its caretaker.

(re: danger of tarantulas -- Mind, most tarantulas are never held. They're never interacted with beyond water changes and feeding. They're essentially a pet rock that looks pretty and every so often moves an inch or two. And this is the way it should be. Handling a tarantula puts both parties at risk. So long as you secure the tank lid and keep them warm, there is no reason your hands and their mouth should ever meet. Even if they do, they usually don't inject venom-- called a "dry bite" --because they're freaking pansies. X3 )

Even if you never get one, the tarantulalovers comm is good food for your morbid curiosity on all things creepy-crawly. They do, however, post pictures without cuts with some frequency, so don't go unless you're prepared for spider. :3

I guess it was just the fact that a large spider photo showed up in my email unexpectedly that was rather... disconcerting.

Next time, I'll be sure it's naked Dean Winchester-- er, I mean. A kitten. Yes. *shifty eyes*

[vespurrs.livejournal.com]

LOL, seriously, I had no idea, I guess cos most of the spiders I've seen have been crawling around or moving or some such. Though sadly, probably a lot of them do get squished that way.

*nods* It's the terrified fascination, I think. Actually, black widows are quite shy, and their attitude is also one of, if you leave them alone, they'll reciprocate. I know where they are, they don't have the scary 'I'm going to eat you and your firstborn, muahahahahaha!' of the wolf spiders, and they're really quite pretty. I leave the wolf spiders in my basement alone too just because they're not in my face and there's enough room to avoid them as I go about my business.

I've read that dropping them is nearly always fatal because of their weight and lack of support, so no worries there! They really don't seem much different in their level of care than my fish, though how do you clean their tank? Though even a dry bite scares me. I'm a pansy too, apparently.

I may check it out. And that's the thing, if I'm going to a comm like that, I'd pretty much expect pics. :P

Can we make it a Sammy to go, please? Er, I mean KITTENS, YES.

Also? Check out my friend nightwind69's journal. She has tarantulas and huntsmen spiders as pets. :)

[kiffie.livejournal.com]

You know, I have yet to see any true wolf spiders. The ones here that we typically call "wolf spiders" are about the size of Roosevelt's face on a dime. My roommate, who lives further North than I, has told me of huge ones, however. :o

You generally don't clean the tank. Tarantulas usually bury their wastes, and as long as you give them ample dirt to dig in, they can spend their entire lives in a single "change" of peat moss. If you must-- perhaps the spider has webbed over too much dirt, or there is an issue with mites --I've had some success with using a chopstick to herd Bob into a lightbulb box. Once he's in, I close it, tape it up, and set it aside while I clean. Once done, I cut the tape, open it slightly, and leave the box in the tank. He usually frees himself in a day or two. Bob is of a particularly laid-back species of tarantula (A. seemanni) that has about as much outward agressiveness as a head of cabbage. X3

Mmm, naked Sam-- ER. YES. *mails kittens* =^..^=

:o

*clicks on the journal* :D

[vespurrs.livejournal.com]

We have rather large, black, hairy ones here. And yes, I can tell the males from the females, go me. The females are larger, thicker, darker, and just generally look more massive. The males are very slender and slight, but still large. The largest female I've seen was about half the size of my palm, and she was in the basement. The only time I've ever done an about-face on the stairs. I figured she could have it!

Now, I will sometimes catch crickets to toss at the webs of the garden spiders, because I actually LIKE those spiders. I think they're neat. But I figure the wolf spiders can fend for themselves. Funny thing is, for as scary as they look, they're actually harmless. They just look horrifying.

LOL, I like your description of him as a head of cabbage. Maybe I should use that name, instead. 'Hi, this is my tarantula, Cabbage.'

KITTENS! Coincidentally, my friend saklani2 has posted a story in her journal about Sammy as a cat, though I think it's venturing into Wincest soon.

She has some really interesting photos. Click on her spider-love tags. :)