I have pet Spiders. AMA.

[SpidaMama]

Name changed as outing

These are my pet jumping spiders.

Previously arachnophobic!

Undiagnosed but I believe so.

6 and no.

To be honest at 6, if you can't help her with some basic things because of your fear then I wouldn't get her a spider.

Any tarantulas are going to be 'look don't touch' and all of them are a risk of doing a runner when the enclosure is opened to feed. I wouldn't trust a 6 year old to feed them. You'd need to remove it for maintenance etc which she wouldn't be capable of doing alone. They all have a risk of biting or releasing irritating hairs.

Jumping spiders would be much more suitable but for her age but she would probably still need some help.
They'll need a light (12 hours on daytime, 12 hours off) and a heat mat behind the enclosure (never under) with a thermostat.

They need misting daily. Feeding every 3 days. You'll need to keep fly castors and live flies in the fridge.

She could handle jumpers but again it's down to her maturity and if one did jump away would you be able to help catch it?

I think at 6 there aren't really ANY pets that can be left to the sole responsibility of a child so you would need to help her a little. It's upto you to decide if you can 😂

Interesting, thank you
Your spiders are beautiful

Aww I have 38 tarantulas lol nice to see other spider keepers

I had a hamster at that age I was solely responsible for. I remember having special washing up gloves for cleaning it out, possibly affecting my view. 😅 I don't actually know anything about spider care, I haven't researched at all just something I had considered as small and she keeps asking.

I didn't realise you couldn't touch tarantulas, assumed any available for households wouldn't be dangerous. She'd definitely want a spider She can hold. She loves holding household spiders and stroking them. (😬)

She is excellent at catching spiders, the best in the household when it comes to household spiders. If she wouldn't be able to catch a jumping spider none of us could ! In which case we'd need to burn the house down. 🤣

I think it needs to be a no for now. Thank you. 😊

I'm going to research jumping spiders and maybe in a year or so.

If she's good with house spiders why not let her have one of those in an acrylic enclosure? Lots of people have wild caught species of inverts.

You'd just need to be able to provide flies

Would you ever get a large tarantula?

I thought they died quite quickly? She'd be gutted if it died in a week or so.
I really need to do some research. Will do lots of Googling tonight.

Mavis is a 'large' tarantula but she's a juvenile/teen right now. She will probably be 5/6 inches when adult

You can get bigger though. I might!

I've got 10 spiders right now so not looking for anymore.

How about a mantis?

There are lots of really colourful beetles they don't mind being handled and are harmless too!

If you are near Manchester I have a hyllus giganteus jumper with enclosure I'd be willing to part with.

Most shops won't post live animals now until Jan because of the strikes and cold

If she wouldn't be able to catch a jumping spider none of us could ! In which case we'd need to burn the house down.

This did make me chuckle 😂 your 6 year old sounds amazing. Does she want to be David Attenborough when she grows up?!

@SpidaMama she wouldn't say no to a mantis or a beetle, but she'd still really want a spider. Unfortunately we aren't- thank you so much for the offer though! Are there any particular jumpers you'd recommend as a first spider? I'm just looking into them now.

@PoseyFlump A train driver! She's a funny little thing! 😊

I would go for a Phidippus regius. Very cute.

They don't actually jump very far and they stay anchored by their Web so the chances of them jumping away are very small if she's sat on the floor with it.

I would recommend the following Facebook pages:

The Phidippus palace
Jumping spiders London
Phidporium

They all sell spiders and accessories.

I would get a medium enclosure from TheSpidershop personally.

And any flies DEFINITELY get them from Spinks Bugs and Bits. On Facebook. They hatch beautifully (they can be a pain when you buy them from ebay etc)

They're 25 each and perfect I find.

If you get a young one you can keep it in a ventilated deli cup with mesh over the hole for a while till it moults a few times.

The spider in the delicup there is WAY too big for a cup BTW, she was in there whilst I improved her spidershop enclosure.

I was in the kitchen yesterday when a small but chunky spider popped out of a hiding place. My first thought was 'oh hello, what you up to?' rather than my usual reaction of throw my breakfast in the air and run for the hills! 😂 your photos definitely help! Can we have a Christmas Lydia photo please?! x