Your opinion on the Icky Creatures

[Peter Paltridge]

Today, we will all weigh in with our personal views on the creatures of the earth most reviled by mankind.

RATS: I have to wonder...if rats were a little more clean with their habits, and they hadn't caused the Black Plague in the 13th century, would people be frightened of them as much? Rats are actually pretty cute. My mother can't stand the sight of a rat, yet she loves squirrels so much she installed a feeder for them. These are both rodents and both as clean. As someone once said, it's amazing how much difference one furry tail can make.

SPIDERS: Well, what can I say? There has never been a spider large enough to like the taste of people, yet they have a way of gripping the imagination. They're the ugliest creatures on the face of the planet, and they only get uglier the closer you zoom in on them. The way they eat is hideous: bugs get caught in their "invisible" web, they wrap them up, and then they fang-bite them to inject poison that turns the bug's guts to jelly, which the spider sucks up. There's no other way for a spider to eat--they have no teeth. The truth is that ALL spiders have venom--there are only just a handful that have venom powerful enough to affect people.
Even from birth, a spider is revolting at a stage where most other creatures are adorably cute. Do you know what the first thing a baby spider eats is? His mother.
Spiders aren't very bright, and they will never figure out just how bad they truly have it. When the species in control of the entire world hates you and wishes you were dead, that's kinda bad. They're not helping their case any--the batch that hatched around my house this spring were particularly naughty; they liked to attach a thread to the ceiling, slowly dangle down halfway to the floor, then climb all the way back up. Hey, they KNEW what they were doing; they KNEW I hated that. It's why they did it!

SNAKES: Snakes are fine with me. Anyone who's afraid of a snake has never really touched one. There's no such thing as a slimy reptile; snakes feel warm and dry....just like the purses that are made out of them.

COCKROACHES: Jury's out; I don't live in a neighborhood that has any. I doubt I would appreciate them if I were to run across them, though I have heard of people that like roaches.

SLUGS: This depends on where you live. Around my house the slugs are so small they're practically microscopic, but still big enough to do damage to my mom's plants. But head up to the mountains sometime. There are slugs as big as rats around there and they don't look cuddly.

BUGS IN GENERAL: In this category I'm not including things like butterflies and ladybugs which have the "awww" factor and are immune from human persecution. There are well over a million kinds of bugs, and most are annoying. Very few can match the ick power of a spider, but they're still in various shades of grossness.

LEECHES: Well, here's one thing everybody can agree on; they suck (in both interpretations). The only person who might argue with this would be the crazy guy from Speed 2, who wasn't even real.

[ZephyrSamba]

I don't have a problem with any of the creatures you mentioned - but I've just gotta stand up for all those poor insects you've maligned ;)

I LIKE insects! And spiders! Actually I just moved to SC a few weeks ago and the only thing I've been moved to photograph thus far are the amazing insects outside my apartment - from moulting cicadas leaving behind truly alien husks, to wasp nests that look like pipe organs, there are just so many fascinating little six-legged critters around here =)

From what I've read there are actually between 15-30 million different species of bugs out there ... that's just gotta be an indication that they're doing something right! And the more you read about them (well, okay, at least the more I read about them) the more you come to appreciate them - did you know, for instance, that leafcutter ants don't eat those leaves they carry around but rather use it to feed and farm a specialised type of fungus? Did you know some orb-weaving spiders include a few "struts" that reflect ultraviolet light in order to attract insects - and that they change the pattern of their web every day to make it more difficult for insects to learn from their mistakes? Did you know that preying mantids are capable of catching the occasional bird, or that up to 16 thousand dung beetles have been counted on a single elephant pat?

Err ... okay, that last one's a bit gross. I'll shut up now ... sorry ... I just like insects =)

[solarflere]

Bugs that are on my death list: silferfish, roaches, water bugs, spirders (black widow, taranchula), palmetto bugs, bed bugs, ants (fire anits, The Pharoah), fleas, ticks and all kinds of parasites.

Flying insects on my death list: bees, wasps, bumble bees, moths, flys, fruit flys, mosquitos, dragonflys, tsetse flys and all parasites.

Rodents on my death list: Rats, mice, squarels, I got nothing against Kangaroos.

Other creatures I dont like: possums, Bats (vampite Bats, fruit bats, all kinds).

Raptiles: Snakes (venomous and constrictors), lizards, dragons, crockodiles, aligators, frogs. I got nothing against turtles and turtoise.

[Sailor Chibi Otaku]

I love arachnids and reptiles. :)

Bees, flies, wasps, horseflies, mosquitos and the like? HELL NO!! I hate them with a PASSION.

[Catlover]

COCKROACHES: Jury's out; I don't live in a neighborhood that has any. I doubt I would appreciate them if I were to run across them, though I have heard of people that like roaches.

I HATE roaches. They are my worst enemy. Want to see me jump and scream like a little girl? Then let one of those horrid creatures chase me.

Wasp, hornets, cicada killers (male & female), rats, slugs, mice, snakes, and spiders (among other things) tend to make me squirm also.

[Pupmon 4.0]

Rats:Actually,I like all rodents,especially rats.

Spiders:Oh,how I detest them so.And yet I am strangely fascinated by
the tarantula.Not that I want one in my house,mind you.


Snakes:I like snakes,excluding the poisonous ones.I like all reptiles,actually.


Cockroaches:I fear that I am one of the few people who actually like
the little pests.Although I do not want any of them running
rampant about my house,I would not mind having one for a pet.
(It would be kept in a jar of course.):)



Slugs:Once I've seen an actual slug outside of television,I'll give you my
opinion.



Insects:I prefer the crawling ones to the winged ones.Although,there is one
insect,above all the others,that I absolutely loathe.And that insect
is none other than...the lovebug! Oh,how I detest them so.



