Spiders are amazing animals. Their web weaving skills make them true animal architects and as a hunter they would surely rival a lion with their stealth and speed, albeit on a miniature scale. I really do appreciate these masterpieces of evolution, but they still completely freak me out. So much so that when I found a daddy long legs had joined me on a late night drive, I pulled over, got out of my car and walked home. I should mention that I did ask a few passersby to deal with the unwelcome hitchhiker before abandoning my vehicle, however if you need help with spider removal, you may want to give Grey Lynn a miss.
Being a spider phobic means that I do understand that some people have an aversion to certain animals, but does this really make them ugly?
Within my own animal collection, those that get the most negative, not to mention spectacular reactions from the public would be the rats, mice and lizards. Some people will put on quite a show, telling me how truly ugly and disgusting they are, making scary faces and shuddering dramatically.
As well as being part of my work, these animals are my pets, so I sometimes find myself a little put out by this public dissing. Of more consequence though is that these displays are often witnessed by their children, resulting in a healthy fascination quickly turning into fear and suspicion.
