Anonymous Student
Molly Tenenbaum
English 101
12 August 2014
Article in Pets section of The Seattle Times
Giant Spiders: Turn Your Nightmares into Friends
Every year, in late summer or early fall, many of us in the Puget Sound area are dismayed to encounter the Eratigena atrica, or giant house spider, marching confidently through our homes. These spiders are large, fast, and agile, and enough to scare anyone who is uncomfortable around arachnids. Granted, if you've lived in the area long enough, perhaps you are used to them by now. Perhaps you even like them and appreciate their ability to keep other pests at bay. But for the vast majority of people I've spoken to, those that have crossed paths with a giant house spider have been anything but appreciative.
But why are we so afraid of them? Despite extensive searching in the past, I have been unable to find any reliably documented cases of these spiders ever causing any harm. Their venom is not potent enough to cause much damage to a human.And like most spiders, they help to protect us from insects that may cause a nuisance. So, they do not harm us and are in fact a benefit. We can know this, and understand it from a logical standpoint, and yet still be terrified of them. This fear is rooted in a lack of familiarity.
Unfortunately, the more we fear them, the less likely we will be to allow them to continue to scurry about our homes unchallenged. If we see one, we run for the vacuum cleaner. And just like that, our little eight-legged friend is gone, and we have lost the opportunity to become more familiar with it and in doing so decrease our fear. So my advice to you is this: The next time you see a giant house spider, instead of immediately killing it, capture it. Any small plastic container with slick sides, such as a Tupperware, will suffice. Simply place it over the spider, slide a sheet of paper under it, and slide the lid of the container under that. Then, pull the sheet of paper out and seal the container, with your new companion safely inside. Although the actions themselves are quick and easy, this is most likely the hardest part, and requires a great deal of courage. If you're having difficulty, take a deep breath, and remind yourself that the spider is physically incapable of hurting you. If you're lucky enough to have a friend who does not share your fear, perhaps you could ask them to capture one for you. Despite their ability to move quickly, these spiders are often very cooperative while being captured. And once you've got one, the fun part begins.
Move your spider to a safe and comfortable location. Avoid direct sunlight. Ensure that your spider can breathe. This may require poking air holes in its container, or transferring it to a new container. Transferring a spider can be done easily by simply turning its original container upside-down over the new home. If you do think this will be necessary, I advise doing this as soon as possible after capture.Waiting may allow it to spin a web that it will cling to, making the transfer more difficult. Once you are done, give the spider (and yourself!) a little bit of time to calm down.
Once your spider is settled in, it's time to see about caring for it. First, get it some water. They will drink from droplets on the ground around them or in their web, and I have also observed them sucking on damp paper towels. To provide the spider with water, simply sprinkle water around it or place a damp paper towel near it. Watching a spider sucking down a water droplet or holding the corner of a paper towel in its mouth can be very endearing.
Water is far more important than food. In my experience, however, feeding the spider is one of the most fascinating aspects of keeping one as a pet, so I suggest doing it at least once. Capture any small insect, or even another (smaller) spider, and place it into your spider's enclosure. To help you build a closer relationship with your spider, try to feed it an insect that you dislike. I have flies come into my house often, and these annoying creatures make excellent spider snacks. Once it notices the prey, you get the thrill of observing as your spider pounces on its prey and settles down for a meal. In addition to being exciting, this experience can help solidify the idea in your mind that a giant house spider's fangs are for killing pests, not for hurting you.
Over time, by living with one in a safe and controlled way, your fear of these little animals will fade. Getting there is hard, though, and many of you might not be willing to try it. After all, spiders are scary! Why would you ever want to keep one around? Well, unfortunately for your nerves, these spiders are here to stay. They are thriving in this habitat. Some companies may advertise the ability to keep spiders at bay, but this rarely works in practice. You cannot avoid this fear, but with a little courage, you can conquer it.
But maybe you don't want to conquer it. Maybe you think a fear of spiders leads to a lack of bites. Maybe you think a project like this would only be exposing yourself to a dangerous animal. Again, I remind you that the giant house spider is not harmful to humans, and even the hobo spider is only considered dangerous by some, and is definitely not lethal. Additionally, spiders do not bite randomly or out of spite. Bites occur when a human has trapped a spider against their skin, and that is definitely not what you are doing here. Remember, while keeping a spider, there is no need for you to ever touch it.
If you’re worried about the morality of keeping a spider trapped, remember that your original plan was probably to kill it. And if your plan was to spare the spider by putting it outside, think again, because house spiders do not belong outdoors and cannot survive there for long. If you don't want it wandering your house and are intent on being kind, rest assured that a contained and cared for spider will be perfectly happy, and often live longer than it would in the wild.
So, now that you know a fun, safe, and easy way to get over your fear of spiders and develop an understanding of them, get out there and find yourself a container for your future companion! Next time a giant house spider waltzes past you, you'll be ready.
Biography of the author:
Anonymous Student has always had a fascination with all living things around her. She moved to Seattle when she was fifteen, and spent much of the next three years learning about the flora and fauna in her new home, but was always particularly intrigued by the horror stories she heard of monstrous spiders invading homes. She immediately set about learning all she could concerning giant house spiders, and kept many as pets during the summer and fall.