Can I Please Have a Pet Jumping Spider?
I’ll save you some suspense. Kelly says Definitely Not In The House. She’s not scared of spiders or anything. She just doesn’t want any more pets. Fair enough.
Maybe he (or she) could be an office spider?
This idea first popped into my head about 6 months ago when Jamie’s friend Avery moved to Florida and we watched his lizard and hermit crab for about 10 days before mailing them to him.
This left us with a couple of little plastic enclosures that I somehow decided looked like the perfect home for a pet spider.
Obviously the plan was/is to clean it up, then put in the proper kind of bedding and other accoutrements. Basically turn it into a happy spider home.
One problem …
I know absolutely nothing about how to keep a jumping spider alive, let alone happy.
Luckily Notebook LM is pretty helpful in these situations.
I stopped trusting search engines a long time ago. Lately, the top results are either obvious ads, or webpages whose primary purpose is to try to sell me something. I know where to buy a spider, and I already have the enclosure. I just want to know how to care for it and keep it alive.
With Notebook LM I can choose the sources, then not only ask it questions based on just those sources (no hallucinations), but I can also have it produce these neat graphics, and even an audio overview if I want to listen instead of read the relevant information.
Well shoots. I’m glad I did this before I actually went out looking for a spider. It turns out I have the wrong kind of enclosure for a jumping spider. I would also need to get a bright LED light and a misting bottle.
Hmmmm …
When I first had this idea months ago, I was thinking about getting a tarantula.
Here’s the graphic I had Notebook LM make for that:
This actually look more promising. I think I would be able to use the enclosure I already have. Also, check out that “daily care and feeding” up in the top right.
Who would have guessed that tarantulas look easier to take care of than jumping spiders?
The main thing that kept me from pursuing this months ago was that when I looked in our local PetsMart, the only tarantulas that they regularly have are the Mexican pink toe. I of course would want one of the cool blue or purple ones.
However, from what I’m reading, these make much better pets and are easier for non-experienced first time owners … which is probably why this species is what PetsMart has for sale.
Hmmmm again …
I do want something for my desk at work. I may very well go look at the tarantulas again one of these days.
Or maybe I should get a lizard?
Of course I’d have go create a new “care and feeding” notebook for that first too.
Have you ever successfully kept a spider, lizard, or other small creature?
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No, I have never kept anything like that. But actually, in the fifties, I think we'd go to the state fair and come home with chameleons, which didn't last very long at all...
Mainly, I try to befriend the fence lizards in my yard by providing them water and a safe place to escape from cats. I actually have a brick B&B that I've built where they can hide inside or go out on top and bathe in the sun.