We had a tarantula for a pet in our class in fourth grade. I loved her – she would walk up my arm and stand on my head. She was soft and fuzzy. When our teacher left, she had to adopt out the tarantula, and I lobbied really hard to be the one, but mom wouldn’t do it. Even though we’d taken care of her over several weekends.

I’m not scarred for life, but it was a near thing. :-D