Leeches:Strange creatures,leeches.

[Roman Legion]

Today, we will all weigh in with our personal views on the creatures of the earth most reviled by mankind.
Yay! :D

Rats: "Wild" rats, of the sort that wander sewers and spread disease are a definite ick. All of those I've seen were sickly, horrid things. Bleh. Absolutely nothing wrong with domesticated rats, though. Same goes for mice.

Spiders: I tend to avoid spiders whenever possible. Not because I'm afraid of them or think they're icky, but because I was a little too friendly with them as a child. Around my fourth or fifth spider bite, I decided it was time to just let them be. :p


Do you know what the first thing a baby spider eats is? His mother.
Not really. The average spider has a plethora of offspring, so no one hatchling is going to get such a feast. Second, baby spiders are tiny. They wouldn't stand a chance against mommy spider, and some species wisely take to the air as soon as possible. Third, many species actually care for their young after hatching. Finally, in many other species, the mother will be long dead before her eggs hatch.


Spiders aren't very bright...
Hey, I've seen some clever spiders in my day...

Snakes: I like snakes, but they do warrant a certain level of caution and respect.


Anyone who's afraid of a snake has never really touched one.
Ignoring the fact that some can kill you...? :sweat:

Cockroaches: Not terribly icky on an individual basis, but a swarm of them in someone's kitchen might have me rightfully concerned.

Slugs: Not icky at all, though the garden damage they're capable of is annoying.

Bugs in General: Fascinating creatures.

Leeches: Depends on the type of leach, whether it's on me or not, and why. I'd have no qualms over medical leaches, if the need arose.

Mosquitoes: Alright, I hate these, especially because they seem drawn to me over anyone else I know. My blood is just that tempting. :shrug: The occassional (fatal) encephalitis outbreaks in my area aren't encouraging, either.

Wood Lice: Also known as "pill bugs", even though they're actually a land-dwelling crustacean (they have gills!), not an insect. Biologically, they're fascinating, but, in person, they irrationally creep me out. :p

Jellyfish: I used to enjoy catching and releasing jellyfish as a kid, though many of the species I caught weren't "true" jellyfish. Nowadays, I avoid jellyfish, just in case...

Things that bite and sting in general aren't icky. They just deserve some respect and caution.


Rodents on my death list: Rats, mice, squarels, I got nothing against Kangaroos.
How can you not love squirrels? :p They've got to be the most entertaining rodent on earth. Kangaroos, however, aren't rodents, so you don't have to appologize to anyone for not disliking them. ;)

Romey
--Way too many smilies in this post. :gir:

[Kury Wagner]

RATS: Not at all fond, but I must agree, they do kind of look cute. I wouldn't want one as a pet though. But my brother-in-law used to have a naked rat.

SPIDERS: Icky!! If I had to pick one thing about myself that was extremely girly, it would be my completely abhorrence of bugs. Be it a teeny fly that lands near me, or a huge bleepin' spider, I will scream and run out of the room. I just cannot stand bugs of any sort. My sister had a pet tarantula awhile back... geh.

SNAKES: Snakes are cool. Again, I wouldn't want one as a pet, but I don't mind them, as well as most reptiles. And again, my brother-in-law used to have one... a few actually. He had a few small ones and one huge one.

COCKROACHES: Yuck. I had the displeasure of living in a house that had these little buggers for a short amount of time. Got rid of them luckly. (Also see spiders)

SLUGS: Eww, cool! Yes, both "eww" and "cool" discribes how I feel 'bout 'em. I've only once seen a few of these. There were two of them living under a piece of plywood that was in my backyard this summer. I wanted to salt 'em... I'm so evil.

BUGS IN GENERAL: See Spiders.

[purplehairedwonder]

RATS: Wild rat are ick to me, but domesticated rats (and mice) don't really bother me.

SPIDERS: I am scared of these buggers. When I was little I used to play Sim Ant and when you would get caught by the spider, there would be a closeup of the spider with all its eyes and pinchers and *shudder* I've been scared of them since.

SNAKES: Scared of these guys too. The slithering guys just give me the creeps.

COCKROACHES: Oh yuck.

SLUGS: Another yuck.

BUGS IN GENERAL: Bugs that have stingers scare me so badly.

LEECHES: Another ick.

[Beguiled]

RATS: Depends.. at the barn I used to board my horse at there were HUGE rats that were just plain creepy. However, I did have a pet rat a few years ago and she was the sweetest thing! She was also really cute. My mom used to put her on her shoulder while she was cooking and if she had a peice of carrot she'd hand it to her and she'd just sit up on my mom's shoulder and eat it. (no my mom did not touch the rat while cooking then touch the food, she just gave her treats, and no one dying or getting sick is proof enough XD)

SPIDERS: I. HATE. SPIDERS. :mad: And I'm deathly afraid of them. My parents tease me about it all the time too. They're sooooooo disgusting. I hate creepy crawly things and they're definitely under that category. I remember once I was on a dock in Tahoe with my family, I looked down and on the post was this gigantic spider. I looked away and after a few minutes I looked back down and it was gone. I told my mom and she was like 'IT'S ON YOUR LEG'. I started screaming, jumped up and nearly fell off the dock. XD

FLIES: I loathe them and kill them on sight. I wish they didn't exist.

MOSQUITOES: See Flies.

SNAKES: I actually like snakes. I think they're cool. We used to have a ball-python.

COCKROACHES: I don't like cockroaches, but I don't hate them either. We don't really have any around my house so I don't care. But when we were on vacation in Mexico with my friends, there were a ton of cockroaches in our condo.. my friend stepped on one and her sister found one in her shirt. It. Was. Disgusting.

SLUGS: They're just gross.

