Magic Spider Pro-Pack by Ian Pidgeon

My Pet Boris (the magic spider app) is the brainchild of magician Ian Pidgeon from sunny Sydney, Australia.

Let’s be honest—most of us jump out of our skins when we stumble into a spider web (and I’m no exception). So, you can bet your last quid this trick will get a reaction!

First off, a nod to Jim Pace's The Web from L&L Publishing, which inspired this little gem. You can grab The Web from your favourite magic dealer or online at L&L Publishing or any other magic site worth its salt. L&L holds the rights to the original "The Web" effect, and they’ve kindly given us the green light to market this app.

Now, while "The Web" is a card-based trick, My Pet Boris takes a different route—think of it more as a cheeky prank that anyone can pull off.

This app uses the smartphone (that gadget we’re all glued to) as a delightful distraction rather than presenting it as a magic trick. With its video, animation, and vibration features, it hooks multiple senses and keeps folks intrigued. Everyone's always keen to see the latest tech, which gives it a lovely emotional twist.
The spider in question? An Australian Redback spider, Latrodectus hasseltii, a cousin of the notorious American Black Widow. He was safely relocated to my neighbour's garden after filming (sorry, mate!).

Effect:
So, here’s the fun bit: I pitch this as a nifty new smartphone app (app sold separately, of course) that fuses the spectator's own hand with computer-generated images to create a mind-bending form of augmented reality. I ask the spectator to extend their hand, snap a cheeky photo of their palm, and secretly load a plastic spider onto the back of their hand before placing the phone on top. Then I introduce Boris.
The animation and shadowing make it look like the spider's having a little jaunt across their hand. They’ll even feel him shimmy about thanks to the phone’s vibration feature. He pauses for a tick or two, and I give him a poke to get him moving again.
I demonstrate how to interact with Boris by sliding my finger under the phone to give him a little rub. He really looks like he’s chilling between the phone and their hand. (Doing this with a real poisonous spider? Not a chance!)
Then I show how a cheeky wave of my hand over the phone's proximity sensors makes him scuttle back. He zips across the screen like a pro.
Once I hand the phone back, I ask them to give it a go. When they wave their hand over the screen, they’ll catch a glimpse of a very real-looking spider clinging to the back of their hand, and let me tell you, the freakout is glorious!

That’s My Pet Boris!

NOTE: App sold separately via the App Store for iPhone only. No longer compatible with newer Android phones.