Couple's pet tarantula disappears for a year and then something unexpected happens

Imagine having a pet tarantula. They're not easy to keep - they require the perfect conditions, from the right temperature to food, to thrive. Now, imagine losing that pet tarantula, knowing that a spider is lurking somewhere in your home. Not just any old spider, either; a spider that is huge, fluffy, and venomous. It's a situation most people would find nightmarish.

According to Call North West, poisonous spiders release their toxins when they are inhaled, ingested or absorbed through the tissue or skin; in other words, they’re only harmful if you eat them. Venomous spiders, on the other hand, inject their toxin with a fang-like apparatus known as a chelicerae. These are the spiders you should be more worried about and avoid contact with.

Despite this, some people have pointed out on Reddit that you're "more likely to get bitten by a cat or a dog" than a tarantula.

• Woman orders ironing board from Temu but is gobsmacked when it turns up
• Two-day old donkey leaves mum on field for first time and what happens next has people in tears

But would you want to keep one as a pet? And how would you feel if it went missing?

Elaa Neyra posted a video of her husband's tarantula that went missing before reappearing "after a year." To make matters worse, the spider returned when her husband wasn't home, so he couldn't deal with the critter.

The huge spider was in the corner of the room, near a door, not moving. Often, tarantulas move slowly and intentionally, rather than quickly.

One man wrote: "Honestly I'm less scared of a tarantula than I am of normal spiders. Normal spiders move quickly and then disappear. Tarantulas are slow and predictable. I don't fear being bitten; I fear them going in my nose or mouth."

A woman asked: "You guys slept peacefully knowing a giant spider was on the loose?! IN THE HOUSE?!"

Someone penned: "Had one when I was a kid. It disappeared for 3 months in my parents' house. My mum was not happy. We found it one day in my brother's shoe".

Another had a warning for Elaa, however. They said: "You might wanna check the attic/basement and every little crack in your house for eggs or baby tarantulas.

"Depending on how long it was missing, it could've found a mate and reproduced."

"What even makes a person think 'I want a pet tarantula'?" another TikTok user asked.

According to the American Tarantula Society, pet tarantulas are generally not considered dangerous to humans. While all tarantulas possess venom, their bites are rarely serious and are often compared to a bee sting in terms of pain and medical significance.

Most species kept as pets are docile and will only bite if they feel threatened or provoked. The venom of common pet tarantulas is not potent enough to cause serious harm to healthy adults, though some people may experience mild allergic reactions or localised pain and swelling