<p>I’m a mere public HS sophmore but I am already planning ahead and UVA is definitely my goal school, I figure I should seek enlightenment before the time application essays and the like are to be articulated upon and sent in.</p>
<p>So here it goes, I wonder if I could use the following as an EC credit since major universities are always looking for diversity…</p>
<p>For approximately two years now I have been keeping and breeding exotic invertebrates, scorpions [I was one of the first in the U.S. to successfully propagate one species, *Babycurus gigas*] and tarantulas. I love the “hobby” [used liberally here] and own a collection of, I’d estimate 200 arachnids, though I’m currently in the process of selling some, I also keep 3 reptiles and a frog. This ties into the major I am looking to get accepted into [political science -> law] in that exotic pets, even invertebrates are regulated from national to local government. The “hobby” or better defined as the practice of keeping them is currently being legislated against nationally in a number of bills [recurring for YEARS, though usually unsuccessful and are genera to genus specific.]. I stay current on the proposals and the measures that politicians and the HSUS [the “hobby’s” major enemy in terms of opposing lobbyism] take to insure that I will be able to legally enjoy my beloved pets for years to come. I also recieve USARK’s [United States Association of Reptile Keepers - lobbyists] weekly undates and notices through my e-mail and have suggested numerous options, ideas and strategies to them. My “hobby” is under the constant possibility of being regulated against, often in the under-handed process of “U.S. face time political expediency” so I feel as if it is my duty as a law abiding citizen to stay current and participate when necessary in U.S. government.</p>
<p>When I was just entering this hobby, I imagined that I would go to school for a biology degree and work side-by-side with other dedicated animal lovers, then I learned that the hobby was under constant siege. I followed proposals and learned about the perspective political standpoints of many top congressmen/women and I guess I just got wrapped into it, now I couldn’t see my working future in anything less than politics/law.</p>
<p>Also, since the affirmative action seems to be such a hot ticket in participating states recently… I was wondering if it could be successfully utelized in the way of religion, or lack thereof? I am so confident in my beliefs and logic that creationism is completely unfeasible that I would venture to boldly proclaim myself as an atheist and I’m so positive that I’d risk an eternity in hell and consider it the safest bet I had ever participated in. I also adhere to very strong opinions about the majority of our population that does partake in creationism, though I try not to be too actively abrasive regarding these opinions but I’ll take as many opportunities as a creationist will to share my religious preferences with others. </p>
<p>Your interest in legal tarantula breeding would make a great essay on the common app. One of the long essay options is to discuss an issue of importance to you. If you breed them to sell, you could list “Tarantula Breeder” under work experience. </p>
<p>Declaring yourself an atheist would not make you an under-represented minority.</p>
<p>Why not just major in Entomology ( places like Cornell Agriculture and Texas A&M) and then do your law school pre-requisite courses</p>
<p>BTW: What are you planning to do with your herd (?) of 200 arachnids when you go to college?</p>
<p>I admit, I was clutching at straws on that one. Though I don’t see how atheists are any more under-represented than the ethnicities whom commonly take advantage of this system.</p>
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<p>Well, although I have dedicated countless, copious hours of time to the understanding of these animals, I am horrible in science class, last year I barely pulled a B in mid-level earth science class, I don’t expect much better in biology coming up later this year. </p>
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<p>Good question. I’ll probably cease breeding senior year [hs] and sell domestically to the “lower 48” [shipping], which can legally and successfully be done with minimal hassle. Arachnids don’t have the mental capacity to be personable, they won’t care about being owned by a different keeper. The market is modest but make no mistake, with shipping and reasonable prices offered, these sell.</p>
<p>Are any of you scorpions and spiders poisonous? What do you do if they get out in the house and start biting people??? Do your parents mind you keeping them in the house?!?!?!</p>
<p>Don’t mean to snicker at your expense, but this is a perfect example of why my hobby is under constant threat of being outlawed.</p>
<p>Spiders and scorpions are almost uniformly venomous, not poisonous. Poison = injested, venom = injected. Very few spiders/scorpions pose any real threat to humans, I own a breeding colony “borderline species”, the Arizona Bark, Centruroides sculpturatus, if stung one could possibly experience localized pain, headache, or nausea. I was stung by one freshly purchased wc specimen a while ago, it felt about as painful as what you’d expect from an average American honey bee.</p>
<p>I keep them very secure, they wouldn’t be out biting/stinging people. Hypothetically speaking if some got out in the house they probably wouldn’t move three feet from their enclosures and they wouldn’t be actively harming people. If they got out of my house altogether [which is a huge stretch I mind you], they could only possibly survive until winter, assuming they wouldn’t already be dead by then.</p>
<p>All in all, my captive invertebrates aren’t and couldn’t be harming people, including myself.</p>
<p>My mother [single parent] is very supportive of my captive collection.</p>
<p>The reason religion does not give you an edge because anyone can change it to what “looks better”. Race is something you cannot change.
I’ll buy a scorpion, but I am scared of spiders.</p>
<p>But if in theory a creationist could hope to utelize the affirmative action to gain better footing to get into school, wouldn’t they also in turn believe they’d go to hell? Most creationists look down on atheists shamefully anyway [which I can personally atest to], I highly doubt anyone would lie on that side.</p>
<p>Shipping of an arachnid/terrestrial invert is somewhat of a complex topic. As a brief overview, you pick the right sized box, use heat/cool packs as necessary depending on the temps of where your box is supposed to be in transit, pack the invert in a deli cup with moist, wadded up paper towel around the sides to keep it secure, padded and safe and the rest is just like shipping any other tangible object. If you are still curious, I’d suggest the follow video, though I warn you, it is very lengthy and tedious… [YouTube</a> - How to pack T’s the right way](<a href=“http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3cKX6y1NhI]YouTube”>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3cKX6y1NhI) - it stands for scorpions as well.</p>
<p>It is currently again USPS policy to accept shipments of scorpions, tarantulas, and other “blacklisted wildlife.” Though there are small, unorganized grassroots movements attempting to repeal this section of postal code. The reason hobbyists are so peeved about this is that USPS generally runs for half of what FedEx/UPS costs. I wouldn’t recommend using USPS anyway because they have a reputation for being very unreliable because they get so much mail in every day. Most hobbyists/dealers defy this though regardless of regulation of it, only one of around 20 dealers I’m aware of actually uses carriers that haven’t banned invert shipments. The community’s dealers generally give you an option between priority [3-5 day] or express [overnight] usually running for $10 and $25 respectively.</p>
<p>Food shouldn’t be shipped along with the animal, arachnids don’t naturally eat everyday, likewise, I don’t feed my own specimens everyday. Some don’t even get fed every week, I really couldn’t even tell you for sure how often I feed my animals. I just drop an appropriately sized, cb domesticated cricket in as necessary based on the respective specimen’s abdomen size, behavior and molt cycle. There is no set-in schedule, just swift, yet careful estimations and predictions.</p>
<p>Gotta admit, that’s some pretty coll stuff you have going on there.</p>
<p>If I ever decide to get spiders, it would be in the hope of acquiring web-slinging powers. I’d treat them with radiation everyday and have them bite me.</p>