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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To mount my tarantula onto a log

92 replies

TheQueenOfDiamonds · 10/08/2012 03:22

I have some Tarantulas.
One of them (my favourite one) died. I would like to mount her onto a log or inside a photo frame and varnish her.

Would this freak you out if you saw this in someones house? Its not like she's alive. Its an ornament. Like when people stuff animals I guess.

I did it with one of my mums and my OH and his friend jumped out of their seats screaming when they noticed it.

I don't want people to be scared to come in my house!

OP posts:
Original poster
TheQueenOfDiamonds · 10/08/2012 04:07

Mrsrhett - we caught them!

My dads cat knocked my red knee off (I have never moved so quickly, my brother thought I was falling down the stairs I took them that fast) and she just went and sat in the kitchen so I put her back (after checking her and scowling at evil cat).

The other one my mums cat let out, we actually thought the cat had eaten it, because it later coughed something suspicious looking up, but then it turned up on the curtain.

The bird eater.. Apparently, so my mum says, there is no better motivation to get out of bed at 7am than your partner coming in to tell you "Jill isn't in her tank" (the spider is named jill). Shed just walked off under the shelves two feet away. They don't go far!

OP posts:
MrsRhettButler · 10/08/2012 04:07

Well apparently they do survive God! So don't vacuume live ones any more. My dog eats spiders so luff him very much :)

Its exactly like a car crash.

Umm, op you didn't answer my question?

Also, if one escapes are you required to report it or anything? Do people go looking for it?

MrsRhettButler · 10/08/2012 04:08

Oh cross posts apologies

MrsRhettButler · 10/08/2012 04:10

"Bird eater"

greenwichgroove · 10/08/2012 04:10

Oh the markings are quite pretty in a can't crawl out of the picture kind of way

Original poster
TheQueenOfDiamonds · 10/08/2012 04:12

Well then I have good news for you Mrsrhett - Its highly unlikely you'd ever come across an escaped one.

They don't go far when they do get out - a trrestrial species will make its way to the nearest dark space, an arboreal will climb rather than go wandering around the floor.

If they had to get off a varnished surface, like if their tank is on a varnished table, they'd probably die trying, because they'd fall and that usually kills them!

If a neighbourhood cat gets hold of them, the cat will win.

OP posts:
Original poster
TheQueenOfDiamonds · 10/08/2012 04:17

I think you'd have to report it if it was on the DWA list. Otherwise, no because they're no more venomous than a bee sting if they bite (I've never been bitten). Not sure what sort of moron let's a poisonous one out though! My mum used to have some, but the tanks were specially made so the tarantula wouldn't be able to get out quickly, itd take some real doing even if you left the door off.

OP posts:
MrsRhettButler · 10/08/2012 04:20

Oh really? Well in that case I'm glad I clicked the thread if only to receive that wonderful news! (It sounds sarcastic but its really not) that is the best thing I've heard all year! Inow only worried about them dropping out of trees on to me but I guess they'd have to make it to the trees in the first place :)

So do you have to notify the relevant authorities if one does go missing?

MrsRhettButler · 10/08/2012 04:21

Ohhh that's really good to know! You really donknow how happy you've made me! :)

I think in a frame btw :) sorry your favourite one died :(

GodisaDj · 10/08/2012 04:22
Wink

I think I might get a cat, just in case... Grin

MrsRhettButler · 10/08/2012 04:22

*don't know

OpheliasWeepingWillow · 10/08/2012 04:24

Why did I read this entire thread?

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

Runs

MrGeresHamster · 10/08/2012 04:30

Insomnia ....and now imagining spiders crawling on the ceiling AND the carpet. Eek!

greenwichgroove · 10/08/2012 04:36

Yes your perfectly safe ladies unless your neighbour has them or they have sneaked across in fruit crates.

MrGeresHamster · 10/08/2012 04:38
Original poster
TheQueenOfDiamonds · 10/08/2012 04:48

Mrgeres - My mum takes medication at night, and one of the side effects is hallucinations, she once hallucinated that hundreds of them had escaped and were on her bed! She said it was terrifying, even for someone who has them herself.

She also hallucinated a giant dragon fly hovering above her!

Mrsrhett - the ones that you would find in trees are arboreal types - they generally don't fall, definitely wouldn't jump on you, and if you came across one itd run off lol. They're quite skittish and don't have very big fangs so they'd rather just leg it than waste time trying to be scary or bite. They know you're a lot bigger than them lol.

I'm with you on true spiders (the sort you find in your house) though. I don't like them near me. One fell on me once and I actually cried and had to take myself off to calm down.

In south africa they have cats to catch the spiders they get there :)

OP posts:
finduspancakes · 10/08/2012 05:03

Reading this at 5am feeding my LO in the dark. Have checked the walls around me about 20 times since I started reading this thread.

OP it would completely freak me out but it's your house so do what you want.

TwoLeftTrenchFeet · 10/08/2012 05:31

I'm Envy at your spiders there is no way dp would want to share our house with one. Have considered scorpion instead... I think a frame would be better wouldn't you have ti dust her if she was on a log?. Sorry that her moult went wrong.Sad

fatterthaniusedtobe · 10/08/2012 05:44

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MrGeresHamster · 10/08/2012 05:48

It's getting light now so I can stop imaging the spiders on the ceiling/floor.

Fwiw op YANBU.

Original poster
TheQueenOfDiamonds · 10/08/2012 05:53

Twoleft - my OH doesn't have the luxary of a partner who will compromise on her choice of pet, so its tough titties for him. He hates them.

I did catch him staring at the red knee though (the one that died). I don't know what he was doing he was looking closely enough to notice the smaller stripes on her knees as he told me about them later because In 6 years of having the spider I'd have never have noticed myself?.

The first time he slept at my mums house was funny. My hand brushed his hand getting into bed and he leapt in the air like a frog!

OP posts:
DaGruffalosBabyMomma · 10/08/2012 07:55

this is my first ever post, but i have to tell MrsRhettbutler my story sorry if it is long.

I too am totally petrified of spiders so imagine my suprise when about 10Yrs ago i came home from working late my mum was too, (this was when i still lived at home) I headed straight to the bathroom as I pushed open the door something big and hairy sort of scuttled away.
I screamed so loud that as I raced out the front door several of my neighbour were coming out of their houses even those from the corner shop which was actually not that close to our house I throw up in the street, and could hardly talk, the lady from the shop went inside but came out really quickly and sent for her 10 yr old son who went in with a glass but soon came out declaring said glass isn't big enough and went in with a cardboard box. Turns out one of the neighbours pet tarantula had escaped I moved out for 2 wks to my uncle who lived down the road and had to be persuaded to move back in. And said neighbours moved soon after that anyway

Out of interest Queen how did overcome yr fear?

Binkyridesagain · 10/08/2012 08:11

Thanks op, nearly crapped myself!
I opened the thread thinking 'it's not a real spider' looked at your photo, wasn't fazed (love the hair btw). Then a shadow slowly started to move across the living room floor, I hit the ceiling, when I managed to crawl back down, I realised it was the fuckin cat!
Now having a fag in a very well lit kitchen.

quirrelquarrel · 10/08/2012 08:28

Sorry for your loss :-(

Do what you want, it's your home. Most people who say they're arachnophobic have no idea what it really means.

quirrelquarrel · 10/08/2012 08:32

How intelligent are these spiders? Do they recognise you? How long is their memory span? Are they affectionate?