Scared Animals

[Benjiman]

Hi, I was wondering if anyone has ever encountered a pet or animal which has an irrational Fear or phobia? Like scared of the dark or small insects or something.

Or are phobias something only humans get?

Thanks

[snow.maiden]

Not an IRrational one, but a couple of years back, one of my dogs chased a spider that fell out of a bunch of bananas, and tried to eat it. A minute later, she started foaming at the mouth, and was sick. The spider'd obviously been poisonous to her, and although she was fine afterwards, she refuses to go near ANY spider now - but who can blame her?

[wee willie]

these critters are ferocious

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqeBtrpk3EA

poisonous too
doooooooooooooont go near them if they fall out your bunch of bananas from tescos lol

[snow.maiden]

Fascinating - although I felt sorry for the grasshoppers! they didn't have much choice in theior fate, did they??

Btw - lol - the bananas WERE from tesco's i think - but the spider in question was a light brown colour, and quite large!

[wee willie]

near enough ice lol

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/5/5b/ Banana_spider.jpg

how scarey is it?

[snow.maiden]

Fantastic specimen!! I like spiders - really. For one thing, they get rid of all the pesky flies and other horrible things - crane flies being one of THE ultimate nasties!!

[pastafreak]

Ice-your dog now has a healthy fear....but not an irrational one.....as you know, I also like spiders...except when curled up inside a jumper I have just put on!!!!

[snow.maiden]

Doh!!! As I said - the dog's fear ISN'T irrational, after an experience like that. The poor thing was violently ill - but suffered no long-term effects.

Curled up inside your jumpers??? Hmph. If you put them away in a drawer instead of leaving them dumped on the floor......

Runs off. Mwhahaha!

[pastafreak]

Logic tells me that spiders are amall enough to get into drawers.....and jumpers...

[thugulike]

I have a very large and happy young dog who has developed a fear of anyone wearing black leather. He's normally happy for anyone to approach him but a lady in a long black leather coat came towards him and he cowered. He has also backed away from guys in motorcycle gear. He's not had any bad expereiences so it may be irrational.

[lankeela]

My friends Rottie is scared of people wearing camouflage gear - at a country fair there were some young lads emptying the bins and they were banging and crashing about and running around. She was only a puppy and since then she cowers if she sees anyone wearing that sort of gear.

We often have dogs cower and pull away from the box with the knuckle bones in it on our pet stall. It must be the smell, they pull right back on their leads and the owners have to hang on tight. Others dive in and try to nick them!

[firewatch]

my cat hated fireworks, he used to try and dig through our back door to get in, he was soooooooooooo terrifiead. apart from fireworks it was the b word, bath!

[IggyB]

one cat scared of thunder - he always knew when it was coming, long before we could hear anything he was off crawling on his belly to the nearest deepest darkest hole he could find and crying his heart out.

[icemaiden]

I know a friend who has kept a horse in the same paddock for 10 years, (she lost her confidence riding so now he only comes out to walk a short distance to its stable,) now he can't be ridden because if he goes out of his comfort zone he throws a wobbly. Refuses to budge, spins, rears, bucks and then bolts back to the paddock.

I think its very sad, I swear he now has a phobia of open spaces due to the way it is kept. (and this woman claims to be a fantastic horse whisperer!)

[hammerman]

My father was a dog handler with Sussex police and they had a big brave alsation that was petrified of spiders.

[kita1]

My GSD was scared of a pink squeeky dog toy, when her sister was upstairs playing one day she came running down, tail tucked firmly up under her belly - did not know what was up until I walked to the stairs and could hear the squeeky toy being played with!!!

My present dog has a totally irrational fear of the vets - he only ever had one vaccination at the vets (which in no way hurt him or scared him). The last time I tried to take him (3 years ago) he hyperventilated to the point of collapse. It took 2 hours at home with an electric fan on him for his breathing to return to normal.

I would definately say dogs get phobia's.

[alfieblue]

I agree - my pup has a phobia re dyson hoover, bananas, crisp packets and the mower!! So if any intruders come in the house armed with a dyson, a banana, a crisp packet and a mower - they could strike lucky Lol!!! Bless his little heart, don't know why he doesnt like the above - having said that he is getting braver with the mower and the hoover - but bananas and crisp packets are a no no!!!!! He just took a dislike to those items and he is sticking to it!!! Dont know why - but he obv has his reasons!!!

Still a brave little guard dog though - so long as the bananas and crisp packets are kept out of sight!!!! :o)

[welshlibranr]

My dog who is now 11 years old, has always been and still is scared to death if anyone sneezes, he runs away and hides!!