Tarantular keeper for over a decade here.
No.
I’m not an expert, so take my findings with a grain of salt, but the current scientific consensus seems to be:
We don’t know.
Recent studies suggest that the behavior of spiders is more complex than previously thought. They show behavior that can’t be explained by simple automatisms, such as the development of hunting strategies depending on their prey.
Keep in mind that these findings do not indicate any capability to love or to grow fond of someone. But there is an ongoing discussion about whether invertebrates should be considered sentient.
They show behavior that can’t be explained by simple automatisms
This has been long debunked and is also obvious to anyone that even dabbled in Entomology or adjacent fields. There are certainly very complex behaviors at work. But if it qualifies as sentient is a philosophical debate and not one of arachnology.
No, but they’re objectively the best pet. Basically a walking plant who’s bffs with a hole in the ground and hunts crickets by staying absolutely still until it’s not.
Probably no more than a goldfish I suspect.
