do you know any arachnophobes?

[vax]

I've started work on a website which was just a personal project, charting my own journey from life-long arachnophobia to, well, arachnomania.

It might actually be useful for people who want to overcome their own phobia so I'm splitting it into two sections - one for the arachnophobes (can't have spidery images for them!) and another in celebration of arachnids generally. There's going to be a few pages about tarantulas in particular because I can see this becoming a serious hobby for me. So I'd like to link to the BTS if possible, and would be interested to check out any other suggested links for inclusion (think some of you have your own websites).

I haven't forgotten what it is like to have an irrational fear of spiders but would be very grateful if you could pass on any suggestions for content, especially from other arachnophobes, either here or by email. If it encouraged just one person to do something about their phobia it would be worth it. Many thanks.

vax@hairyscary.co.uk

Site not 'live' yet but email is working.

[Adam Walters]

Nice idea, wish I had the time and patience to complete my website!

Some links I have found useful:

http://www.gwrightstarantulacare.co.uk/
GWright is a member here and also seems like a pretty sound guy. Permission may be granted to use some of his pictures on your own website, if you ask him very nicely

http://www.thespidershop.co.uk/
Owned and run by 'Lee' who again is another great guy. A good array of stock is available on a weekly basis.

http://www.faunology.co.uk & http://www.globallivefood.com
Both are run by the same owners and I am yet to find anywhere that beats them on equipment and food prices!



A few others worthy of a mention:

http://www.bighairyspiders.com/

http://www.e-spiderworld.com/

http://www.eightlegs.org/index.html

http://www.minaxtarantulas.net/index/welcome_e.html

http://giantspiders.com/

[Layla McInnes]

Global live food and faunology prices, I believe, can generally be beaten by lee at the spider shop...one of cheapest around also with his other site www.cornishcrispa.com

I too was/am an arachnophobe. Im still petrified of true spiders which is ridiculous considering how many tarantulas we have. I think I am still a little scared of T's due to the fact that the urticating hairs and my skin do not agree at all! I think it could be called a healthy respect bordering scared with some of the more defensive species. I think respect is needed with anything though....esp Tarantulas
Brilliant idea with the site. I really hope it helps people. I know my exposure to tarantulas( living with them) helped me to get over my fear.

[Adam Walters]

Global live food and faunology prices, I believe, can generally be beaten by lee at the spider shop...one of cheapest around also with his other site www.cornishcrispa.com

I definately agree where the purchase of 'Inverebrates' is concerned, but I did just mean for equipment and live food

[sarah Smith]

Mmmmm thinking as a aracnophobe here showing the differance in how T's move in compariswon to true spiders may well help out alot, it was one of the things I found helped me be ok with T's but not true spiders. Also a good idea would be to show that T's are better looking than true spiders both in colouring and also in terms of seing them better cause they bigger and bulky. Focusing on the differances between T's and true spiders seems to help most who are aracnophobic cope and get less scared around them somehow, so anything else you can think of that does that will help. Throwing in facts like they make noise and other intresting facts will also help.

[vax]

Great links and ideas, thanks everyone. Have bookmarked all the sites to peruse later and will plod along with the site as and when time and inclination permit.

Couldn't agree more with the point about tarantulas and house spiders, although I've developed a similar respect and admiration for both. Holding Frieda at the zoo was like holding a gentle, fragile kitten. I couldn't help but think of all the times I'd ever been scratched by a cat, or bitten by a dog, and how that didn't stop me from loving or caring for them. And here was this amazingly soft and fluffy animal, who moved so slowly and carefully and wouldn't and probably couldn't hurt me as much as a cat or dog could. As for the house spiders, particularly the males, how can you not be moved by how tough their lives are? They really do have more of a struggle to survive than I'd realised. The girls have it easy by comparison!

Having said that about tarantulas I'm still a bit shocked by how fast my own A. seemani moved this morning.

I seriously wonder what I used to do with my spare time before this.

[Eleanor]

http://www.faunology.co.uk & http://www.globallivefood.com
Both are run by the same owners and I am yet to find anywhere that beats them on equipment and food prices!

Try http://www.livefoods.co.uk/ for food.