BUGS IN GENERAL: I hate pretty much all bugs. Except for lady bugs, butterflies and rolly polly bugs. XD

LEECHES: HATE. HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATE. They're so---*shudders*

CENTIPEDES: Icky. I've been finding a lot of them in my room, especially baby ones and it's creeping me out.

[ToOn~g@l]

I don't mind a few icky creatures like insects in fact I love to flip over a rock and see what is hiding under there. About a week ago there were some kids in our apartment complex that had found a caterpillar that could shoot out an orange antenae what upset, lets just say I never want to hear a ten year old boy scream like a girl again, that was not pretty. But the caterpillar was still quite facinating.

I also don't mind snakes, just as long as they don't poop on me like one did a few years back after I almost mowed him over with the lawn mower. That was not fun. But if the snake is poisonus I feel a little more scared by them.

The only icky creature I don't really like is the housefly, I know how much germs those things cause and its just gross seeing their smashed bodies after you kill them. Yuck.

[screw on head]

Bats: There's been way too many that have made their way into my house, so I'm pretty creeped out by them. The reasoning being is mainly because, one time we had left an air conditioner on the front porch of our house, and when my Dad and I were about to pack the AC away for the winter one night, we found there was a bat actually inside it at the eleventh hour (we were just about to set it down in the basement when ol' batsy made his presense known). It was team effort between Dad and I, and seeing the little creep up close made me more scared than it was. We finally let it out in the backyard. The bat flew back over to my neighbor's enormous bat infested tree, that's since been cut down.

Bats aside, I can't really name any other creatures that freak me out as much...

[G. Wen]

Rodents: I'm quite fond of rodents, even the wild types. I know better than to touch them though.

Reptiles and amphibians: I love snakes and frogs, which is weird because most girls are afraid of them. They keep the insect population in control.

Roaches: Those things are nasty, esp. the ones at my college. They're huge! And there's an albino population here too.

Bugs: I'm afraid of extremely large bugs, except for dragonflys and praying mantises because they eat other bugs. I hate maggots!

Mollasks: I'm afraid of slugs and snails.

Worms: Hate leeches, intestinal worms, and earthworms. Deathly afraid of them.

[90'sCartoonMan]

Even from birth, a spider is revolting at a stage where most other creatures are adorably cute. Do you know what the first thing a baby spider eats is? His mother.
That's not true for all species of spiders, though, is it? I remember the end of Charlotte's Web...those spiders were so cute!

I'm mostly afraid of spiders in real life, though. Any that are big enough that you can see the hair on them. Some spiders have beautiful colors and I love their webs, but I'm still nervous when it comes to approaching them.

I don't mind other bugs, usually.


SNAKES: Snakes are fine with me. Anyone who's afraid of a snake has never really touched one. There's no such thing as a slimy reptile; snakes feel warm and dry....just like the purses that are made out of them.
I once held a snake when I was in sixth grade, and it was pretty big (it took two of us to hold him), and I liked how he felt.

My thing is I don't like to be surprised by things. Rats are cute in the store, snakes are fun to hold, but when I'm walking in the woods, I don't want to encounter a centipede under a log! Or when I'm out on my back porch, if I see a slug, I'd be ready to jump. And I HATE bugs in my bed room or in the shower. It makes me uncomfortable.

Sheesh, where's Scythemantis when you need him?

[Peter Paltridge]

Not really. The average spider has a plethora of offspring, so no one hatchling is going to get such a feast. Second, baby spiders are tiny. They wouldn't stand a chance against mommy spider, and some species wisely take to the air as soon as possible. Third, many species actually care for their young after hatching. Finally, in many other species, the mother will be long dead before her eggs hatch.
Many species of female spiders die after laying their eggs--they spin a cocoon around them, lay the eggs, and die inside. Then, the babies hatch, and eat their mother to grow strong enough to break out. I've seen this firsthand because one actually spun its cocoon and died between two windows in my room. They had to be removed to get the nest out.

[HumanoidTyphoon]

Spiders have way too many legs and they're too long, centipedes are also uncool. I'm not too bothered by anything else. We have some hissing cockroaches I saved their lives once. They were thought dead, and I saw one's body stuck in the entrance of a fake mushroom house. I was trying to get the body out and when I finally did about 5 live one came flying out...that was a bit freaky.:sweat:

[Chris Wood]

I hate all insects with a passion (except for butterflies I guess). If they dare enter my home they're signed their death warrant. Spiders at least will kill the other scum for you, but they leave graffitti all over the place. I swear some insects were put on Earth just to torment humans. They serve no other purpose. I say it's time to take the planet back from them. Earth for the humans!

Snakes I don't run into very much so I don't have much to say there. Rodents are a pain in the tail, and almost as bad as insects if they get in your house.

[Ben]

When I looked at the thread title I thought this was going to be another "advice about girls" thread. :D

[Czar Gato]

I <3 snakes. When I get my own place I'm definitely getting one, probably a corn snake.

Everything else I'm cool with- including cockroaches. Just don't let them crawl in my nose or something.

[Bubblegum Girl]

I love snakes. Snakes are very cool animals. I respect spiders as interesting creatures but I really don't want them touching me. :sweat: Rats are ok but my mom doesn't want to see them in the house. And I'm really interested in all other insects. And I think slugs are cute. :p

[Roman Legion]

Many species of female spiders die after laying their eggs--they spin a cocoon around them, lay the eggs, and die inside. Then, the babies hatch, and eat their mother to grow strong enough to break out. I've seen this firsthand because one actually spun its cocoon and died between two windows in my room. They had to be removed to get the nest out.
One can't treat the actions of a few species as a hard and fast rule for all spiders, though. :sweat: Spiders come in all kinds of varieties, with a dizzying array of behaviors. You can't lump them all together so easily.

