After 14 days trying to befriend a tiny spider, this YouTuber got a reaction few expected
From giving her a name and a home, Newell was bent on bonding with her and Day 14 came with an unexpected surprise.
Ben Newell calls himself an animal and plant lover. The author of “Hello Tiny World” and “Magical Miniature Worlds” has a passion for terrariums — a small world created in glass jars for his mini friends. In a video shared on YouTube, Newell shared the results of his mission to befriend a tiny spider. In one of his Instagram videos, he revealed how it all began back in March 2025. He started interacting with the creature and also building a home for her. On day 14, he received a response from the 8-legged arachnid, and it has the internet in awe.
Newell brought home Earl, an 8-legged tiny spider, only 2 cm long. He was awestruck by how adorable the creature seemed and how, despite being super tiny, she had an aura of her own. For Newell, spiders are “rewarding pets,” and so he was determined to connect with her. He spent days trying to help her familiarize herself with her surroundings and also with him. The terrarium expert even shared in a video how he made a home for Earl. It took a few days, but with Newell's effort, the spider started coming through. However, it wasn't until Day 14 that Earl showed any kind of reaction indicating her fondness for Newell.
After two weeks of interaction and thoughtful effort, Earl finally began accepting food from Newell and eventually gave him his first contact by hopping onto his finger. The food was just flies, of different types and sizes, based on her growth and preferences, too. But Earl was finally opening up, recognizing and approaching Newell. She knew he meant no harm, and for her to pick up on that through his gestures was truly amazing. The next question was, can spiders really bond with humans? Over his next few videos, Newell was determined to check out the same and even ensure Earl lived a good life in the short span she had.
In another video, the man made things more challenging for the spider. He set up two wooden stools and put a plank over them to make a bridge. He stood on one end and placed Earl on the other. He wanted to see if she would approach him voluntarily. On day 34, while she hesitated a little, she took her 3-minute route and crawled her way up to Newell's hand. The duo was tight-knit now; what was remaining was for Earl to start living life more. The expert did this by getting her a boyfriend, whom he called Toejam. Tinier than her, this little guy soon bonded with Earl. Things were certainly going well for this duo.
As of December 2025, Newell has spent a long time with Earl, and she’s thriving, learning, and bonding well, just as a pet would. According to Las Vegas Pest Control, jumping spiders, arachnids like Earl, are not as aggressive as other 8-legged creatures. While they don’t particularly enjoy being held, they might enjoy interaction. Furthermore, they can be pets. Of course, not in the way you’d have a cat or dog, but with the right equipment and knowledge, it was noted that these spiders can learn to recognize human beings and develop trust. Therefore, they can hold connections and bond in their own unique manner. And Newell proved that within just 14 days of his quest, leaving the internet mesmerized. @saffrin_31 said, “Gonna add befriending a spider to my to-do list.” @beleivin_angels added, “She’s cute, and I have a phobia.”
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