They live in one room: a man keeps more than 1000 exotic spiders in his house (5 photos)

The largest spider that lives with a man in his home is the size of a dinner plate. Aaron believes he should help people overcome their fear of spiders.





Aaron Phoenix, 37, from the UK, started collecting spiders in the summer of 2021 to improve his mental health and now believes he was "born to save spiders".

"There are now over 1,000 of them. That sounds like a lot, but in the spider world, it's not. When you breed spiders, they can have anywhere from 20 babies to thousands. I rescued over 200 spiders last year — I get messages all the time from people with large collections who want to cut them down or who have fallen out of love with the hobby," Aaron said.



He noted that he works in the home removals industry and got into collecting spiders after doctors suggested the hobby might help him cope with his bipolar disorder, drawing inspiration from a pet tarantula he loved as a teenager but sadly had to part with.

His collection quickly expanded and he now rescues abandoned spiders from all over the country. He also plans to sell them to other collectors.

Aaron finds it "rewarding" to help people overcome their arachnophobia.

"9 out of 10 times I was able to show them the spider so they could hold it. It's so rewarding to help people overcome their fears, even though most of my family is still afraid of spiders!" the man said.





Aaron also hosts children's birthday parties and is working on starting his own nursery.

According to him, keeping 1,000 spiders doesn't require as much space as you might think.

"Believe it or not, they mostly live in one room. I have my own room that I set up for breeding, and I also have a separate room in my house. They don't really need a lot of space, unlike snakes. Many babies/spiders are kept in these pots when they are young. I believe I was born to rescue spiders, save them and help people overcome their fears," Aaron emphasized.



He also noted that when it comes to feeding and moving them, he takes the necessary precautions to ensure that the spiders do not escape.