--Romey

[RAGNAROK13]

its amazing how nobody really minds ladybugs, but an insect the exact same size and shape but with a plack body will freak people out

[Mr. Pedro]

In my house, ants, spiders and silverfish are the most prevalent bugs crawling around. They don't cause me too much grief, but they have to be put in their place if they get out of line. I'm personally more concerned about the wasps (the ones with wings in this case) sneaking into the garage and nested there.

[Elven Moon]

SNAILS When I lived in the south we had a lot of these. I rather think they're cute, and I was never afraid of them as a kid. The most they would do was leave a shiny residue on the driveway.

SPIDERS I don't care if they're barely big enough to be seen, I hate them hate them hate them. Disgusting. If I find one I freak out.

GNATS Another thing I had to deal with in the south. If you ate outside there was a good chance they'd get into your food, they could get into your eyes, sometimes they were so "in your face" you had to raise your hand up into the air (I was told gnats like to go to the highest place).

TICKS Don't like them, think they should die out. I've had too many experiences with them, once I ended up in the hospital so they could remove one from my chest.

CENTIPEDES AND OTHER MULTI-LEGGED BUGGIES Creepy crawlies creep me out. If I spot one on the wall I'll most likely jump. If I find one in my room I lose sleep until somebody comes to kill it :sweat:

ROLLIE POLLIES Not afraid of them, I used to play with them as a kid.

[Roman Legion]

its amazing how nobody really minds ladybugs, but an insect the exact same size and shape but with a plack body will freak people out
Now that you mention it... there is an exception to that, the Asian ladybug. Unlike those native to North America, this alien variety can be a major pest. In the fall, they have a habit of invading homes in swarms -- hundreds on every wall -- where they eventually all die, rot, and begin to smell. They stick to everything, even people, irritate allergies, and I swear they bite...

--Romey

[solarflere]

The hardest bug ti kiss or so I heard (never had any) were bed bugs. No matter what you spray on them, they still prevail. And they realy bite.

[Kurtman]

I don't care much for icky creatures but bees,bumblebees,wasps,hornets and yellowjackets terrify the heck outta me!

[Punisher]

I like these so called "icky" creatures. Snail I think are pretty cool. I've read that there is one type of snail that can grow to be the size of a bananna, which is insane. I once had to pick one up off my porch or else my dog would have eaten it. Yes, it was slimy, and yes, I did wash my hands afterwards.

Bees and wasps don't bother me much. If one actually lands on me, I'll just stop what I'm doing and let it fly off. Very rarely has one just landed on me just to sting me, they usually crawl around your arm, then fly off. The ones who do sting me I have the pleasure of peeling them out of my arm and dropping them on the ground.

Snakes are my favorite animal, and I would love one as a pet. A guy whose room I had to sleep in had a boa, and that was really cool. It would sleep all day, then slither around the fake tree in his cage at night. Feeding time was really special. Two mice had to be brought from the pet shop, and placed into a special feeding container with the boa inside. The first one went easily enough, the snake had gone a month without food, and he was starving. It was quick and painless. The second mouse was the unfortunate one. The boa decide to wait for it to come to him, and the poor mouse spent a good minute sniffing around the feeding container. It was right when both the boa's and mouse's face were actually touching and they were looking directly into each other's eyes that the boa struck. In one lightning -fast motion, the snake slammed its body into the mouse's, quickly wrapping around it. It then crushed the mouse's bone while constricting it, so much so blood was pouring out of the mouse's mouth. Finally, it was swallowed.

It was a memorable day.

[Scythemantis]

It outright infuriates me that people find ANY animal "icky". It's completely ridiculous. There is no reason to dislike any organism unless it can cause you bodily harm, and those that do are still only following their natural survival patterns.

On rats: EVERYTHING people think about rats is bogus. They are not scavengers and are not significant carriers of any disease. In fact, they cannot carry rabies and are somewhat cleaner, even in the wild, than many other mammals including wild dogs and cats. Pet rats are leaps and bounds more intelligent and affectionate than any other pet rodent. I have never known a hamster to grow attached to a human owner or enjoy being handled whereas domestic rats LIVE for attention and love their humans to the point where some can die of depression if separated from their owners too long. I had two, but one developed cancer and didn't show signs of it until this week. She died today in the middle of surgery, and her sister has been refusing most food and just moping in one corner of the cage.

I can honestly say that I hate people who hate rats, especially if they're actually aware of what rats are really like. Most rodent hatred is only ignorance.

On cockroaches: I have pet roaches as well. I have said this before, but but of the 3,500 cockroach species known to man, less than thirty are capable of becoming "pests" (that is, establishing populations in buildings or sewers). NORMAL cockroaches - the other 3000+ species - can no more survive in a house than a butterfly can. They are strictly outdoor animals, quietly chewing on dead leaves and decaying wood in forests and caves around the world, and pest or not, roaches are not very germy at all. In fact, they're VERY sanitary.

I fail to see how they can be considered "ugly", either. They're nothing but greyish or brownish ovals with armor plates and wings. How can they be any more unpleasant to look at than an equally-dull-colored dog, rhino, or what-have-you?
This is my giant cave roach:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v688/scythemantis/roachie.jpg

You have to be completely deluded with prejudice to see anything "ugly" about him. He's just a big translucent "leaf". All roaches are pretty ornate looking, like a wooden sculpture or a tiny person in an amber jacket.

Spiders: exquisitely beautiful creatures, and that includes "the more you zoom in". Also, they DO happen to be intelligent. Very much so for arthropods. Some are on the level of cats, specifically jumping spiders, which are ADORABLE with their stubby, fluffy bodies and gigantic inky eyes. You can see their intelligence if you bother to play with them a bit...I like how they actually cock their heads in curiosity, and when you move too fast they get scared and raise their forelegs...an effort to appear "larger" and "scarier" (sorry, guys, you're still smaller than my pinky). I think the coolest spider is the Portia, a type of jumping spider that preys only on other spiders many times its size. It is so fiercely intelligent that it improvizes unique strategies to take down its prey. It sometimes pretends to be caught in the victim's web, poses as a potential mate, or throws an insect into the other spider's web as a distraction.


