Wayward Tarantula Caught Creeping Around California Home

SAN DIEGO, CA – A San Diego family got an early start to Halloween when a tarantula creeped inside their Scripps Ranch home this week. The spider was spotted Tuesday clinging to their kitchen cabinet.

"All I wanted was a snack," Hannah Dafferner told Fox 5 San Diego.

The 19-year-old first spotted the spider, but she didn't think it was real.

"It didn’t move at first," she said. "I thought my sister put a Halloween decoration there or something. Then it moved its leg. I screamed bloody murder."

Coming to his daughter's rescue, Scott Dafferner used a pitcher to capture the eight-legged creature.

"It really cooperated," he told Fox 5. "I think it was afraid of all the screaming."

After seeing the tarantula tale on Facebook, a 9-year-old girl in the neighborhood offered to adopt the three-to-four-inch male tarantula, according to the report. The family was happy to give away their new "friend."

"It’s really cool … but I really don’t want to keep it," Scott Dafferner said.

Also see:

• Swimming Rattlesnake Panics Folsom Lake Boaters
• Snake Safety: What To Do If You See A Rattlesnake

Stock image by Don McCullough via flickr.com, used under Creative Commons