A former arachnophobe has revealed that she has not only overcome her fear but now keeps over 30 spiders at home as pets.
Hayden Shea, from Orange County, California, admits that her friends think she is 'crazy' for her obsession with the eight-legged creatures.
Previously, the Starbucks barista was afraid of them but now she loves spending time with the creepy crawlers.
She started collecting the spiders two years ago and already has seven different species in her flat – including Regals, Audax, Hyllus Diardi, Fartilis, Apache, Tux and Mimicus.
Hayden Shea, from Orange County, California, admits that her friends think she is 'crazy' for her obsession with the eight-legged creatures
Previously, the Starbucks barista was afraid of them but now she loves spending time with the creepy crawlers
She started collecting the spiders two years ago and already has seven different species in her flat
Hayden explained that she has 'too many' spiders to name all of them but revealed that her personal favorites include seven-month-old Honey as well as Snowball, Halo and Emerald, each just one year old.
She also admitted that three-year-old Iris is the apple of her eye.
'I decided to start keeping them after I kept seeing [posts about spiders] on Instagram,' she dished.
'And I eventually got over my phobia after my boyfriend's dad caught one for me!'
Elaborating on how she interacts with her unusual pets, Hayden explained: 'I take them out and around the house at least once a week but I've never taken them out in public.
'I have an irrational fear that someone is going to harm them on impulse since most people are scared of spiders.
'Some of my family think it's cool and others are scared of them and think it's weird. Some think I'm crazy.'
She continued: '[My spiders] are very intelligent compared to most other spiders, as well as very curious and usually friendly!
Elaborating on how she interacts with her unusual pets, Hayden explained: 'I take them out and around the house at least once a week but I've never taken them out in public'
'I like to call them "arachnopuppies" as they are pretty much the dogs of the arachnid world,' she dished
'I like to call them "arachnopuppies" as they are pretty much the dogs of the arachnid world.
'If a spider likes you, it will nap on you, watch you, listen to you, and curiously turn its head - and might let you pet it depending on how much it trusts you!'
Hayden also makes sure to spend a lot of time with her pets every week, adding: 'I am constantly spending time with them.
'It takes me around three hours to feed the babies every other day.
'And then I take them out to make content every day. I hold and cuddle them a lot!'
Her partner is also continuously encouraging her to keep more spiders.
'My partner has always been very supportive,' she shared.
'He was the one who suggested that I keep the spider his dad caught. They stay in mine and my boyfriend's room while we live at his parents' house.'
Hayden also makes sure to spend a lot of time with her pets every week, adding: 'I am constantly spending time with them'
Hayden's spiders can live up to three years and will have about 10 to 11 molts throughout their lives
Hayden's spiders can live up to three years and will have about 10 to 11 molts throughout their lives.
Matured females lay eggs regardless of whether they have mated or not.
She added: 'They do not bite unless they feel extremely threatened and their first instinct is to run rather than attack if they are frightened.
'Their eyes also move as they look around, but it's only visible with some of the species.
'I wouldn't change me and my arachnopuppies for the world.'
