Does anybody have a fear of rodents?

[peanut]

Hey everybody......
I know it sounds crazy, but I'm terrified of mice and birds.  I've come to the conclusion that its because of disease, and being a hypo, my imagination gets the worst of me.
My sister called tonight to ask if I can watch her hamster and Guinea pig while she goes on vacation....I'm sweating bullets.
Does anybody else go through this?

[gloomy]

I dont personally but I do have a big fear of spiders.  However my mother has your fear and once my father bought us a hamster and didnt tell her and although I thought it was hilarious at the time (I was only 10) I realise its a serious phobia. She went hysterical and ran out of the house and refused to come back in until the hamster was gone in the end we had to keep it in the garden shed of which she also flatly refused to enter.

If you do decide to look after your sisters pets it may just conquer some of your phobia and this 'flooding' technique is used in treating animal/spider phobias although its a gradual introduction to the feared animal.

But dont worry your not on your own with this I think most of us have something were frightened of whether it be spiders, snakes, pigeons even balloons!!!

Just an after thought but were you ever bitten by a small rodent like creature when you were a child? Or frightened by a bird?  Often these things are buried in a childhood bad experience (not always though).

[peanut]

Hey Gloomy,
Nope never been bitten.  I think more of the fear comes from the diseases that they can carry.  Like Avian bird flu.  I even had a pet hamster when I was a kid

If you do decide to look after your sisters pets it may just conquer some of your phobia and this 'flooding' technique is used in treating animal/spider phobias although its a gradual introduction to the feared animal hamster when I was a kid.
hen I read that I started sweating LOL
But thanks for your reply.....still not sure if I'll watch my sisters pets