Jumping spiders, which belong to the Salticidae family, typically have a lifespan ranging from one to three years.

Jumping spiders? That’s not what I expected when I heard about pet options; I thought we were discussing puppies. They are often affectionately referred to as “spooders” or “spoods” due to their charming appearance.

Nonetheless, these creatures come with eight legs and, interestingly, eight eyes as well.

As their name suggests, these spiders are capable of jumping. There are over 6,000 known species of jumping spiders worldwide, but don’t worry—they are quite small.

So, we aren’t talking about something like Aragog from Harry Potter? No, these spiders can comfortably sit on your fingernail. However, their popularity is significantly growing.

I hope that popularity isn’t in my bedroom. Not at all. They are gaining traction online.

That makes sense, considering you typically find spiders on the web. Indeed, videos featuring pet jumping spiders are becoming a viral phenomenon across social media platforms.

What kind of content are they producing? One notable TikTok video, which has accumulated over 2 million views, showcases a spider named Violet appearing to embrace a small clay human figure before settling into its pink cottage.

That does sound rather endearing. Unfortunately, Violet passed away earlier this year, but her owner, a 33-year-old graphic designer from South Carolina, has other pet spiders, including Tinkerbell and Pebbles, who also enjoy a substantial following online.

So, is it possible to purchase these creatures? Please refer to them as creatures. Yes, the New York Times interviewed Lauren Taylor, a graphic designer from Nevada, who has around 2,000 jumping spiders in her home. She has a playful canopy jumping spider named Harry, who is one year old. Lauren breeds these spiders and sells them for prices ranging from $60 to $100 (£45-£75), depending on the specific breed.

That’s less expensive than a puppy, and they have double the legs.

But can one really form a bond with them? “You’d be surprised at how possible it is until you actually try,” Lauren explains. Also, there’s Opal …

Who is Opal? She is another TikTok sensation who went viral in 2021 for a video where she appeared to “tuck in” her babies to their silken egg sack, with the caption, “Gotta protek dem.”

That sounds a bit unsettling (and not just because I have a fear of spiders). You aren’t the only one; not everyone is in favor of this trend of anthropomorphizing spiders for views. Organizations like People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) have expressed concerns.

What is PETA’s stance? They describe this trend as a “cruel social media fad” and argue that these intelligent, sensitive creatures should be left in their natural environments rather than confined in glass enclosures. Last year, after some pet retail stores in the U.S. began selling jumping spiders, over 2,000 individuals signed a petition urging them to cease this practice.

Wasn’t it PETA that once referred to fish as “sea kittens” in a campaign against their consumption? Yes, that is correct. Some may argue that this diminishes their credibility on such matters.

Do say: “Daddy, can I please have a web puppy? Now!”

Don’t say: “Where did she go? She was just here a moment ago … Tinkerbell!”