October means the start of tarantula mating season in the Bay Area.

[spiderpig]

I once read they handed out warnings at the park ranger stations on Mount Diablo advising drivers to avoid hitting them because they could cause vehicles to skid.

Just sharing for fellow arachniphobes.

[Lochloosa]

1. Love this part...

The tarantula is actually considered one of the more docile of all spiders. Sonoma County Reptile Rescue Education Director Laurie Osborne actually keeps one in her house.


“They’re very sweet! She’s totally mellow,” said Osborne with a laugh. “Yeah, she’s all fuzzy and cuddly! Like a teddy bear!”

The male has special claws on two of the front legs to hold the female while mating. This prevents the female from killing him when they are done

[spiderpig]

2. Ain't love grand?

What is it about spiders that makes them so terrifying to a lot of us? In 1984 Winston Smith's Room 101 was rats. Mine is...oh, never mind (in case I end up in Room 101).

[zanana1]

3. Regular spiders don't scare me or wig me out.

Of course, I live in NH and we don't get many tarantulas up here. I've only seen pictures of them.

[LWolf]

4. I love spiders.

They prey on pests.

I especially love tarantulas; I kept one in my classroom for 8 years. At one point, when I lived in the Mojave Desert, we'd find them in the house or garage periodically; we could use our bare hands to pick them up and relocate them without any difficulty; they weren't at all aggressive.

[spiderpig]

5. Yeah, I can't figure why spiders make me hysterical and crabs don't.

Maybe my mother wore a spider costume when she made me eat my vegetables, and I've blocked it out.

Another "scary insect" is the praying mantis. I clearly remember opening the front door to our house as a kid and seeing a mantis staring at me eye-level from the other side of the screen door.

We know how they deal with their mates.

Shudder-shudder-shudder. OK, I'm a wimp.

[LWolf]

6. I get it.

I just have different shudders. Flies, roaches, mosquitos, gnats, aphids...spiders prey on them, so I tolerate spiders.

I also can't stand rodents of any kind; probably from having to deal with them constantly, living rurally. The only good rodent is a dead rodent in my book. Which is why I also don't mind snakes. I'd rather find a snake in the house ( and I have, several times), than a rodent.

[alwaysinflux]

7. That reminds me of this video

I don't know if it's all a set up, but it's funny anyway

Link to tweet

[FSogol]

8. Cue Barry White music, turn down the lights....

[edbermac]

9. Tarantulas having sex!!!! NSFW!!!

"Was it good for you too?"

[lindysalsagal]

10. I gave up dating tarantulas 2 years ago.