Spiders, live and let live OR...

[PlentyofThrish]

So I know we're supposed to be kind and gentle to all living things and I'm trying my best to be the hip, undertanding bohemian parent. But september IS coming up and I've already seen the signs an upcoming spider invasion, big ones, small ones, thin ones, crunchy ones. So my distain for them aside, if they start to outnumber the family 5 to 1 and with them crawling on the floor where little DS crawls, AIBU to SQUOOSH THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS out of them?

Huge ones - catch in a pint glass and throw outside
Small/medium ones - catch in my hand and throw outside
Ones out of reach - give them a name and let them be our roommate

I believe in teaching kindness to my children for all living things. Caveat I might think differently if I lived in Australia but then it's every creature for himself since they can do harm.

grab loo roll and what only can be described as Aragog's little brother falls out the tube.

I know I should be more sympathtic but I seriously don't have the patience or the guts to scoop them up, thats why everyone needs an old pair of big, hard smelly boots for quick squooshing

I don't like spiders, they do give me the heebie jeebies but I would never willingly harm one so they get to stay, unless they are scurrying about on the floor in which case they are likely to become the dogs latest toy so they get put outside for their own safety, a glass and piece of paper does the job just nicely.

take them out. Why wouldn't you. I grew up around the world where animals were actually dangerous but even snakes were caught and released.

In an arachnophobia moment I dropped a heavy book on a large spider right by my foot and jumped on the book a couple of times. It was a hardback fantasy book and I weigh a lot a bit and it did not survive the encounter.

And I still feel bad about it 15+ years later. I didn't want to be arachnophobic any longer. I started 'adopting' spiders that live high in corners and don't bother anyone. I'd never had a problem with little money spiders so I spent more time letting them run over my hands. I built up the size of spider I could catch in a glass.

I was bitten by a false widow 10 years ago when getting compost out of a bag. Not great and my finger and thumb went numb for a couple of years. I figure I've been bitten by one of the worst UK spiders and I'm still here, so what is there to be scared of? a good friend was bitten by a Australian expat spider in NZ and she's still here too. She was quite ill compared to my little bite though

It's taken years, and I still wouldn't swear that I wouldn't squish one if it was crawling on me and surprised me, but I can live and let live quite happily now. My DDs were unaware that I hated them, and when I told DD1 she cried as they're lovely.

Rule in our house is if you kill it you eat it

I do try to put them outside, but my patience for catching them is limited so I'm not always sorry if the cat gets to them before I do!

You need a spider catcher. Much, much better than a glass or mug. Keeps the spider at double-arms length, doesn't hurt it, and you don't really need to look at it at all once it's been caught - just rush outside and bang the stick repeatedly against a wall to get rid!

Can also be used for woodlice, which are equally horrifying - I actually cannot bear to look at them, need to just squint in their direction so that they are blurry. Our current house gets regular incursions from the little monsters [shudder]

I don't mind smaller ones. Big wood spiders are another matter. If I could be sure of catching and expelling them, I would, but they're too fast. Neither DH nor DD would be able to sleep or relax in a room if they knew one was lurking.

I pick them up gently and put them outside.

Ooh TheKids I've got to get me one of those!

I'm petrified of spiders and will kill any who appear (although I swear they're watching me and committing my face to memory ala orca) but so i dont turn into a serial killer i go for prevention. My whole house is covered in peppermint oil/spider spray/conkers etc. Oh and I never open my windows.

AND I get very few spiders!! touch wood

If you wish to live and thrive/let a spider run alive.

Arachnid propaganda from my mum.

I just go all Peppa Pig and call them 'Mr Skinnylegs' and it stops them being so terrifying to me. I don't squash them anymore, I get DP to put them outside or I just leave them alone and be thankful they're eating the annoying flies!

I don't mind the daddy long leg types - they just sit there for weeks so I leave them to it. It's the big black house spiders I can't stand - the ones that scuttle out of nowhere and lollop crazily towards you like eight legged drunks.

I'm a squasher, and yes Christinedunne a big pair of army boots are essential, not for the teeny ones but to "squoosh" the crunchy ones

YANBU
Squish Kill Crush Annihilate Obliterate and Destroy any and all of them!!!!

Don't the indoor ones die if you put them outside?
I have hoovered a few some on purpose some by accident and I feel bad about it.
We get loads of cellar spiders in the kitchen. Like 5 a day at the moment, I try and be kind and put them in the cellar but if I can't reach then they get hoovered.

Yabu
Catch them and put them outside.

Arachnophiliac here . Do try a spider catcher, please don't squash them. The UK ones are pretty much okay and most will run away.. and they do keep down flies, midges etc. I only brush off cobwebs not live webs ... I even have a small spider living in my (very dirty) car.

Live and let live, or catch and put outside.

Small ones I leave alone

Big ones I squish I am frightened of them

I've not even read the thread because I just know there'll be some hideous pictures but my response is KILL THEM ALL!!!

Well actually it's Get someone else to KILL THEM ALL!!!!