Most people do not like spiders let alone have one for a pet. I
had to overcome my fear of spiders when my older son brought home a
tarantula from college. Victor, the newest member of our family, taught
me that you can always learn something new and that fear alone is not a
good enough reason to object. I did some quick research when Victor
arrived and this is what I learned.
Spiders are arachnids, not insects. Other types of arachnids are ticks, mites, and scorpions. So far I was not impressed. However, I learned that spiders had two body parts and eight legs. If a spider looses a leg, it can grow one back. Now that was impressive. It also relieved me of my guilt from childhood when I know I pulled at least one leg off of a Daddy long legged spider.
Most spiders have eight eyes, one main pair and another three smaller pairs. Another impressive fact for such little creatures. And spiders have no bones, but a hard outer skeleton.
Spiders are hatched from eggs and few mother spiders stick around to raise their babies. Most newly hatched spiders are on their own.
There are 35,000 known species of spider and they live anywhere except Antarctica, too cold I guess. They make their home in forests, caves, fields, swamps, buildings and my house. Some spin webs, and others just spin silk strings to travel from place to place and jump out of danger.
The fact that spiders jump certainly didn't make me comfortable when Victor got out of his glass aquarium. But tarantulas like dark and warm places, which explains why we found him behind the stove. See nothing to fear.
Most spiders are harmless. The poisonous spiders are the black widow, the brown recluse,and the Australian funnel-web spider, but spider bites can get infected. Spider bites can get red, swollen, hot to touch, painful, or itchy. It is wise to seek medical attention if you think you have been bitten. As for the poisonous bites, there is antivenin now available to help a person to recover from a bite. And, just so you know, spiders have fangs, not teeth. Doesn't that make you feel warm all over.
These facts should help to alleviate any fear of spiders you may have developed. It helped me, or at least that's what I tell myself in order to sleep under the same roof as our tarantula.
Spiders are arachnids, not insects. Other types of arachnids are ticks, mites, and scorpions. So far I was not impressed. However, I learned that spiders had two body parts and eight legs. If a spider looses a leg, it can grow one back. Now that was impressive. It also relieved me of my guilt from childhood when I know I pulled at least one leg off of a Daddy long legged spider.
Most spiders have eight eyes, one main pair and another three smaller pairs. Another impressive fact for such little creatures. And spiders have no bones, but a hard outer skeleton.
Spiders are hatched from eggs and few mother spiders stick around to raise their babies. Most newly hatched spiders are on their own.
There are 35,000 known species of spider and they live anywhere except Antarctica, too cold I guess. They make their home in forests, caves, fields, swamps, buildings and my house. Some spin webs, and others just spin silk strings to travel from place to place and jump out of danger.
The fact that spiders jump certainly didn't make me comfortable when Victor got out of his glass aquarium. But tarantulas like dark and warm places, which explains why we found him behind the stove. See nothing to fear.
Most spiders are harmless. The poisonous spiders are the black widow, the brown recluse,and the Australian funnel-web spider, but spider bites can get infected. Spider bites can get red, swollen, hot to touch, painful, or itchy. It is wise to seek medical attention if you think you have been bitten. As for the poisonous bites, there is antivenin now available to help a person to recover from a bite. And, just so you know, spiders have fangs, not teeth. Doesn't that make you feel warm all over.
These facts should help to alleviate any fear of spiders you may have developed. It helped me, or at least that's what I tell myself in order to sleep under the same roof as our tarantula.
