We had a visitor last night...open at your own risk!

[Pigeon]

Surprisingly, spiders don't bother me (although he's a biggie!). Now if that were a lizzard or a snake, I would've jumped out of my skin!

Funny, isn't it. I love lizards and snakes, but hate bugs.

 

[Imzadi]

How did it get in the first time?!?

Last week I had the crud scared out of my by one of the little jumping spiders we get here. The things are the size of a thin marker dot but can jump about a foot and move fast as lightening... gives me the shivers just thinking about it! EEK! Spiders are coming early this year.

Spiders JUMP!

I love coming to AZ for Sedona, the Grand Canyon and Monument Valley. Hmmm, I may have to rethink this now.

 

[chamonix]

When we had a house in Arizona we had tarantulas in the house many many times. (we tend to leave the slider doors open a lot) They're not scary to me at all. We just scoop them up and take them back outside. I didn't care so much for the wolf spiders, those things are fast and jump at you! Still, we're a catch and release kind of family.

Thankfully we never had a rattler come in, but if you see one of those in your yard, garage, etc you just call the fire dept and they come get those to relocate them.

I did get a bit creeped out once when making the bed one morning and found a tarantula on the wall right behind my pillow.

 

[pigletgirl]

I love coming to AZ for Sedona, the Grand Canyon and Monument Valley. Hmmm, I may have to rethink this now.

Oh don't be scared! Just don't put your hand in dark places...

 

[SadieDog]

When we had a house in Arizona we had tarantulas in the house many many times. (we tend to leave the slider doors open a lot) They're not scary to me at all. We just scoop them up and take them back outside. I didn't care so much for the wolf spiders, those things are fast and jump at you! Still, we're a catch and release kind of family.

Thankfully we never had a rattler come in, but if you see one of those in your yard, garage, etc you just call the fire dept and they come get those to relocate them.

I did get a bit creeped out once when making the bed one morning and found a tarantula on the wall right behind my pillow.

Holy Crap! This post about did me in.

 

[lacrosse_lady72]

They say that during your lifetime you "eat" 8 to 10 spiders and other insects while sleeping.

I think you'd know if that sucker was trying to crawl in your mouth.

I thought that was per year.

 

[JulielovesDisney]

When we had a house in Arizona we had tarantulas in the house many many times. (we tend to leave the slider doors open a lot) They're not scary to me at all. We just scoop them up and take them back outside. I didn't care so much for the wolf spiders, those things are fast and jump at you! Still, we're a catch and release kind of family.

Thankfully we never had a rattler come in, but if you see one of those in your yard, garage, etc you just call the fire dept and they come get those to relocate them.

I did get a bit creeped out once when making the bed one morning and found a tarantula on the wall right behind my pillow.

I would literally throw up, then pack my crap and leave if I ever found a tarantula on the wall behind my pillow.

 

[kellydizfan]

We have wood spiders that big here and they are horrible to kill. I haven't seen one that big in years. They do make a mess when you kill them. We had one come out of a recliner just after I got up out of it - talk about scream!

 

[luvflorida]

A few things we have learned from living in Arizona:

1. The rivers have no water in them. In southern Arizona, anyway.
2. It is hotter than you-know-where in the summer.
3. It is NEVER a good idea to walk around barefoot outside.
4. ALWAYS check your shoes before putting them on. I wear flip flops, so I'm safe!
5. ALWAYS pull back the bedcovers and look carefully before getting in.
6. NEVER reach into dark spaces without looking first!
7. Did I mention it is hotter than you-know-where?

 

[Planogirl]

I wouldn't want one inside but I like spiders. I'm always amazed at people who keep them as pets and pick them up. I bet that it feels weird.

 

[BernardandMissBianca]

It's like living in Hawaii. We had a centipedes and bufo toads that were both poisonous.
The centipedes were NASTY!!!! They used to crawl up the shower drains all the time.

 

[nicolita3]

Yeah my husband would have actually been happy. We have three pet tarantulas he probably would have made it one more to the collection.

 

[C.Ann]

I will gladly take the bears over that spider ANY day!!!

 

[Elmo9607]

I would rather have the bear too!! At least I won't find a bear crawling on me in my bed at night!!

One day I was putzing around in the basement and found a wolf spider (at least it looked like one) scrunched up against the wall. I screeched and got up as close as I could while still being safe then ran away. It was slightly larger than a silver dollar (with legs). I told my mom about it and she gave me the can of Raid and told me to go kill it and get rid of it.

Omg. I finally managed to spray it in the classic "stand far away as possible, turn head, aim, and spray!". As soon as I did, it got all huge and stood up on it's hind legs and I swear to this day it lunged out at me. I was hysterical...I tossed the can and ran out of the room as fast as I could!