They're huge! And there's an albino population here too

Actually, no such thing. When an insect sheds its exoskeleton, it is bright white for a short while.

My small roaches (I only have one of the above species, then I have a tank of tiny grey ones) are total perverts, though. See, the females don't reach sexual maturity until the instant of their final molt...and I'm always seeing males in the tank mating with white females. That's basically like the midnight of their 18th birthdays.


I loathe them and kill them on sight. I wish they didn't exist.

That's the sort of statement that really angers me. Flies are some of the most AWESOME looking animals on earth, with such unique and bizarre habits. That alone is reason enough that I would be HORRIFIED if they all died out, but then there's the fact that they're easily the most beneficial of all insects, which are already vital to our existence in general. Scavenging flies may be dirty, but they're the most important and effective scavengers on earth. We would all be dying of plague and rot if they weren't around...they clean up more waste every second of every day than all other scavengers combined. You can't fault a few of them for getting in your way...they're just looking for food. It's not like they're TRYING to bother you unless they're bloodsuckers.

People also need to realize that maggots only look the way they do because of that vital role. Their shape, size, color, movement, and sliminess is simply the most effective combination of traits that could EVER possibly exist for cleaning up nature's refuse, while the adult flies purpose is simply to mate, find more refuse, and put more maggots on it. That goes for all animals...nothing is without a good reason.

Then there's just the fact that only a few flies are scavengers or parasites anyway. The majority of flies are either beneficial predators or pollinators, and most are colored very pretty if you're into that sort of thing.


its amazing how nobody really minds ladybugs, but an insect the exact same size and shape but with a plack body will freak people out

I'm glad I'm not the only one who notices this. Why do people find plain-colored insects ugly, but plain-colored mammals (basically ALL mammals) are fine? Aren't earthy colors pleasant too?



LEECHES: Well, here's one thing everybody can agree on; they suck (in both interpretations). The only person who might argue with this would be the crazy guy from Speed 2, who wasn't even real.

Think again. They might not be pleasant to be bitten by, but neither are sharks, and sharks are still just plain COOL. So are leeches. They're boneless, tiny, aquatic vampires. What isn't cool about them? Course, many species are just predators (of fish, insects, etc.) rather than parasites. And, again, very pretty animals. There's not much ugly about a simple black ribbon, and they way they swim (and constantly change shape) is very graceful if you bother to watch one. I like how they carry their babies around and protect them. Did you know a leech has over 20 brains?





There, is that what you people were waiting for? I can do more :p It just so happens I like parasites, too. I have all kinds of things to say about parasites if anyone is feeling masochistic enough to read it.

[solarflere]

It outright infuriates me that people find ANY animal "icky". It's completely ridiculous. There is no reason to dislike any organism unless it can cause you bodily harm, and those that do are still only following their natural survival patterns.

On rats: EVERYTHING people think about rats is bogus. They are not scavengers and are not significant carriers of any disease.

Two things: one, are you saying that rats don't carry any deseases, tell that to the CDC. And American cockroach (to which I have an alergic reaction) and a German cockroach are some of the most filthiest bugs around.
and Second, what is your take on critters that can harm you:
Spiders such as Black Widow, Tarantula, recluce spiders.
Ants such at fire ants, flying ants, and the Pharoah ant
Flying insects such as wasps, yellow jackets, mosquitos (that often carry West Nile virus, malaria, yellow fever) and Tsetse fly.

[sun]

Well, I am going to stand up tall for Spiders......
someone has to......
They eat mosquitos, hornets, bad bugs, and other nasty types, and all spiders get is bad press...:(
... It isn't fair...Let me tell you...there are far fewer dangerous spiders in the U.S. then there are other dangerous animals....like those mosquitos you read about..., and hornets,,, Being ugly, does not make one bad..And if you do not like rats and vermin, ///////////
.......Well you might think of snakes, as your friends..forget the thing about the apple...snakes eat rats...they almost never attack humans...and for the most part, you do not even see them...
,,,,,.Now, let us not forget owls...They eat rats too..all kinds of small mammels...Just Because Don Bluth doesn't like them in the Secret of NIMH, doesn't mean you can't like them...Owls are ok...They don't get a fair shake these days either..I might add a few words about coyotees, but that would cause real trouble...

[Scythemantis]

I didn't say they carried no diseases, I said they're no worse in that respect than any other wild mammals, and that is a fact. If the CDC says otherwise, they're full of crap. Are they zoologists? No. The board of health, most exterminators, and the ASDA are notorious for gross misinformation and exaggeration as well. Take for instance the ban a few years back on giant pouched rats and prairie dogs for "carrying monkeypox".....MOST mammals can carry it, and it does not originate from rodents. The ban was carried out because a single shipment of illegal animals was infected and just happened to include a pouched rat and some prairie dogs. There were rabbits and guinea pigs with it too, but they weren't banned...simply because they're too popular for it to have ever gone through.

As for roaches, most of them are sanitary. I'm sorry, it's just true. They don't make you sick. Like anything else they are only as germy as their environment. A roach in the city is obviously going to be as filthy as anything else lying around in a back alley, but a roach born in the woods is only going to be as germ-ridden as the twigs and leaves lying around. Same with the home. Even some exterminators will attest that a sanitary home can have sanitary roaches. They don't go hand-in-hand with "filth".

I don't understand what you want me to say about "dangerous" bugs. Lots of animals are dangerous and still respected......big cats, dogs, cobras, sharks, and many more. Why would it be different with deadly spiders and fire ants? They are beautiful, natural living things simply doing what they've evolved to do. I don't like getting bitten by things but that's no reason to "hate" them, that would be completely stupid.

