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Original poster

What animals are misunderstood?

55 replies

Soubriquet · 10/09/2023 11:48

People seem to hate certain animals due to old wives tales and other things.

What animal do you think gets undeserved hate?

I’ll start with bats and spiders.

People freak out about bats because they worry about rabies. It’s a fair worry but as long as you don’t go picking bats up, you have nothing to worry about. They won’t fly into you, they don’t aim to bite you and they are very unlikely to fly into your home. So sit outside and watch them swoop for bugs in peace.

Spiders. Ok yeah, a lot of them are not nice to look at but the majority of spiders in the Uk are perfectly harmless. Most types have fangs that can’t penetrate the skin and the ones who do, it creates a mild itching more than anything. People were panicking about false widows but most of the won’t hurt anyone. It’s only people who have an allergy to the venom that was reacting.

OP posts:
Cowlover89 · 10/09/2023 11:51

Some people have had some pretty nasty reactions to false widows.

Sharks. Especially great white. I find them so cute

slavetothekittens · 10/09/2023 11:54

Seagulls.

They are so cute, crazy, full of personality, the sound of them takes me straight to the seaside.

JMSA · 10/09/2023 11:54

Sharks.

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Other pets & animals
Original poster
Soubriquet · 10/09/2023 11:56

Not a UK one here but possums.

For some reason, possums seem to be hated but they are an amazing animal. Their blood temperature is too cool to for them to gestate rabies, so they are rabies free, plus on top of that, they devour ticks.

OP posts:
catsmother · 10/09/2023 11:57

I love bats and agree they don't deserve their reputation. I think a lot of it goes back to superstition and them falling within the 'creatures of the night' category. I defy anyone to search YouTube for 'bat babies' and not fall in love!

Similarly, black cats. Okay, I accept not everyone likes cats - but even amongst those who do, there's often a reluctance to consider taking on a black cat, hence they are always the colour which tend to be the last to be removed from shelters. Again, they are still, in this day and age, deemed to be boring at best and 'bad luck' at worst. In any illustration of a 'witch', her cat will be black 99% of the time.

But spiders ...... urrgghhh ..... they can do one. The logical part of my brain recognises they're useful for catching flies but my instinctive reaction is fear and loathing. I had one of those ginormous bath spiders on my bedroom wall last night and consequently spent the night with my head at the other end of the bed, the lamp on so I could check what it was up to and very disturbed sleep!

lightinthebox · 10/09/2023 11:57

Pet rats. Really loving, intelligent and clean.

Original poster
Soubriquet · 10/09/2023 11:58

Rats and mice yes!!

So cute

OP posts:
Callixte · 10/09/2023 12:00

Snakes. Sure, some are venomous and some are even deadly, but even those ones aren't typically trying to hurt you (unless you run into a boa constrictor or something like that).

NoTouch · 10/09/2023 12:00

Humans - people think they are scared of bats because of rabies or they dont realise most uk spiders are harmless to most people.

Bats flying close to me would make me uncomfortable but rabies wouldnt even cross my mind. I know uk spiders are harmless, doesnt stop me finding them creepy.

GerundTheBehemoth · 10/09/2023 12:01

Cats, foxes, sparrowhawks, wasps.

Tygertiger · 10/09/2023 12:02

I came on to say pet rats too. Hands-down the best rodent pets by a country mile. Genuinely love being with people and having cuddles, whereas hamsters are nocturnal and grumpy and rabbits and Guinea pigs don’t like being picked up. People get squeamish about rat tails, but they are the most loving and affectionate pets and actually like dogs. If you want a dog but your lifestyle prohibits it, get rats instead.

I’d also say fish are under-rated in terms of intelligence. The “nine-second memory” or whatever it is has been repeatedly proven to be false, but it persists. Most fish live in tanks that are too small, not adequately filtered and don’t have enough stimulation for the residents, I reckon. A goldfish should live for 20+ years in the correct conditions.

Errolwasahero · 10/09/2023 12:02

Agree with seagulls; they’re just living their lives. The fact they bother us is our fault, not theirs! Same with foxes. Really pisses me off when idiots put human traits onto them and blame them for being ‘ in our way’

Isheabastard · 10/09/2023 12:05

I once rescued a bat. I found it in my garden on my lawn in the middle of the afternoon. I telephoned Bat Rescue and a lovely man told me what to do.

