About Us
Little Spider Friends Story
Blackberry
Hi! My name is Angelo, and I’m 10 years old.
Little Spider Friends started when I caught my very first jumping spider outside of my school. I hadn’t seen one in a really long time, so I felt super happy and excited. I was also really proud of myself for being brave enough to catch him.
He was a Phidippus audax (a bold jumping spider), black with white spots and stripes, and bright green chelicerae (the mouthparts that are kind of like fangs). I named him Blackberry.
When we first brought him home and put him in his enclosure, something really cool happened. Every time I put my finger on the glass, he would come over to check me out. It felt like he liked me from the start. We were both curious about each other.
One day, when we were changing things in his enclosure, he came right out onto my hand. We were both a little nervous—but after that, we became great friends.
That’s when everything started. Blackberry made me want to learn everything about jumping spiders.
Why I Love Jumping Spiders
Jumping spiders are different from other spiders because they are really friendly, really smart, and honestly… really cute.
They have two big front eyes that make them look like they’re looking right at you, and their green chelicerae make them even cooler. I don’t think they’re scary at all. They actually choose not to bite, and it’s really rare for them to do that. Instead, they get used to you and can even build a kind of relationship with you.
If someone is scared of spiders, I would say:
“Just watch how jumping spiders act. They’re really friendly, they’ll just hang out with you.”
What I’ve Learned
Taking care of Blackberry taught me so much. I’ve learned about:
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Proper care like humidity
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How their bodies work (like how their lungs are on their bellies!)
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Bioactive terrarium setups
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How smart and curious they are
It made me want to keep learning every day.
About Me
My mom says I’m like the boy version of Snow White because I love animals and all living things, and they seem to love me back. Animals come up to me like a magnet.
I’ve had and cared for a lot of animals, including:
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Chickens and ducks that we hatched
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Frogs, fish, and even a snake
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2 bearded dragons, 4 cats, and 2 dogs
I’ve also fostered puppies, kittens, and bunnies. One of them even had 4 baby bunnies in my room!
I think animals like me because I’m gentle, patient, and I really care about them. When I foster animals, I always give them extra love before they go to their new homes.
Chunk
Angelo
Chunk
Kelp Crab
Why I Started This
I’ve always liked learning, and I love sharing what I know with other people. My mom is a teacher, and she’s taught me a lot about math, art, and so many other things. Now I’m one of the top students in my class in math, and it inspires me to teach others too.
I want other kids to learn about jumping spiders because:
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They are fascinating arachnids
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Learning about them helps you feel braver
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They teach responsibility
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They’re not that hard to take care of
When I teach someone something new, it makes me feel really good because now they can go learn even more.
Our Mission
At Little Spider Friends, I want to:
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Help jumping spiders find good homes
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Take really good care of every spider
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Provide great enclosures and supplies
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Teach kids and families how to care for them
When someone gets a spider from me, I want them to feel:
excited, happy, brave, and confident that they know how to care for their new pet.
My Dream
My dream is simple:
I want every little baby jumping spider to have a good home and live a good life.