The Arachno-files

Anyone that knows me knows that my biggest fear is spiders. It might be thanks to reading 'Scary Stories to Read in the Dark' in 3rd grade, featuring the story where a girl's pimple turns out to be a spider's eggsac that hatches: ....or it could be growing up in east Tennessee/ North Carolina and finding these everywhere: These spiders can be up to the size of dinner plates, and in case that isn't freaky enough... the female carries her babies on her body, so they act like little arachnatorpedos. Like this:

The face of evil, my friends. I can remember my mother and godmother freaking out about finding one with a legspan of what looked like 8 inches crawling on the floor of our basement where my friend and I were playing. Unable to find anything short of a gun that would allow them better chances of finishing it off at a distance, they used 5 cans and spray-painted that spider to death, shrieking hysterically whenever it so much as twitched. It's one of those areas where you rinse your water glass out twice, because a spider has probably set up residence in it. So, I come by my debilitating fear honestly.. even if it doesn't excuse a full-grown adult of fleeing the room when a dime-sized 8-legged friend pops in to say hello. I've been slowly conquering my fears over the years, though. First, I threw myself into rock climbing.. which not only got rid of my fear of heights, but gave me a sport I love. I began working on my fear of needles in high school by getting piercings, but it isn't anything near the same (with piercings, I get to keep jewelry in it). So, when I was expecting Tobias, I womaned-up and dealt with the numerous blood draws and IVs as best as I could. I even had to go in once a week and get IV iron thanks to my little parasite...and I did. I didn't freak out or cry or even make them wait. I just watched the needle go in until I could deal. So, now came the time to address the spiders. I began by acknowledging that I needed something normal-ish. People keep tarantulas. I started by watching videos by keepers, learning about the different temperaments of different types, working my way up to feeding and even handling videos (though those are not necessarily a great idea). I started hanging around our local exotic pet store, looking at tarantulas and watching them. Talked to a few people that had them. I bought myself a g. porteri named "Caroline". This was autumn of last year. I've lost two slings so far, but now I have 13 tarantulas and 1 wild-caught funnel spider. I watch them eat, clean themselves, wander around their enclosures. I've even handled two of them. Tobias is obsessed with them and will often insist on checking on them, watching them feed, or kissing the enclosures goodnight...he even touched my most docile tarantula (after a lot of handling on my part to judge individual temperament...and even then, he just touched her leg). I've considered beginning a youtube channel about my journey with them combined with my journey with make-up and have begun a blog called "8LegsAndEyeliner", which so far has only an extensive list of tarantulas I want. Either way, my photos aren't great but here are some pictures of the types I own:

This would be Caroline. I also have an un-named sling.

I have two slings: Cauchemar (Nightmare in French), and Bela Lugosi.. they're a little high-strung.

Two of these: Seven (it lost a leg during a molt.. they grow back but the name stuck), and Ulrich.. because they're Avicularia Metallicas.. When they grow up, they will look like this: With a purple/blue/green sheen. And yes, they do have little pink toes.

This is a euathlus sp. red, and my favorite. Her name is Jezebel and she is so curious all the time; never skittish or defensive. She hides behind her front legs a lot as if embarrassed. These are a dwarf species and she is full-grown at smaller than half my very small hand. Speaking of dwarf species; these pictures don't do them justice:

Female and Male. The pictures can't capture the colors; the bodies and legs are bright emerald with the "butt" (not using technical terms here for ease of reading) bright orange with white underneath and black striping. My male is very small but elegant and constantly trying to get me to hold him so he can look around. I'm trying to breed them, but it's not going well...and to be honest, I love the male. It's going to suck when he dies.

A Mexican red knee. I've got a juvenile named Watson (no idea of the sex yet). I don't handle it, but it's always out, looking around. It rearranges the fake flowers in it's enclosure and is generally very cute. Tackles crickets like it's a quarterback.

Two of these. I'm very careful with them, because they're the only ones with bad venom. P. regalis. I had hopes of getting a female (they have gorgeous markings..). They're called ornamentals because you look at them and leave them alone. My oldest is named Sarge and may be almost mature, and I have one missing a fore-leg (meaning he'll never be able to mate) named Achilles. Sarge is chill, but Achilles runs and hides immediately. I also have a funnel spider that earned itself the name "Reaper" after taking down two crickets almost twice it's size (still smaller than a pencil eraser). So, that's what's going on. I'm obsessed and terrified... but, that's how you face your fears.