Mosquitos and the diseases they carry are two totally different things, it's not like they do it on purpose, and they too are both fascinating and pretty animals that have my utmost respect. Furthermore, the same about roaches and leeches applies to mosquitos too. It may be surprising to some people, but more than half of all mosquitos are strictly vegetarian (both the males and females), including the world's largest mosquito species, which otherwise looks like a normal mosquito (except for its weird hook-shaped snout and metallic blue stripes)

As for species that go "out of control" like fire ants...you would be hard pressed to find any that did so without human help. They sure didn't travel overseas on their own.

[solarflere]

Well, I am going to stand up tall for Spiders......
someone has to......
They eat mosquitos, hornets, bad bugs, and other nasty types, and all spiders get is bad press...:(
... It isn't fair...Let me tell you...there are far fewer dangerous spiders in the U.S. then there are other dangerous animals....like those mosquitos you read about..., and hornets,,, Being ugly, does not make one bad..And if you do not like rats and vermin, ///////////
.......Well you might think of snakes, as your friends..forget the thing about the apple...snakes eat rats...they almost never attack humans...and for the most part, you do not even see them...
,,,,,.Now, let us not forget owls...They eat rats too..all kinds of small mammels...Just Because Don Bluth doesn't like them in the Secret of NIMH, doesn't mean you can't like them...Owls are ok...They don't get a fair shake these days either..I might add a few words about coyotees, but that would cause real trouble... Snakes are bad on a whole diferent level, they don't just eat rats, they also eat themselfs, they are natural canibals.

[solarflere]

Take for instance the ban a few years back on giant pouched rats and prairie dogs for "carrying monkeypox".....MOST mammals can carry it, and it does not originate from rodents

I don't understand what you want me to say about "dangerous" bugs. Lots of animals are dangerous and still respected......big cats, dogs, cobras, sharks, and many more. Why would it be different with deadly spiders and fire ants?

Mosquitos and the diseases they carry are two totally different things, it's not like they do it on purpose, and they too are both fascinating and pretty animals that have my utmost respect.

As for species that go "out of control" like fire ants...you would be hard pressed to find any that did so without human help. They sure didn't travel overseas on their own. but the most common infestations in a persons home are not some dangerous mammals, but various bugs and insects. Therefore my my point still stands.

[Scythemantis]

Um....WHAT point? You never made any point, you just asked what I thought about dangerous bugs, and I told you. Doesn't that still stand as well? They are still innocent animals following their instincts. They survive where they can. Our homes just happen to be very safe and useful environments for a wide variety of tiny creatures.

[solarflere]

Um....WHAT point? You never made any point, you just asked what I thought about dangerous bugs, and I told you what I thought, and that still stands as well. It is not their "fault" that they infest our homes. They are simply animals doing what they instinctively do to survive. More often than not, we're the ones encroaching on their territory first. Oh please, do you actualy beliave what you are saying. Its like saying don't blame a murderer, he is just doing what is in his hature, to kill people.
I will exterminate anything that steps into my home uninvited, no questions asked.

[HumanoidTyphoon]

I will exterminate anything that steps into my home uninvited, no questions asked.http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v106/Kingme/th_spider.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v106/Kingme/spider.jpg).

[Captain Zechs]

It outright infuriates me that people find ANY animal "icky". It's completely ridiculous. There is no reason to dislike any organism unless it can cause you bodily harm, and those that do are still only following their natural survival patterns.

On rats: EVERYTHING people think about rats is bogus. They are not scavengers and are not significant carriers of any disease. In fact, they cannot carry rabies and are somewhat cleaner, even in the wild, than many other mammals including wild dogs and cats. Pet rats are leaps and bounds more intelligent and affectionate than any other pet rodent. I have never known a hamster to grow attached to a human owner or enjoy being handled whereas domestic rats LIVE for attention and love their humans to the point where some can die of depression if separated from their owners too long. I had two, but one developed cancer and didn't show signs of it until this week. She died today in the middle of surgery, and her sister has been refusing most food and just moping in one corner of the cage.

I can honestly say that I hate people who hate rats, especially if they're actually aware of what rats are really like. Most rodent hatred is only ignorance.

On cockroaches: I have pet roaches as well. I have said this before, but but of the 3,500 cockroach species known to man, less than thirty are capable of becoming "pests" (that is, establishing populations in buildings or sewers). NORMAL cockroaches - the other 3000+ species - can no more survive in a house than a butterfly can. They are strictly outdoor animals, quietly chewing on dead leaves and decaying wood in forests and caves around the world, and pest or not, roaches are not very germy at all. In fact, they're VERY sanitary.

I fail to see how they can be considered "ugly", either. They're nothing but greyish or brownish ovals with armor plates and wings. How can they be any more unpleasant to look at than an equally-dull-colored dog, rhino, or what-have-you?
This is my giant cave roach:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v688/scythemantis/roachie.jpg

You have to be completely deluded with prejudice to see anything "ugly" about him. He's just a big translucent "leaf". All roaches are pretty ornate looking, like a wooden sculpture or a tiny person in an amber jacket.

Spiders: exquisitely beautiful creatures, and that includes "the more you zoom in". Also, they DO happen to be intelligent. Very much so for arthropods. Some are on the level of cats, specifically jumping spiders, which are ADORABLE with their stubby, fluffy bodies and gigantic inky eyes. You can see their intelligence if you bother to play with them a bit...I like how they actually cock their heads in curiosity, and when you move too fast they get scared and raise their forelegs...an effort to appear "larger" and "scarier" (sorry, guys, you're still smaller than my pinky). I think the coolest spider is the Portia, a type of jumping spider that preys only on other spiders many times its size. It is so fiercely intelligent that it improvizes unique strategies to take down its prey. It sometimes pretends to be caught in the victim's web, poses as a potential mate, or throws an insect into the other spider's web as a distraction.



