DunRoaminTheUK

I'd be inclined to be more scared of the little person dressed in the pink t-shirt, just to your left.

We have one of these in our house and he scares the beejesus out of us at times!

Catfucius

Thats sounds like a really good idea and it seems to work,think this will go on the top of my list of 'things to do' before i get there

Bernieboy

Dont know who looks scarier,you or the spider,think i would take my chances with the 8 legged one

marvinc

I packed 'dangerous animals of Australia' when we vallidated and saw nothing except at the zoo............ however we did stay with friends in Victoria and on of their kids had a Huntsman in their room but it really didn't hurry itself and they just leave them alone to take care of the other ones. They had about 50 pairs of shoes kept outside on the back porch, nobody shock their shoes before putting them on LOL

I'm scared to death of W.... (things that live in the dirt and come up when it rains), running away screaming works for me

The Randalls

Well that's charming isn't it!!!
That's why I said it wasn't a good photo - I have much better one's!

Catfucius

I know what you mean, ive been somewhere where they had horses and always put their wellies on before going out to feed , did they ever check them? no!! , id need to be very pis*ed or deranged to do that cos im such a scaredy cat ...

W's that live in the dirt and come up when it rains? could that be wikkle tiny spiders!! ha ha ..i have a fixation on them! the other W's i could pick up and sit on my face......

Bernieboy

If you say so

LittleKittyCat

I am really glad that someone else has posted a post that I have been thinking about posting for a few days!

We are hoping to relocate to Sydney area with my hubbys job at some point in the next 9 months or so, and are coming to visit at the end of August for a couple of weeks. I am absolutely terrified of spiders . I have no idea where it comes from, although I do know it started about the same time that I started to get panic attacks (had a terrible hospital experience followed two weeks later by my fathers unexpected death - started to have panic attacks after this probably due to stress, although I don't have them any more). At one point I couldn't even bear to be in the same room as one. However, since the conversations about Australia have started I am much better. The other day there was a biggie in the bath and I just left it (until bath time that was when I got hubby to move her), and I was painting the back of the house the other day and came across a biggie behind the water tap. I just left her there and worked round her- not something I could have done a few months ago. I couldn't touch one unless it was tiny.

I am working on a principal of exposure will get me used to them, although I did download a Paul McKenna "Get rid of your fear of spiders" thing from his website which I will try before we go.

Interested to hear about the course at London Zoo, although I'm not sure how I'd be able to go as I have a baby which I am 'tied' to at the moment if you know what I mean.

I keep trying to pluck up the courage to look at pictures on the internet to try and desensitise myself but I haven't so far - I don't want bad dreams! The funny thing is that I have a degree in Zoology, and never used to be frightened. Logically I know the fear is silly, however, if I see one my heart starts thumping, I shake and my mouth goes dry.

Could anyone please give some practical advice on how to deal with them because if I am prepared and know what to do/not do (for example checking shoes before putting them on/what to do if one of us is bitten etc) I am sure that I'll be fine.

Please don't take the micky! Everyone I know has already done it!

The Randalls

Are you in the habit of insulting people?
If so, it's working - thanks for your input...

Bernieboy

Sorry

The Randalls

Should think so too!
You don't even know me.. if you did, you'd know I am not photogenic.
Only put it on to help Catfucious

Bernieboy

You look stunning and would make any spider happy to sit in your hand

Catfucius

and i appreciate it very much! thank you for posting it..

Catfucius

You know im amazed at how many of us have this fear , as for the majority of my (our) lives we have lived in a country where our spiders are relatively small ...i would love to know what triggers it

Ive looked at loads of images on the net and have to hide behind my hand and peek through fingers then gradually remove my fingers to get a full frontal and if i then imagine that it is in the same room as me my brain starts to go haywire,,,so i have to learn to deal with them in the room walking /running/watching (waiting ) and ultimately finding the courage to remove it...how the heck im going to do that, at this stage,i have no idea...but i think i will be visiting the london zoo course when the time comes even though i live at the other end of the country....its just got to be cracked !!

Lettik

I hear ya!! phobic to hyperventilating on occasion! I have got better since talking with a psychologist a few years ago (don't know how like...) and providing its not too big can now (taking about half an hour) place a glass over it and maybe remove it if the card is thick enough. If its on a wall, I've been known to stand glued, panting looking at it for ages before placing glass over it and then can't move!!.....even at that, it can't be higher than me for me to do this.

I've not arrived in Aus yet, but what I'm doing is looking at our common spiders (if they aren't huge) and going up close for a look. My theory is that if I can understand the small ones, and even by the time I go pick one up then maybe the big ones in oz won't seem quite so scary.....I'm probably totally kidding myself, but worth a try.

I'd like, well maybe like isn't the right word, to try the zoo thing, but I live in Ireland.

For some reason wolf spiders are the things that have me quaking - don't they carry their babies on their backs or something..... huntsmens are mostly legs aren't they? like a big house spider you get here???

Snakes, sharks anything else - bring it on!!