Pets that have the potential to creep out moms the most are often popular with preteen boys. Reptiles in general especially snakes, and to a lesser degree, frogs and toads – are high on the list, but the number one mess-with-mom’s-world pet choice has to be spiders. Nearly any spider may be a pet, but most are not recommended. Black widows, for instance, can be and have been kept as pets. They are interesting to watch and easy to care for. Black widows spin a fairly haphazard web and watching the web creation can be quite fascinating. A live cricket and a spray of water on the web once a week is all that is needed to sustain them. They are also poisonous.

By far the most popular of the arachnid pets are tarantulas. There are about 800 species of tarantula throughout the world. Many are now available for sale at pet shops and reptile shows. Tarantulas are easy to care for, but although the ones sold as pets may be safely handled, it is not advisable since they are invertebrate and may be injured by handling. The best habitat for your pet tarantula will depend on the type you choose, but most often a screen-topped aquarium or terrarium, minimum five gallon, will suffice. Equip the habitat with a shallow water dish, a substrate layer suitable for burrowing, and a place for your tarantula to hide. They will eat crickets and other live insects and generally feed a couple of times a week.

If you start with a young spiderling, you will see your tarantula grow. Part of this process includes molting. The shedding of its skin can take up to several hours; do not be alarmed if you see your tarantula on its back, and do not disturb it during the molting process as this could kill your pet.