Advantages of Keeping Spiders as Pets
1. Unlike other pets that require high maintenance, spiders are clean creatures. They would just sit quietly in their respective cages (of course, if they are sufficiently fed).
2. Many pets require vast living spaces. For example, dogs have to roam around to exercise or rabbits have to run to and fro. But spiders do not need all of that space. They are already happy and contented to live in a suitably sized terrarium. Then again, enthusiasts have to make sure that the terrarium can serve an as excellent spider habitat.
3. Since spiders can be kept in glass terrarium, you can actually put them on display. These creatures are incredibly amazing to watch, not to mention that their external appearance is intriguing enough to keep people gazing at them for hours. That's excellent entertainment for visitors in your house. Moreover, spider-watching is also a nice way to unwind after a day's work.
4. Now this one is rather crucial. Spiders do not need socialization. That means that you do not have to touch your pet to make it feel comfortable or secured. You do not have to make it interact with other spiders too. Unlike regular domesticated animals that require too much attention, spiders would not mind being left to attend to itself for as long as you give them enough food.
5. When it comes to expenses, obviously, spiders are cheaper to take care of. You do not have to buy different sorts of products to keep them healthy and beautiful. You do not have to buy them fancy cages, toys or clothes. Spiders live a simple life.
6. Most importantly, you do not have to buy a spider. Of course, if you have money to spare, you can do that. But, essentially, you can get spiders even in your own habitat. You can catch spiders in your garden or inside your house. You can also go spider-hunting in forests and other habitats. As far as the government is concern, it is not illegal to catch spiders in the wild, so you might as well want to use this fact to your advantage.
7. Lastly, just like what the other pets can do, taking care of spiders will help children learn to take on responsibility. Raising another living thing is a big responsibility for most children, but once they get through it, you can be assured that these kids will become better people once they grow up. Moreover, spiders can also spark their interest in animals, nature and in science.
Disadvantages of Keeping Spiders are Pets
1. Almost all spiders can excrete venom no matter how small. Although majority of these spiders cannot excrete enough venom to harm humans, the venom can be sufficient to cause itching, reddening and swelling of the bitten area. However, it might also be good news that most of these spiders do not have fangs which are long enough to inject their venom into the blood system of a person; so technically, the most that these spiders can do is give their human victim a sting.
2. One of the most popular spider pet which is the Tarantula has urticating hairs which they can "fire" whenever they feel threatened. Although Tarantulas are naturally patient with humans, there are cases when because of anxiety or stress they become aggressive and "fire" a couple of their hairs to their owner. The hair can cause serious irritations and when they get into the eyes of their victim, the hairs can even cause significant vision damage. However, this situation can be avoided by handling the pet away from the face and by wearing protective gloves.
3. Although spiders can live in a simple terrarium, select spider species also require a terrarium that has the exact physical condition of their natural habitat. That is, the terrarium has to be of the same temperature, lighting and humidity as their natural habitat. Moreover, pet owners have to make sure too that the spiders get the same nutritional requirements that they get from their natural habitat or else, these spiders might grow weak and die.
4. Spiderman can climb buildings for some reasons, right? Well, Spiderman's abilities are solely based on the abilities of a real spider. Spiders can climb different surfaces and even if the owner keeps his or her spider pets in a glass container, if it is not covered, it is still possible for the spider to escape out of the container. Thus, owners have to always cover the "cage" of the spiders and at the same time make sure that the cover will not deprive the spiders with the right amount of oxygen that they need. Airflow is very important to most spiders and if air is not properly flowing, spiders might just suffocate and die.
5. If the owner decided to take care of spiders other than the Tarantula, he or she has to prepare himself or herself of the possibility of losing his or her pet after a short time. Spiders are short-lived thus if the owner has the tendency to be attached to pets, then he or she should choose a tarantula. According to spider enthusiasts, Tarantulas can live as long as 20 or 30 years even in captivity.
6. Now, just like all other pets, at some point, spiders can also get sick. They are also susceptible to many forms of diseases caused by parasitic or fungal infection. The problem is, too few experts know how to treat spiders. So, the tendency is, once your spider becomes ill, you might as well expect that your spider can die because of the disease.
7. If detachment is a disadvantage for you, you should know that most spiders cannot be handles and caressed like ordinary pets. You have to keep your distance from them pets and content yourself to watching them from behind the glass.
8. You can't easily mate your spider. It is very difficult to cross-breed spiders too so you need to mate your spider with the same species and finding another spider pet owner with the same specie as yours can be daunting.
9. Many insurance companies do not merit spiders as pets, so if ever you got bitten by one, your insurance will be void by virtue of neglect or deliberate interaction with a supposed "dangerous" creature.
