I am at war with my pet spider, Fifi.
By The Horse
@TheHorse (232983)
Walnut Creek, California
May 23, 2025 11:00am CST
A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about a couple of bees who were all "wrapped up" in conversation with my pet spider.
I gave her encouragement, as I don't like bees flying all around my apartment. I named her Fifi, and she did not seem to object.
But yesterday, I noticed she had taken advantage of my support and kindness, and extended her web to the bottle of wood glue that sits on my desk.
I used a dried up pen to undo that part of her web. She mistook my pen for another bee and came out to wrap things up. When she saw that the disturbance was a pen attached to a very large creature (moi), she retreated to her hiding place.
I noticed that she was substantially larger than the last time I had seen her. Apparently her dinner with the bees was pleasurable for her.
If she continues to try to expand her territory to my desk, I may obliterate her web entirely. I would love to relocate Fifi to a nice bush outside, but I am not sure how to capture her and find her a new domicile.
Her web is very "unpretty," liked the webs of black widows, but I have not spied anything red on her abdomen.
Have you ever had a pet spider?
17 people like this
17 responses
@DaddyEvil (163554)
• United States
23 May
As long as you haven't been dating Fifi, she might consent to being moved to a new place... You can make a cone with a piece of notebook paper and see if you can encourage her to go inside it while you quickly move her outside to a bush or tree trunk. (Make sure you close off the narrow end of the cone if you don't want to shake hands with her on the way out of your house. 
)
)3 people like this
@DaddyEvil (163554)
• United States
23 May
@TheHorse You might have to use a wire coat hanger and open it out so you can "prod" her into the paper cone.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (232983)
• Walnut Creek, California
23 May
@DaddyEvil Or just find my can of Raid. There's a bit of Donald Trump in all of us. 
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (166765)
• United States
23 May
I think it is important for you to evict her before she deposits and egg sac or two around your desk. You would have her little progeny everywhere.
2 people like this
@1creekgirl (44257)
• United States
23 May
I absolutely do not like spiders, although my daughter is insanely afraid of them. Poor Fifi, but you gotta do what you gotta do.
I have three pet box dragon flies. They haven't come back this year yet, but I'm waiting. They're brothers Orville and Wilbur (their little box wings look like the Wright brothers' plane) and they have cousin Oliver with them at times. They wait for me at the back porch and sometimes on the front porch. Dale doesn't believe they're the same ones, but I know better.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (232983)
• Walnut Creek, California
24 May
@1creekgirl I found it interesting that the children of the doves who Helga (my neighbor and Horse Jr's mom) supported returned to that spot to nest. Helga and Horse Jr. have moved to South Carolina, and there are no doves here now.
1 person likes this
@Deepizzaguy (116618)
• Lake Charles, Louisiana
25 May
I have never had a pet spider before.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (232983)
• Walnut Creek, California
25 May
@Deepizzaguy Do you catch them and dump them outside? Or just squish them?
1 person likes this
@Deepizzaguy (116618)
• Lake Charles, Louisiana
25 May
@TheHorse My relatives and myself get rid of them.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (52203)
•
24 May
Fifi would have been shown the door in my house...spiders belong outside in my opinion. You are brave.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (232983)
• Walnut Creek, California
25 May
@MarieCoyle In general, I am on the side of bees.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (52203)
•
25 May
@TheHorse
Yes...but I would be on the side of the bees, cheering them along instead!
1 person likes this
@snowy22315 (200003)
• United States
24 May
Can't say that I have. There was a small one in the bathroom, I was letting live, but haven't seen it lately.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (183132)
• Boise, Idaho
23 May
Oh, my good spit balls, no! I have a very direct fear of spiders. All those legs. They move too fast and I just don't trust them. You noticed she was growing? I hope that if you decide to 'obliderate her web' that you also include her. Oh, Yuck!
1 person likes this
@ptrikha_2 (48852)
• India
24 May
No such "Pet Spiders".
In this case, I think you might have to be ready for a longer battle of "wits" and well, that would need some patience and quick thinking.
Re-location could be a tricky proposition.
1 person likes this
@crossbones27 (51796)
• Mojave, California
24 May
I wonder if most people ever seen a black widows web, they crazy. They so strong, if they were biG enough I think they could catch a human. You will know a black widows web when you seen it. They very scary spiders, the women ones at least. Did I need to say the last part, why they called black Widows because they ate their mate. 
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (208182)
• United States
24 May
No pet spiders for me, thank you. I hate them, especially the big wolf spiders. They are huge.
1 person likes this
@cabuyogty (4472)
• Philippines
23 May
I hope that Fifi your pet spider will behave well and good.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (232983)
• Walnut Creek, California
24 May
@cabuyogty Exotic is my middle name.
1 person likes this
@cabuyogty (4472)
• Philippines
24 May
@TheHorse that's good . It's amazing that you have an exotic pet. 
1 person likes this
@RasmaSandra (91800)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
23 May
Nope no pet spiders but I did once move one through the use of a glass jar
1 person likes this