It kind of crawled around in a stupor for awhile...and I mean awhile...about 45 minutes before it finally gave up and died. I had my dad pick up the carcass when he got home just in case it came back to life when I went to pick it up!

So yea...spiders and me do NOT mix!

 

[Jennasis]

Sweet googa mooga! That's a big spider. If I encountered something like that I would have to dial 911...ya know...to rescuscitate me.

 

[Imzadi]

Oh don't be scared! Just don't put your hand in dark places...

That is NOT reassuring me.

What about the JUMPING spiders?

Here, we have HUGE water bugs, that are about 2" long. They look like big Egyptian scarab beetles, and they WILL fly right at you.

Their shell also makes such a large crunchy noise when you whack them with the side of a broom, that is louder than the scream coming from inside your head. But, they do not jump.

 

[C.Ann]

I would rather have the bear too!! At least I won't find a bear crawling on me in my bed at night!!

One day I was putzing around in the basement and found a wolf spider (at least it looked like one) scrunched up against the wall. I screeched and got up as close as I could while still being safe then ran away. It was slightly larger than a silver dollar (with legs). I told my mom about it and she gave me the can of Raid and told me to go kill it and get rid of it.

Omg. I finally managed to spray it in the classic "stand far away as possible, turn head, aim, and spray!". As soon as I did, it got all huge and stood up on it's hind legs and I swear to this day it lunged out at me. I was hysterical...I tossed the can and ran out of the room as fast as I could!

It kind of crawled around in a stupor for awhile...and I mean awhile...about 45 minutes before it finally gave up and died. I had my dad pick up the carcass when he got home just in case it came back to life when I went to pick it up!

So yea...spiders and me do NOT mix!

Thank you so very much for sharing that wonderful, detailed, action-packed experience with all of us.. And NOW I have to go to bed in awhile - up here at the lake in the mountains (where I live alone 7 to 8 months out of the year) - where spiders seem to feel they are my "bestest friends" - are always popping out of every crack and crevice - and I don't even HAVE a can of RAID!!!!

Thanks - thanks a LOT!

Seriously, my Dson-in-law (whose only fear in life is flying), came across one of those spiders you described in the basement of my old house, smashed it with a shovel, and took off like the wind.. Come to think of it - he was pretty darn close to flying - WITHOUT an airplane!!

 

[Elmo9607]

Thank you so very much for sharing that wonderful, detailed, action-packed experience with all of us.. And NOW I have to go to bed in awhile - up here at the lake in the mountains (where I live alone 7 to 8 months out of the year) - where spiders seem to feel they are my "bestest friends" - are always popping out of every crack and crevice - and I don't even HAVE a can of RAID!!!!

Thanks - thanks a LOT!

Seriously, my Dson-in-law (whose only fear in life is flying), came across one of those spiders you described in the basement of my old house, smashed it with a shovel, and took off like the wind.. Come to think of it - he was pretty darn close to flying - WITHOUT an airplane!!

Omg GET SOME RAID, GET SOME RAID!!!!

Funny...since I typed that story I suddenly feel like there's things crawling on me...EEEEEK!!

 

[C.Ann]

Sweet googa mooga! That's a big spider. If I encountered something like that I would have to dial 911...ya know...to rescuscitate me.

Ditto.. Actually, it would probably be too late for them to rescuscitate me..

 

[luvflorida]

O...M...G!!!!! He's baaaaaaaack!

I was hoping not to ever see it again. The first night I wasn't too bothered by it, but tonight it was RIGHT UP AGAINST THE FRONT DOOR!! That's just a bit too close for my liking. My husband and daughter went out for ice cream (yes, again) and when they got back I heard a tap on the door and went over to open it. I looked down and the tarantula was right there. If he had moved forward, he would have stepped right inside.

I quickly shut the door, and shot my husband a horrified look through the window. I shouted at him, asking him why in the heck he knocked on the door. He yelled back that he tapped on the window so I would look out first and NOT open the door. The two of them were standing outside pointing toward the garage so that I would open the garage door for them to enter the house.

I couldn't stand knowing that the tarantula was right outside the door, so I went out with a broom to shoo him away. I shooed him all the way across the street to an area without houses. Yeah, I still can't believe I did that! Nobody else was willing to do it, and I just had to get rid of it.

I had read somewhere that tarantulas can not climb walls or move very fast. Well, let me state for the record that tarantulas CAN climb walls and they CAN move fast!!!! This one did both.

The good news is that he is now far away. The bad news is that we all agree that it wasn't the same tarantula that was here the other night.

I seriously am not liking this.