A Spider Coming Out To Attack....

Australia
April 16, 2013 2:30pm CST
Ever since I was a kid, I have had this weird fear. People in my family are a bit different to me. As much as I hate spiders being in the house, I try to catch them and put them outside. I think spiders are cool and fun to learn about but I don't want them anywhere near me. If I see one in the house, I make it my mission to get it out. My family will catch it but then flush it down the toilet. My dad caught one tonight and flushed it down. If I knew he caught one I would have told him to put it outside. I don't see the need to kill it. But when I went to use the toilet a bit after, I looked in the toilet first to make sure it wasn't there and then when I sat down, I worried that it will just pop back up and crawl on me. I have had this same worry for as long as I can remember but only after I find out someone flushed a spider. I do not worry any other time. Is this a phobia or am I just weird? :P Happy MyLotting. ~AussieGal~
6 responses
@stealthy (8181)
• United States
17 Apr 13
I don't know about Australia, but here in the U.S. in most areas there are only two spiders that are poisonous to humans, the black widow and the brown recluse. I don't agree with you or your family on how to get rid of spiders. I have read that for the most part a person is never more than about 3 feet away from a spider; you just don't see them most of the time. What I do is just let them be unless they invade my space too much since I don't want them on me even if they aren't that dangerous. If they invade my space, I kill them and throw the bodies in the trash. I have had them on me a few times. One jumped on my shoulder when I was taking a shower back when I was in the Army for example. I don't think you have a phobia. Your family should just kill them, step on them or swat them with something like a fly swatter, and throw them in the trash. Why waste water flushing them and the effort to catch them alive.
• Australia
18 Apr 13
Hello stealthy! I looked up black widows and they look like Redback Spiders which come out a lot in summer. And I have seen brown recluse spiders before. So gross. Well everyone is different. I just don't like killing anything just because I don't like them or they scare me. Ew haha yeah once I was having a shower at a friends house and there was a spider dangling down and I couldn't keep my eyes off of it. Was so worried that it would drop on me. Well I can see what you mean about flushing them down but I don't agree with killing them straight up. The effort on catching them alive is less than 5 minutes. And then all you do is take them outside. I don't know like I said everyone is different. Thank you so very much for answering. :)
@ShepherdSpy (8544)
• Omagh, Northern Ireland
17 Apr 13
If you have spiders in the house,you won't have many flying insects bothering you..but I can see where you have made this association between your Family's method of spider disposal and hesitancy in using the toilet! I'm in favour of the "catch and release" Method,myself..I don't mind the little ones,but when they're big enough to be HEARD walking across a wood floor,it's time to go...Funnilly enough,having an inquisitive kitten around,I haven't seen as many spiders recently..
@stary1 (6612)
• United States
16 Apr 13
AussieGal13 LOL on the toilet check...I have watched movies of snakes coming up toilets and checked my toilet... I think you are terrific ..at least you spare the spiders lives. Most people who 'hate' spiders step on them. I don't know where this comes from..but someone told me spiders bring good luck.
• Australia
16 Apr 13
Hello stary1! Haha funny enough I was going to bring that up in my discussion but forgot. I have seen it too but I can't remember what movie it was. :P Why thank you. I just don't want to be like those people who want to hurt or kill something just because they are different or scary looking. I have never heard that they bring good luck before but I will just have to miss out if it is true haha I can't have them in my house and this is why I don't like when it becomes summer here. All sorts of bugs come out. Thank you so very much for answering. :)
• United States
16 Apr 13
I think that is definitely a phobia. You aren't so bad that you will kill it out of fear, but you are afraid of being in contact with them. I'm afraid of them too. I will kill them. I just can't stay calm enough to get them out of the house. My daughter will sweep them out.
• Australia
16 Apr 13
Hello Pointless! Such a weird phobia to have. Although I was looking up phobias tonight and learned some real bizarre ones. haha well if my dad or brother is in the house I will ask them to do it but if I am home alone then I have to do it by myself. I can't sit there knowing a spider is on the loose. Thank you very much for answering. :)
@Raine38 (12391)
• United States
16 Apr 13
Oh I don't like spiders! I'm sacred of them, actually anything that crawls and feels creepy is something that I am not a big fan of. Anyway, while I don't really like them, I also don't like squishing them. Like you, I would rather send them out of the house than flush them or squish them. OFtentimes, if I see one in the bathroom, I will just let them be as long as they don't try to get near me. Soon enough, they will get out and I will be fine. But trouble will start as soon as they decide to crawl near me.
• Australia
18 Apr 13
Hello Raine! haha yeah I don't like any type of bug crawling on me. I don't really know if anyone else does this but if a bug crawls on me or I accidentally stand on a bug I wash my skin straight away lol I fell dirty if one touches me. It is nice of you to try and put them outside instead of killing it. :) Thank you so very much for answering. :)
• Singapore
17 Apr 13
I am not sure how serious it is, but if this bothers you you might want to check with a doctor if you have arachnophobia. Otherwise if it isn't causing any real inconvenience just dismiss it as a fear of potentially harmful creatures, it is good to be careful especially in Australia where you have so many poisonous spiders and snakes:)
• Australia
18 Apr 13
Hello rocketking! I am not sure if I have arachnophobia. Only because, I do cringe and go all weird when I see a spider but if I am brave enough to try and catch it with something then I am not sure it's that bad. Yeah Australia is just awesome for heaps of deadly animals haha but where I live isn't bad. It's more in the outback you should be scared of. The scariest things I have seen my own life around my house is a spider called "Redback Spider" and I once saw a brown snake at the beach but other than that, I haven't seen many scary and dangerous animals. Thank you very much for answering. :)