Wildlife UK Forum - Discuss the UK countryside and wildlife

One of my favourite things about the winter months is that all the spiders go into hiding! And I have rarely come across one.

I would probably say I suffer from mild arachnophobia and become quite helpless in the presence of a spider that may be blocking a daily activity. E.g. If it is in the bathroom I cannot have a shower until someone has got rid of it.

Yesterday I saw my first spider of the year on the banistair and I had difficulty travelling up and down the stairs all day so I thought I should try and start doing something about this fear.

Any suggestions? Or any ideas of humanely removing spiders myself without coming into contact with them? (Using a glass would be too close!)

I think it's difficult for people are aren't genuinely scared of spiders to imagine what it is like being truly scared of them. I don't like them, but just seeing one won't put me off doing something in my house, so I guess I'm lucky!

You can get these spider catcher things which are long sticks with a soft "claw" on the end that allows you to pick up the spider from a distance. If you want to get rid of your fear though, I think there is only one real way!

If you pick one up once then you won't ever be really scared again, because you will see that they are harmless.

Spiders are fascinating, watch Sir David Attenborough's, "Life in the Undergrowth"---"The silk Spinners"---and you will be blown away(well I was anyway!) and how amazing they are..........If you aren't afraid to watch it that is!!

Like Riana I would say hold the spider, they are harmless.

One thing that can be helpful is to look at photos of spiders. Stay calm when you look at them. Learn breathing techniques which can lower your stress level when looking at the photos. Once you can look at the photos without panicking, try something like going to a pet shop, and look at their tarantulas. Remember to relax! The idea is to control your exposure, allowing you to become de-sensitized.

Kingfisher

Thanks for your help guys. Riana, any idea where I can get one of these 'soft claws' from?

Kingfisher, I will try the pictures. At the moment I cant even deal with plastic spiders!! So wish me luck with staying calm

I also agree with The Stoop, a fear or something often comes from not knowing enough about it. They really are fascinating creatures once you get to know a bit about them.

Oh my, that's difficult! Yes, try the photos and see if that doesn't help.

Kingfisher

I am just the same as you Sunshine,just thinking about spiders make me shudder.
I think it is because they move so fast and pop out from somewhere when you are not looking.
I can cope with them in the garden but not indoors

I think they sell them at most big pet shops. Alternatively you could have a look on the internet!

I'm not too bad with spiders - I used to be terrified of them - but now I can take them out quite easily - it's only the big black house spiders I scream over now, they move like lightening across the floor! Eeeekkkk!!!!

Ok made a bit of progress since I last wrote. I went over to babysit my nephews and one of the toys they had out were plastic creepy crawlies including a spider that you could wind up and it moved!
But I had to pretend I was ok about it all, otherwise if they found out I was scared, they'd probably chase me with them. And so because I was forced to be calm, the plastic spiders didn't bother me at all!
I mean I wouldn't have played with one myself, but still...baby steps lol

Excellent! You see, you CAN do it!

Kingfisher

Well done sunshine, that is a great lesson you have learnt and can apply to life in general. It is interesting when we have to be brave or set an example to little ones how it can help us.
I have a similar problem as this with snakes and can really relate to you. No matter how often I would see them behind glass in zoo or wildlife parks, they used to freak me out. I have tried watching nature shows on tv but that is too frightening, and so I find just trying to keep them at a distance and not forcing them on myselves in pictures or programs helps. Luckily it is easier to avoid them in general life than spiders but so long as I keep my distance and not force myself to get close, I find I am naturally becoming less sensitive to the pictures etc. and even in the woods! Knowing they are not out to harm me and staying calm and centred helps so much, eventually my idiot mind that created this loop is losing its grip on me. Who knows, one day I might find them beautiful!!

I think that is a very good thought to keep in your head, that they are not going to hurt you, but I do know that can be difficult! Well done sunshine for making that first step, lots of little steps like that and before you know it you wont be scared anymore

I'm generally ok with them, except the one that I found in the planetarium I work in.
Was the size of my palm and was crawling about in the semi darkness. The bloke with me was as equally squemish about touching it so we got a work collegue to remove. He would'nt pick it up though so got it on some paper and took it outside.
I have to admit it was the biggest spider that I've seen in this country. The fear factor could have been because it was in semi darkness and I could'nt see it properly. Once it was outside I was quite happy to look at it.
Even so I still find them fascinating animals and will quite happily remove them if need be. Theres been a few of the largish black ones that have wandered into the flat over the last few months but they just seem to hang around on the wall for a bit and disappear off.
I used to be terrified of them but once I had to move one, I did'nt want to kill it, and realised that actually it was ok.
I do hope that you get over your fear of spiders. It is hard when you have a phobia about something.
Mines the dentist. :S