I used to have a 3 gallon terrarium with rocks, sand, a small log, etc. A perfect habitat for a tarantula but no residents and when people asked what was in it I would tell them "My pet tarantula". They would look in the tank and ask where the thing was and I would remark "damn, it must have got out again, watch where you sit".

Being VERY arachnophobic myself, I would never have a pet spider but it was fun to inflict a bit of my own fear on others. If I ever saw that thing crawling across my living room floor, I would scream like a girl, hike up my kilt, and run. My daughter asked me if she could have one for a pet. Actually she only got as far as "Daddy, can I have a pet tara..." before I told her "ABSOLUTELY NOT"