Actually, no such thing. When an insect sheds its exoskeleton, it is bright white for a short while.

My small roaches (I only have one of the above species, then I have a tank of tiny grey ones) are total perverts, though. See, the females don't reach sexual maturity until the instant of their final molt...and I'm always seeing males in the tank mating with white females. That's basically like the midnight of their 18th birthdays.



That's the sort of statement that really angers me. Flies are some of the most AWESOME looking animals on earth, with such unique and bizarre habits. That alone is reason enough that I would be HORRIFIED if they all died out, but then there's the fact that they're easily the most beneficial of all insects, which are already vital to our existence in general. Scavenging flies may be dirty, but they're the most important and effective scavengers on earth. We would all be dying of plague and rot if they weren't around...they clean up more waste every second of every day than all other scavengers combined. You can't fault a few of them for getting in your way...they're just looking for food. It's not like they're TRYING to bother you unless they're bloodsuckers.

People also need to realize that maggots only look the way they do because of that vital role. Their shape, size, color, movement, and sliminess is simply the most effective combination of traits that could EVER possibly exist for cleaning up nature's refuse, while the adult flies purpose is simply to mate, find more refuse, and put more maggots on it. That goes for all animals...nothing is without a good reason.

Then there's just the fact that only a few flies are scavengers or parasites anyway. The majority of flies are either beneficial predators or pollinators, and most are colored very pretty if you're into that sort of thing.



I'm glad I'm not the only one who notices this. Why do people find plain-colored insects ugly, but plain-colored mammals (basically ALL mammals) are fine? Aren't earthy colors pleasant too?



Think again. They might not be pleasant to be bitten by, but neither are sharks, and sharks are still just plain COOL. So are leeches. They're boneless, tiny, aquatic vampires. What isn't cool about them? Course, many species are just predators (of fish, insects, etc.) rather than parasites. And, again, very pretty animals. There's not much ugly about a simple black ribbon, and they way they swim (and constantly change shape) is very graceful if you bother to watch one. I like how they carry their babies around and protect them. Did you know a leech has over 20 brains?





There, is that what you people were waiting for? I can do more :p It just so happens I like parasites, too. I have all kinds of things to say about parasites if anyone is feeling masochistic enough to read it.Um...where to begind, where to begin...

Okay the roach on your hand, is disgusting. You can see through him and those things bite, and they are just gucccccky. You are a little to close to the more rotten(sp?) things in life, so you may want to change your habits.

Sorry about spelling and such it is late...oiy

[Scythemantis]

Oh please, do you actualy beliave what you are saying. Its like saying don't blame a murderer, he is just doing what is in his hature, to kill people.

It's not something I "believe", it's just something I never think about. It has never, ever occured to me to hold anything against an organism just because its survival instincts conflict with my own. And comparing them to human murder - calculated acts of malicious, unnecessary violence - is INSANE...what in the world are you saying? A snake doesn't bite a human out of some senseless hatred. A horsefly doesn't require a diet of blood because it relishes your pain.

I don't like being bit by things either, but why should I hate them? What makes them any more "evil" than any other animal? More importantly, why do you seem to WANT me to hate them? How does it bother you that I don't? Does it seriously offend you that I find ALL animals to be neat? That's really all it is. They're NEAT. Both the harmless and the hurtful ones. They look neat and do neat things, and nature would be boring without them.

If you're upset because you think I'm defending them with misinformation, well, I don't know what to tell you. I've studied invertebrates all my life and have nearly as much experience with rodents and reptiles. I wouldn't state anything as a fact if it wasn't one.


Um...where to begind, where to begin...

Okay the roach on your hand, is disgusting. You can see through him and those things bite, and they are just gucccccky. You are a little to close to the more rotten(sp?) things in life, so you may want to change your habits, *Cough* tree hugger *cough*

It isn't warty, slimy, hairy, wrinkly, or covered in dirt, and It only eats vegetables. What could POSSIBLY make it disgusting!? Its color and shape are merely drab, and only the wings are see-through (but what the heck is supposed to be gross about being see-through?) I know some roaches can hurt you with their jaws if they gnaw at the same spot a while, but that only happens with certain house-dwelling species while people sleep. This is a tropical cave-dwelling species (so how would you know that "those things bite", exactly?) that would never naturally encounter humans to begin with, and has certainly never tried to eat me.

But have you any idea just how mean you're being to say I should change? WHY? You're saying I'm somehow stupid or wrong to like them? Why would I "want" different habits? And it happens that I like ALL types of animals, including fluffy mammals and stuff. But there is nothing "rotten" about harmless little bugs. You're being silly.

And who said anything about tree-hugging? I eat meat and have never recycled one thing in my life. It's a scam.

[Captain Zechs]

It's not something I "believe", it's just something I never think about. It has never, ever occured to me to hold anything against an organism just because its survival instincts conflict with my own. And comparing them to human murder - calculated acts of malicious, unnecessary violence - is INSANE...what in the world are you saying? A snake doesn't bite a human out of some senseless hatred. A horsefly doesn't require a diet of blood because it relishes your pain.

I don't like being bit by things either, but why should I hate them? What makes them any more "evil" than any other animal? More importantly, why do you seem to WANT me to hate them? How does it bother you that I don't? Does it seriously offend you that I find ALL animals to be neat? That's really all it is. They're NEAT. Both the harmless and the hurtful ones. They look neat and do neat things, and nature would be boring without them.

If you're upset because you think I'm defending them with misinformation, well, I don't know what to tell you. I've studied invertebrates all my life and have nearly as much experience with rodents and reptiles. I wouldn't state anything as a fact if it wasn't one.



