Did you wonder just like me if spiders are friendly or not?
In this article, you’ll find the answer to this exact question and I’ll dive deeper into the answer. After fully answering the question, I’ll give you more information about similar questions and at the end of the article, I’ll give you answers to a few related questions that are asked frequently.
Are spiders friendly? The truth is that spiders aren’t unfriendly animals and can even be friendly depending on the characteristics of the spider in question, their current mood, and also on the vibe the spider gets from you. If the spider feels threatened then you can be sure that it will do anything to defend itself.
Spiders are wild animals
Just like any other wild creature, spiders have a mind of their own and they will always act on instinct. When they do something, they’re not doing it out of malice, nor are they trying to make friends with you. They’re just doing what they please.
Most wild animals tend to act on instinct as opposed to acting with specific intent. For example, they search out prey when they’re hungry and they seek shelter when they need to. The difference between human beings and spiders is that spiders simply do what their very nature compels them to do. Humans, on the other hand, have plenty of time to contemplate their actions.
Humans should be friendly to spiders
Human beings should be more worried about being friendly to the spider as opposed to having curiosity about the spider’s friendliness towards humans. The fact is that humans can easily kill a spider by merely stepping on it. Imagine what it would feel like if you were trying to navigate a world full of giants that could squash you with a single step. That’s the world that the spider is forced to navigate. The odds are not on the spider’s side.
Reasons to be more friendly towards spiders
- Spiders kill one of our biggest enemies which is the mosquito.
- The venom of certain spiders is used in painkillers which are helpful to us when we’re in pain and their venom is also used in other medicines.
- They help keep our houses and gardens partly or fully free of unwanted insects.
What is the friendliest spider?
A bunch of different spider species naturally are more friendly than others. These different species will be covered in the question that follows this one. After doing some research, I found out that the Portia Fimbriata (a jumping spider species) is the friendliest spider species on earth.
Keep in mind though that even friendly spiders won’t want to cuddle you and will probably run away or play dead when it feels threatened.
What are the friendliest spider species?
Here is a list of the friendliest spider species:
- Brazilian Crab Spider.
- Crab Spider.
- Orchid Spider.
- Brown Huntsman Spider.
- Northern Golden Orb Weaver.
- Northern Jewelled Spider.
- Wasp Spider.
- Fringed Jumping Spider.
- Mexican Red-Knee (Tarantula Species).
- Desert Blonde (Tarantula Species).
- Mexican Red Rump (Tarantula Species).
- Brazilian Black (Tarantula Species).
- Pink Toe (Tarantula Species).
- Pink Zebra Beauty (Tarantula Species).
- Honduran Curly Hair (Tarantula Species).
- Mexican Redleg (Tarantula Species).
- Costa Rican Zebra (Tarantula Species).
- Chilean Rose (Tarantula Species).
- Chikunia Bilde.
If you’re interested in watching a video about different friendly Tarantula species then I encourage you to check out the video below.
If you can’t get enough of learning about spiders then I encourage you to check out the “Spiders Category Page” which consists of various articles that give answers to spider-related questions.
Are Tarantulas Friendly?
Tarantulas are among the most popular pet spiders. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re friendly in the traditional sense. They don’t tend to develop bonds with people so if you’re looking for something that you can love and will love you back, it’s best to stick with a cat or dog.
Also, the spider won’t hesitate to bite if it feels like it’s being threatened. You can probably handle them and allow them to crawl around but if you choose to get snuggly with it, don’t be surprised if it responds with a certain amount of hostility that includes a rather painful bite.
Are house spiders friendly?
Just like any other spider species will also the house spider bite whenever it feels threatened. That’s why I would call them mainly neutral in their behavior which means that they could be friendly or unfriendly depending on the situation.
Let’s, for example, say that the house spider in question just had a short stand-off with another spider and then you come in with your hand trying to pet it. In my opinion, you can be very certain that the spider won’t react friendly towards that. Now, don’t forget though that they are not out there to hurt you either. Just letting them do their thing and leaving them alone is what I would advise.
Are jumping spiders friendly?
Jumping spider species are the smartest spiders on earth and besides this fact, they are also the friendliest spider species. This once again doesn’t mean that this species will always be friendly towards you though.
Just like any other spider species, I would also let these species alone because this is most likely what these spiders would prefer. But I gotta say though that it can be very cute to have a jumping spider walking around on your arm and looking at you.
Are wolf spiders friendly?
Wolf spiders are not necessarily friendly spiders. This doesn’t mean either though that they are on a mission to bite you. They are just on a survival mission like any other spider species. In my opinion, it is best to leave these spider species alone just like all the other spider species.
But if you desperately want to have it sitting on your hand or arm then make sure you gently handle the wolf spider and don’t waste its time for too long.
Are small spiders friendly?
It’s unlikely that they’ll bite you as they’re very small. Also, you can expect them to be friendly towards you as being unfriendly towards you could mean certain death to them. So, they’ll be friendly as long as you’re friendly towards them.
Just like any other spider species, they are also on a mission to survive and that’s why I would also recommend you to let the smaller spider species alone. Their tasks are already hard enough and most likely are even tougher than that of the larger spider species as the larger spider species have already outgrown some of their enemies.
Are deadly spiders friendly?
They are just like any other spider species focused on surviving and would therefore rather use their precious venom on prey where they can feed on. So, they aren’t either friendly or unfriendly. They’ll just react accordingly to their surroundings.
Just remember that the spider won’t bite you if it has no reason to and for our safety it would be best to not try to handle these deadly spiders at all because one misstep could mean a necessary unplanned hospital visit.
Related questions
Do spiders like humans?
Spiders don’t necessarily like humans. They would rather not risk getting hurt or killed by your large foot or hand. But they also don’t necessarily dislike humans though, they just prefer to be left alone so that they can fully focus on their mission to survive.
Can spiders be affectionate?
They can’t become affectionate towards you. But, they can, for example, become used to walking on your arm, sitting on your hand, or getting fed by you. I wouldn’t go further than this though because a cuddle with a spider could mean death to them.
Are pet spiders friendly?
Pet spiders are still like any other wild spider. Some spiders are naturally less aggressive than others and these are also the species that make the best pets. It’s sort of like having a tiger as a pet. It may seem very friendly at times but who knows what might happen once it acts on instinct.
Conclusion
Now you know that spiders aren’t unfriendly animals and can even be friendly depending on the mood that they’re in, the vibe they get from you, and the characteristics of the spider in question.
You’ve learned that spiders are wild animals and will therefore act on their instincts. If the spider feels threatened you can be sure that the spider will do anything to defend itself. This is also the exact reason why we humans have the responsibility to be friendly towards spiders because, in the end, we are the ones that can decide to keep the spider alive, not the other way around.
Besides, we shouldn’t forget that spiders are providing a better life for us by feeding on a large amount of disease-carrying mosquitoes. That their venom helps us create medicines that are very beneficial to people with certain illnesses and that they help keep the population of insects at bay in our houses and gardens.
In general, I would say “If you accept them then they will accept you”.