Can't say I get asked that every day! So I laughed...and said "You mean spiders?" because I thought that's what that word meant, but the whole questian was a little unexpected.
So HERE is where YOUR opinion counts: Should we take in this "tame" tarantula that has been their family pet for many years, but is now needing a new home as their teen boys are very busy with other things?
Now before you think I'm just one stop short of the Looney Bin, let me explain...
If you had asked me a few years ago to take in such a pet, my reply would have been
"NO WAY!!!!"
However, my boys are now 10 and 8, and this would be a pretty unique pet to have...a little bit unusual compared to the "normal" pet of a dog or a cat.
And we were planning on putting a fish tank in their room. So we could do the taratula instead.
So I told him I would talk to hubby about it...only I haven't. It completely slipped my mind...honestly.
I think I'm afraid I'll agree, but then when the day of reckoning is actually here and I see that hairy little (or rather big) creature, I will be totally creeped out. In fact, just writing about it has done that.
I'm hoping that when we bring it up to our boys, they will say NO because it will just creep them out to have it in their room; that they won't be able to sleep with it in there...after all, that's what they said when I put the lullaby CD on in their room.
But then, you can't really compare the two, can you?
UPDATE: We have decided a trip to observe the tarantula is in order ; both to see if it's one of those super-ugly ones, and to see if the boys are still saying they want it after seeing it in person...stay tuned;)
16 comments:
My first reaction was "NO WAY! Are you nuts?" But as I continued reading, I remembered my mother and my hamster. She said no to my getting one for a long time, but she finally gave in and let me have one -- with conditions. I was not allowed to take it out of my dad's office where it lived. Then it got out one day (I won't say how!) and crawled into the ductwork and died. Oh, the horrible, horrible smell in our KITCHEN! Yet my sweet mother let me get another one, and she even let it live in my room.
Maybe you should let them get the spider, although I have to agree that I hope they don't want it! Of course, spiders are better than snakes. Ugh!!
If your hub says 'yes', I say-- go for it.
I would do it, IF I had some way to lock it down. Some of my kids would never let it out, but one or two just might 'sorta forget'. (And that is not a critter that I want in my face waking me up!)
If nothing else, keep it a while and pass it on. Neat homeschool project!?!?
I have 2 animal-loving kids. One wants to be a vet when he grows up so I would say -YES.
NIKKI: We too have the hamster stories, including one that died from eating an unknown substance...my daughter just couldn't resist letting the little furry things out of their cage!
DONNA: I like the idea of using it as a homeschool project/study, it's just the worry of it getting let out (accidently of course...), that DOES scare me a bit!
And thanks for stopping by:)
Oh my goodness I would pass out if such a thing were in my home but I could see the Professor absolutely loving this!!
Ummmmmm........NOOOOOO!!! okay, it's my opinion and you asked.
Whatever you do is fine by your viewing auidence.......but not in my house. I do not like creepy crawlies. hubby would literally pass out!
Blessings and keep us posted!
No. Absolutely not. Dogs, cats, fish, yes. Nothing else. Not even a ferret...they stink. =)
By the way...I've tagged you for a meme...visit the address below for more details...
http://mrsnespysworld.blogspot.com/2008/04/tag-im-it.html
NO.WAY.NO.HOW.
NOT.UNDER.ANY.CIRCUMSTANCES.
;)
HaHaHa...I thought this would stir up strong feelings.
Marva, I too hate creepy crawlies, though some more than others.
Mrs.Darling, this would actually be the Artist's department; it's the Professor who will probably be too creeped out by it.
Mrs.Nespy, I'll check that out:) And isn't a ferret in the rat family? We already have mice...though NOT as pets!
Where's everyones (well, the last 3 of you) sense of adventure? LoL
I'll keep you posted;)
And not to leave Angela out..who also made her feelings quite clear:)
Although I have to warn her, having kids will do strange things to you, especially boys. Before you know it, you have multiple containers of beetles, snakes,and lizards. Although my rule with those is OUTSIDE only. And we let them go after a day or two of observation, LoL.
Oh dear... I'm afraid there is NO WAY I'd want that hairy thing in my home... boys or no boys!! Of course, I'm a girly-girl with 2 little daughters so tarantulas are not exactly "our thing". :oP
BUT, objectively speaking: If your hubby thinks it's a good idea, and your boys would like it, AND there was a way to KEEP it in its cage (or wherever you put those things!) then maybe you should go for it. Maybe. :o)
~Kristy @ Homemaker's Cottage
Well..........I have a 10 year old son who is begging for one of those things and I say "NO WAY!!!" I just know if he got one, it would get out somehow and I would be the one who came across it. I don't like anything that crawls, unless its a baby.
You're a brave soul indeed, if you take this critter in.LOL
I'm arachnophobic, but for some reason tarantulas don't freak me out. I think because they are big, not little and sneaky-creepy like the small spiders. You want to be careful in handling them, though--they are sort of like water balloons, and you know what happens when you drop a water balloon.
BTW, if you want to get your kids the best, sweetest, cleanest, most friendly pet ever, get a rat.
Stop laughing!!! I'm not kidding! Rats make the best pets!
This is for Mrs. Nespy: I currently have 2 ferrets and I love them so much. Yeah, they're a little musky, but they don't 'stink,' LOL!
Oh, gosh, I'm sorry for my 3rd response. I didn't see your response to Mrs. Nespy. To answer your question, no ferrets are not even closely related to rats. They are not rodents, but something called 'mustiladae,' which I am sure I have spelled wrong. They are related to weasels and minks and otters. Now, come on...don't you think playful little otters are cute???? Ferrets are hysterically funny and playful. Besides, they also sleep 20 hours out of the day, which makes them easy to care for. (Not cheap, though--the initial startup between the animal, food, cage and first vet visit could run you $400 easily. Most of my ferrets have been rescues, so at least I didn't have to pay for them.)
And I STILL say rats make the best pets!
I promise I won't post a 4th response. It's time to go to bed.
Mom2fur: you're a commentor after my own heart! It's always hard for me to understand why people are hesitant to comment on blogs, I do it to extreme with multiple comments:) My niece has a pet rat that she's quite fond of...I guess I just think of them as close to mice, my mortal enemies because they keep getting into my house from the back field- Hubby found 3 of them in one cupboard drawer this week!!!
This is the way I look at it: my home is my territory. Just like any animal, I will defend it against invaders...and that includes bugs and rodents. Rats make great pets (better than hamsters, if you ask me--hamsters are nasty) but that doesn't mean I want wild ones in my yard! This is why I got a new cat after my cat of 20 years passed away in 2000. We were cat-less for a while, then one day I looked out into my yard and saw this big rat contentedly eating the bird seed that had fallen from the feeder. It was so cocky that when I went out to shoo it away, it sat up and just looked at me! Now, squirrels, I love. I feed them peanuts. But squirrels are a few at a time. Rats can have 20 babies in a litter. I was imagining 20 babies all growing up and having more litters...under my deck.
Time to get a cat, LOL! So you see, I love rats as pets (although I don't have one right now) but not as pests!
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