Wow! Glad I'm not arachnophobic, though... and on the whole, I think I prefer the more, well, pettable sorts of pets. (Cool didgeridoo music on that video, by the way.)
I would get a new Guinea Pig. I had two but both of them died- my dog killed one and the other died of old age (i think). She just deflated. It was awful I miss those lil' buggers so much. The only problem is I cannot have them now. My grandmother (whom I now live with) is terribly allergic to their dandruff. So sad. So so sad.
Why wife is a bird person. We currently have an African Grey parrot and a Goffin's cockatoo. She's always wanted to have a crow. They're highly intelligent, they can bond with people, and can learn to speak a few words. The common American crow can live to 30 years or more in captivity. But, being a native species, in our state it's illegal to own one without a special permit. However, a non-native corvid species such as the European raven, can be kept as a companion animal. They're not the most attractive birds, but like other corvids, they're extremely intelligent, have distinct personalities, and can speak. They can also be loud. Though ideally, if they're hand-raised as a chick, they will successfully bond with humans.