OrbWeaver on 8/5/2006 at 20:40
Quote Posted by Gingerbread Man
Crawly things -- when crawly on me -- bypass my higher-order brain function and activate the KILL IT area, located somewhere in the reptilian subcortical structures between HAVE SEX WITH THAT and RUN AWAY RUN AWAY. I live in fear of the day when those areas short-circuit, but so far no problems.
Well when you do decide to have sex with one instead, remember that their sex organs are in fact the two small leg-like things at the front, called pedipalps (and if they are large and bulbous, that's a male).
Gingerbread Man on 8/5/2006 at 20:49
Quote Posted by Tulsidas
These pets live in a garage? :wot: You know, that'd actually explain quite a few things.
No, they do not. Nor is the spider indigenous to the garage. Therefore I assume it is quite handy with the whole "getting in and out of the garage" routine. Which means it could easily wander around the yard, or even come into the house.
The yard and inside the house are where my pets typically like to live. The chance of them accidentally encountering this spider is too great for my comfort, especially considering that it's big enough that the cats / dogs would likely want to investigate the beast up close or (more dangerous) decide to find out what it tastes like.
I don't know what vet bills for infected bites are like in India, but around here it's more than my salary will bear. More importantly it's more than my conscience would bear knowing that I did nothing to prevent one of my pets from harm because I was too busy being compassionate to an arachnid that I have no responsibilities for in the slightest and didn't order anyway.
Besides. Fuck spiders. Fuck them right in their spinnerets. Evil sodding things. I think they're beautiful and wonderful creatures, but I also think most infectious diseases are beautiful and wonderful creatures when I see them under a microsope. Doesn't mean I'm keen to let them survive near me.
TBE on 8/5/2006 at 21:05
Here's my conversation with things I find in my garage. Insert the animal name of your choice.
Hello spider! Meet shovel! Bam!!!!!!!!!!
I've had a huge infestation of hornets or wasps in the last few months. Spray is getting expensive, so I whack them with my shovel, or my mini Louisville Slugger aluminum (aluminium for you weirdos) tire thumper.
Schattentänzer on 8/5/2006 at 21:45
Well, as long as they don't bother me, they can dance rumba or play golf or something. I pretty much employ the same housing rules as GBM, and actually enjoy the odd orb-weaver in front of my window (Unfortunately, the most spectacular we've got here are Diadematus, cross spiders).
In this case I join the GIVE PEACE A CHANCE faction, but mostly because I'm curious to what kind of girl GBM holds in his garage (and judging from his size description, I'll assume it's female for now).
So, hot noodie pics plz!
Tulsidas on 8/5/2006 at 21:52
Quote Posted by Gingerbread Man
Siddhartha himself would fucking pulverise a huge spider if you put one in his shirt.
That's what probably separates people like Buddh and Jesus from us. You're not really expecting anyone to believe this, are you? Neither do you yourself. This comes off more as a lame attempt to nail the discussion. Heh, for all your christmas, easter celebrations, the fact remains that you don't give a fig about the salient parts of his teachings.
Quote Posted by Gingerbread Man
Compassion only goes so far, and it sure as hell can't override the reptilian brain.
And that's what separates us from these critters. Animals react in defense, to what
they think could be a possible threat. Humans, on the other hand, have this ability to analyze a situation, to judge whether something is
really capable of harming them. And even if it is, how to avoid it best. Surely, killing would be the last option a sensible man would choose? Any lamer can squish a spider; Are
you that kind of a person?
The rest sounds more like a longer, more colourful version of what theLink said, and i don't choose to comment on it, for obvious reasons.
Gingerbread Man on 8/5/2006 at 21:55
Since there's no real news on the Purple Spider Front (other than the fact that I found what I think is its web, and it's a big sheet-like funnelweb kind of affair, but up in a corner of the ceiling), I would like to take this opportunity to say how much I love the little jumping spiders we get in the gardens here.
As far as the "humans can analyse and choose an action" laffo goes, it's just basic neuroscience. The core structures of the brain fire faster, more powerfully, and more directly than the cortical malarky. You cannot override purely instinctive behaviour, it simply isn't physically possible. It takes milliseconds for you to suppress that shit and start being rational, and by that time it's far too late. (lol gross over-simplification -- arguments will be ignored because it's so obvious that I'm reducing things for the sake of making an easy point)
In any situation where you get all instinctive and then rein yourself in enough to modify your response, you weren't dealing with a purely instinctive reaction to begin with. Usually these things are modified by very basic processes of recognition and association -- so long-standing exposure and understanding of a spider for example might be sufficient to take the bite out of the startle response just enough to allow you to get a grip -- but even that's not a foregone conclusion. I am perfectly familiar with the idea of other humans, and I am 100% familiar with a) my brother's appearance and b) the fact that he is occasionally in this house... but that doesn't stop me from making a primal noise and going all adrenaline when he jumps out from behind a door at me.
Doesn't stop him from getting a punch in the head, either. Though I will admit that part is usually completely premeditated.
I don't hold humans in any higher regard than the rest of the animal kingdom, and I have always thought the "we are qualitatively better than them" attitude to be utterly stupid, false, and missing the point entirely. I celebrate the fact that I am a different sort of animal to the others, I don't try to puff up my ego by thinking I'm better.
Vigil on 8/5/2006 at 22:00
When you're finished being smug here Tulsidas, I have some very vicious looking lima beans I'd like your opinion on. I've tried removing them from my pantry but they reappear the very next night. While they do not yet have legs they appear very menacing and I think they may pose a threat to myself and my family.
What would Buddha do?
Tulsidas on 8/5/2006 at 22:01
Quote Posted by Gingerbread Man
I don't know what vet bills for infected bites are like in India, but around here it's more than my salary will bear. More importantly it's more than my conscience would bear knowing that I did nothing to prevent one of my pets from harm because I was too busy being compassionate to an arachnid that I have no responsibilities for in the slightest and didn't order anyway.
Just locate it and
spray it with water. Believe me, you don't have to
kill it to save your pets; unless of course, you are the kind of person who judges animals and people on the basis of their looks.:thumb:
Printer's Devil on 8/5/2006 at 22:08
I poked around some truly nightmarish "pet" vendor websites and found a likely culprit: an Ecuador Purple Tree Spider. I can't find much information on it, beyond the hideous image below.
Inline Image:
http://midwestexoticpetcenter.com/db4/00396/midwestexoticpetcenter.com/_uimages/PurpleTreeSpider.jpgBeing a member of the tarantula family, it should be fairly large and taratulas tend to spin funnelwebs when they bother to spin (IIRC).
P.S. I agree on the jumping spiders. How they manage to be cute
and a spider at the same time, I can't say. One lived in my car's sideview mirror housing for a while.
Tulsidas on 8/5/2006 at 22:09
Quote Posted by Vigil
When you're finished being smug here Tulsidas, ...
Pointing out the humane qualities in us = being smug? :bored:
