Spiders can make very rewarding pets. Species available in pet shops are generally considered to pose little threat to human safety, and are unlikely to bite if handled appropriately. In contrast to snakes, they are easy and inexpensive to house properly. Spiders are easily caught in the wild, however, and such individuals may belong to dangerous species, particularly if the animal is large. It is both illegal and unwise to collect spiders from the wild. For the same reasons as with snakes, it is inadvisable to keep dangerous species as pets.
If bitten by a spider kept as a pet, the advisable course of action is to seek medical attention. As with snakes, leaving the problem until a clinically significant decline is the worst strategy.
Last updated: October 2007