It isn't warty, slimy, hairy, wrinkly, or covered in dirt, and It only eats vegetables. What could POSSIBLY make it disgusting!? Its color and shape are merely drab, and only the wings are see-through (but what the heck is supposed to be gross about being see-through?) I know some roaches can hurt you with their jaws if they gnaw at the same spot a while, but that only happens with certain house-dwelling species while people sleep. This is a tropical cave-dwelling species (so how would you know that "those things bite", exactly?) that would never naturally encounter humans to begin with, and has certainly never tried to eat me.

But have you any idea just how mean you're being to say I should change? WHY? You're saying I'm somehow stupid or wrong to like them? Why would I "want" different habits? And it happens that I like ALL types of animals, including fluffy mammals and stuff. But there is nothing "rotten" about harmless little bugs. You're being silly.

And who said anything about tree-hugging? I eat meat and have never recycled one thing in my life. It's a scam.
Okay the tree hugger thing was the wrong idea, your just a animal lover. Everything is rotten about roaches, everything, they are disgusting little bugs who need to go away, forever. And yeah, I knew my statement was generally mean, I probably should have worded that a tad bit better, see all the people I know that like roaches, are slobs, and weirdos. Now you might be that speacial one that isn't, but I find it hard to believe if you would touch a roach. And Im gonna stop here as to not bait the flame war anymore.

[HumanoidTyphoon]

Well, I am going to stand up tall for Spiders......
someone has to......
They eat mosquitos, hornets, bad bugs, and other nasty types, and all spiders get is bad press...:(
but they're so rude eating right in front of you and not offering any.:mad:

[Scythemantis]

all the people I know that like roaches, are slobs, and weirdos. Now you might be that speacial one that isn't, but I find it hard to believe if you would touch a roach.

I absolutely loathe poor hygiene and the littlest mess in my house drives me mad until I have to clean it. I don't push it on other people, but I'm a freak about my own cleanliness. Like I've said, like anything else in the world, there's no harm in touching a roach if you know where it's been. They're just timid, nocturnal leaf-eaters. If the pest species didn't exist I don't think anyone would mind how they look, because there's just nothing physically gruesome to them...they look like big plant seeds or something.

Roaches as pets aren't some sort of "let's get the most hated animal possible just to be cool" type thing, they really do have interesting behavior. Hissing roaches for instance have a mammal-like social ladder, with dominant males controlling swarms of females and fighting other males for control. They also exhibit individual personalities, especially the females. Some of them refuse to let the swarm's leader mate with them, preferring to run off with the losers and start colonies of their own, like a really freaking weird little soap opera. They also have a language of over a dozen different hisses, though it's only crudely been deciphered.

What I really want though is just a single roach, a rhinoceros roach. They're huge, they look like roly-polies, and they live up to ten years whereas all the other species live less than two. They fetch a high price, though...they only have a couple babies like once a year, and require a diet of dried eucalyptis.

Surprisingly I'm not a fan of pet arachnids. They just don't do anything for me. A goliath birdeater (http://www.midwestexoticpetcenter.com/db4/00396/midwestexoticpetcenter.com/_uimages/GoliathBirdeaterTopWhole.jpg) might be neat, because it saddens me that arthropods are usually so tiny. Yes, I WANT them to be bigger. Stupid laws of physics. When I was little I really believed I could fix that with radiation somehow...boy was that disappointing. But, yeah, GOLIATH BIRD-EATERS. You tell someone the name, then you tell them it's a type of spider. Very funny. I would never pick one up, though...their venom isn't dangerous, but I'm not stupid. (http://www.bighairyspiders.com/pix/blondifang1.jpg)



Anyway, when I say I love bloodsucking parasites and such, I think people fail to realize that it's the same kind of love one can have for a ficticious character or monster. Their "style" appeals to me. I love the way they look, and their habits are interesting because they are alien. It doesn't mean I WANT to play host to them, or something, but it does mean I wouldn't want them to disappear from the earth. My favorite animal is the flea, just for its bizarre appearance and the very principle of a tiny, armored vampire with super-leaping powers.

Here's a cool parasite, as quoted from a section of my website that I wrote many years ago:


Sacculina, a type of barnacle, begins its life in the ocean as a free-swimming larva. When the female locates a crab, however, she actually discards most of her own body, leaving a gelatinous blob that enters the crab and begins to grow. It sprouts rootlike tendrils which spread through the crab like a plant, even wrapping around its eyes. Eventually it forms a small hole on the crab's back, through which male Sacculina can enter and permanently join the female. The crab stops growing and stops mating, devoting all of its energy into caring for the parasite's millions of eggs and larvae as if they were its own. Male crab hosts are altered by the parasite to think and act like females, even changing physically to better carry the barnacle's young.

[bluedeucedodge]

I can't stand spiders and wasps but other than that, nothing really bothers me. I have killed many a snake in my day so they don't scare me the slightest bit.

[Scythemantis]

Now, what do people kill snakes for? Unless they're venomous and on a property with children/pets, there wouldn't be any point. I can't believe how often I see snakes out in the woods or something though with their heads lopped off. What's that for?

[Frank Castle]

I freakin' hate spiders of all kinds but I love rodents and bats.

[Sailor Chibi Otaku]

Spiders are love.

Snakes are love.

[Punisher]

Now, what do people kill snakes for? Unless they're venomous and on a property with children/pets, there wouldn't be any point. I can't believe how often I see snakes out in the woods or something though with their heads lopped off. What's that for? I know what you're saying. Now, I understand people will kill snakes on their property(my old house's front yard was a breeding ground for copperheads) if they are potentially dangerous. But I don't get why someone would kill a snake just because they found it in the woods, but then again, I'm the person who uses the shovel to pick the snake up and carry it to a spot far from the road or houses and not cut its head off if I find it in my yard.