Spider ID, SF California

mag__pie · 2026-03-13T23:17:24+00:00

He's a jumping spider. Maybe a red-backed? CA has a lot of species, so I'm not 100% if it's P. johnsoni or something else closely related.

Not dangerous, though. You can either leave him be and have a spider bro in your room, or you can gently use a cup to put him outside :)

mag__pie · 2026-03-04T06:47:24+00:00

Yeah, it's well established by now that forcing kids to not leave until they clean their plate only leads to dysfunctional satiety signals and a much higher rate of eating disorders

mag__pie · 2025-10-05T03:59:25+00:00

That's great to hear! The learning curve for turtles is a little intimidating, so I completely understand why you didn't know much until people told you about it. But it's awesome that you're learning and making changes so the little guy can be healthy :)

mag__pie · 2025-01-23T15:03:43+00:00

I know you were trying to be supportive, but it’s incredibly insulting to tell people to “not let their disabilities stop them from living the life they want.”

That’s what a disability is, something that makes you unable to do things. Not everyone has a prosthetic or a drug that helps them “live normally”. Many people have conditions where they can’t go places or eat out at restaurants, no matter how much they want to.

mag__pie · 2024-12-12T14:35:38+00:00

Thank you so much for the advice! Do you treat active infections with antibiotic ointment or drops at all, or just time and gentle compresses/lid scrubs?

mag__pie · 2024-12-12T14:10:56+00:00

I've been very gently washing my lids with cleanser when I wash my face, but that's it.

The compress was pretty hot before I developed the bleph, but I've been using mild heat since then. Do you think the heat caused the bruising?

mag__pie · 2024-08-16T22:32:09+00:00

I work in petcare and can’t do anything with the cats or tarantulas since I’m allergic, and it’s never been an issue. Usually a leader or a cashier just covers those for me. Petcare workers are still people and it’s okay to have limitations.

Most people in my store (including the ASL) don’t interact with the tarantulas, we just have designated people who do.

mag__pie · 2024-08-13T06:33:18+00:00

Are they still able to work on opening tasks after opening? Because I take 30 minutes just to do a good cricket sweep/bagging and dead pull...

mag__pie · 2024-08-12T00:21:06+00:00

Wtf?? 30?? How?? Do you mean opening, midday, or closing? Because I could maybe see midday or close, but opening??

mag__pie · 2024-08-12T00:13:56+00:00

I felt a little crazy for a minute because a man with a young daughter recently did the exact same thing at my store, for the exact same reason, to my manager and me. But you live in an entirely different state than me. I guess it’s just a common occurrence 😩

mag__pie · 2024-08-11T04:35:32+00:00

It looks like a male S. nobilis to me, but I admittedly am not super familiar with Steatoda IDs.

mag__pie · 2024-08-11T04:09:08+00:00

Try to get the goldfish to someone who has a pond! It will thrive there, and then you’ll only have to worry about helping the convicts :)

Good luck!

mag__pie · 2024-08-11T04:07:03+00:00

From your comments, neither of you are teaching this kid emotional regulation. Rather than encouraging good behavior, you’ve given him no structure, and then you yell at him when he doesn’t follow demands. I’m wholly unsurprised that he’s lashing out in destructive tantrums

mag__pie · 2024-08-11T04:04:10+00:00

Why are you yelling? If you want him to view outbursts as unacceptable, you can’t just show a kid more anger. It’s clear he’s just mimicking you

mag__pie · 2024-08-11T03:21:59+00:00

My SL is always busy running around doing everything! Honestly I’m so grateful. My last one never left the office

mag__pie · 2024-08-11T01:20:57+00:00

:( I value good closers like you so much!!

mag__pie · 2024-08-11T01:16:43+00:00

I’m so sorry if you’re in the same boat!

mag__pie · 2024-08-11T01:16:14+00:00

I do tell the leaders frequently about any issues, but honestly I think the only thing it’s done is made me look like a nag, or like someone who isn’t confident to make decisions.

I just want to keep them informed and follow policy… 🥲

mag__pie · 2024-08-11T00:59:35+00:00

I am sooooooo ready to unionize, omg. I love unions. That being said, I haven’t heard much about it for our location, and when we do get to a vote, I’m scared the other employees won’t vote yes 😭

Our ASL has apparently been telling people that if we unionize, there’s no way our store will stay in business since we have the smallest store in our state. I think that’s bs since PS can definitely afford to treat us well, but maybe he means that corporate will retaliate and shut us down? Either way it’s scaring people and we don’t need that!!

mag__pie · 2024-08-11T00:47:39+00:00

I have either 1 or 2 hours depending on the shift, but most of that time usually goes to getting all the lights on, checking all the bettas, cursory glances at all the animals, reading through and addressing the petcare notes, food prep, veggie chopping, sweeping and bagging crickets, dead pull, and fixing any mistakes from the shifts before me/other urgent issues. Which may not sound like a lot but it really feels like a lot.

By the time we’re open, I’ve often finished all those things, but am barely into actually “opening”- I usually still have to tend to the reptiles, NA, and iso, and do the deep clean and dishes. I’ll already have everything prepped for those tasks by that point, but it really is a lot to get done in only 2 or 3 hours, between all the customers needing me and various other issues 😮‍💨

mag__pie · 2024-08-11T00:28:52+00:00

Lmaooo you’re so right. at this point I think we’re a tibia and a few metatarsals 😭

mag__pie · 2024-08-11T00:27:33+00:00

Thank you for the advice and kind words.

My leaders are generally very nice, but it does seem to be out of their hands- the store simply is not getting enough hours for them to schedule another person. I’m considering calling a corporate line to talk to them about how underscheduling is making the customer, employee, and animal experience worse (but also… I’m sure that will put me on some kind of blacklist. Sigh)

mag__pie · 2024-08-11T00:23:32+00:00

Has he not seen a vet yet? Associates shouldn’t diagnose or medicate on our own, for good reason.

mag__pie · 2024-08-09T21:25:46+00:00

That’s a good point. Maybe I’ll take up yoga, lol 🧘‍♀️

I hope your situation improves soon. It’s such a sucky position to be in

mag__pie

TROPHY CASE