He took it in for a week and came back to my house to release it. It just flew straight away.

I only held it for a moment to put it in a box, but it was wonderful.

Practically everything in the garden that we consider a pest is underrated. They have all evolved to fill a space in the food chain.

I am learning to love greenfly, slugs and snails, wasps and ants and even bloody pigeons! I already like spiders.

Cant bring myself to value clothes moths yet.

Original poster
Soubriquet · 10/09/2023 12:07

I love foxes. One of my favourite animals and it saddens me to hear people think the hunts should start again.

It’s cruel. Chasing an animal till it drops of exhaustion to then be ripped apart by dogs.

If foxes needed to be controlled, then I would agree to a humane solution. Poison or hunting isn’t one of them.

OP posts:
Tygertiger · 10/09/2023 12:10

Also: pigeons.

All feral pigeons in towns are descended from escaped or lost racing/homing pigeons, ie they were once domesticated creatures. Hence why they still instinctively want to be near people. And they’re all systematically malnutritioned and basically starving to death. They should be eating grains and seeds, and wild pigeons which do that are much healthier and produce tiny little droppings. The huge runny splatters which town pigeons deposit are basically because they are subsisting on our scraps. Chips and bits of Big Mac are no better for pigeons than they are for humans. I feel really sorry for them.

Vegemiteandhoneyontoast · 10/09/2023 12:14

Wasps. They planetary cleaners and do admirable work in tidying up waste.

Also, if you're eating outside and one asks you for food, just give it some. Cut off a morsel of whatever you're eating, set it aside and watch the wasp tuck in.

Sheep321 · 10/09/2023 12:16

lightinthebox · 10/09/2023 11:57

Pet rats. Really loving, intelligent and clean.

Came on this thread to say this!

People always say their tails are gross. I find their tails amazing! They help them balance and they feel soft as they have tiny hairs on!

Sheep321 · 10/09/2023 12:19

Soubriquet · 10/09/2023 11:58

Rats and mice yes!!

So cute

Hmm. So I work with mice and rats. One species is lovely and docile (and barely ever bite). The other can be very bitey! I wonder if people can guess which way round😄 (my post above is probably a giveaway..)

NeverDropYourMooncup · 10/09/2023 12:19

Cant bring myself to value clothes moths yet

They're great food for spiders.

Errolwasahero · 10/09/2023 12:27

I do struggle with slugs, I must admit.

Original poster
Soubriquet · 10/09/2023 12:35

Errolwasahero · 10/09/2023 12:27

I do struggle with slugs, I must admit.

Aw poor things. They are just homeless snails Grin

OP posts:
PuppyMonkey · 10/09/2023 12:38

I mean I’m sure there are plenty of decent vultures out there, they get a really bad press.

Errolwasahero · 10/09/2023 13:00

Maybe if they ate brambles instead of all the plants I buy I’d let them slime around!

@PuppyMonkey i always see the vultures out of the Jungle Book (the proper one) so I like them and imagine they’re all from Liverpool.

bluebeardswife7 · 10/09/2023 14:30

Soubriquet · 10/09/2023 11:48

People seem to hate certain animals due to old wives tales and other things.

What animal do you think gets undeserved hate?

I’ll start with bats and spiders.

People freak out about bats because they worry about rabies. It’s a fair worry but as long as you don’t go picking bats up, you have nothing to worry about. They won’t fly into you, they don’t aim to bite you and they are very unlikely to fly into your home. So sit outside and watch them swoop for bugs in peace.

Spiders. Ok yeah, a lot of them are not nice to look at but the majority of spiders in the Uk are perfectly harmless. Most types have fangs that can’t penetrate the skin and the ones who do, it creates a mild itching more than anything. People were panicking about false widows but most of the won’t hurt anyone. It’s only people who have an allergy to the venom that was reacting.

A bat flew into our house once. Best day ever.

BitOutOfPractice · 10/09/2023 14:31

Dolphins. Universally loved. Vicious arseholes.